Happy World Sherry Day to all of my friends who observe!

I took a break for the past couple of weeks to complete a sherry course (I’m talking immersion here), so I’ll be back with more about that very soon. Meanwhile, today is World Sherry Day. If you’ve never tried a Bamboo cocktail, there’s no better day to do so.

The Bamboo is a classic sherry cocktail with countless riffs because it was never as much of a recipe as it is a general idea: sherry (you pick the style, as long as it’s dry) and vermouth (likewise, you choose the style), seasoned with some bitters of choice. Just Google-search the term “Bamboo cocktail,” and you’ll see what I mean. It’s a delicious, lower-alcohol cocktail, as the sherry you choose will likely be the highest-alcohol ingredient. Most sherries are in the 15-20 percent range of alcohol by volume (abv); I used Lustau’s Amontillado Los Arcos in this one, at 18.5 percent abv.

This variation on the theme is the Bamboo Shoot, a savory, vegetal cocktail I found on Peter Suderman’s blog a while ago. If you want a richer flavor, bump the sweet vermouth from Dolin or Martini & Rossi to a Vermouth di Torino. If you want more sweetness, use some blanc/bianco vermouth, the least-known and most under-appreciated style of vermouth here in the United States.

BAMBOO SHOOT
1½ oz Dry Sherry (I prefer the richness of Amontillado or Oloroso)
¾ oz Dry vermouth
¾ oz Sweet vermouth
1 dash Celery bitters
1 dash Aromatic bitters
1 dash Orange bitters
Celery leaves (for garnish)

Combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain mix into a chilled cocktail glass (a stemmer, ideally), and garnish with a small, leaf-bearing stalk of celery, pinned to the rim of the glass if necessary.