Fellow Americans, not only is this Passover and Easter weekend, it is income tax weekend. Do you know where your return is? You had to know there’d be a cocktail named for this annual Rite of Citizenship, and here it is. I recommend against indulging in many of these while you prepare your return, but … Continue reading The Income Tax Cocktail (and about making fun garnishes)
Recipes
Traditions, and where my cocktail journey began
It is Masters final-round Sunday, 1980-something. I am still a young(ish) man who’s lived his entire life in Central or Western New York State, where winter’s cold jaws can take a bite out of life right through the end of April and into early May. (Raise your hand if you’re from around here and you … Continue reading Traditions, and where my cocktail journey began
The Apricot Rickey—and why it’s called a “Rickey”
Spring is officially here in the Northern Hemisphere, at least on the calendar, and it’s even starting to look and feel like spring here in Rochester, NY. Lawns are greening up and growing, I see buds on a couple of the shrubs around my yard, and I see bicyclists here and there on our roads. … Continue reading The Apricot Rickey—and why it’s called a “Rickey”
The Dorchester
Found this recipe while looking for cocktails to help use the temporary surplus of fresh grapefruit juice I have before it goes bad. Couldn’t wait to get my two lips on it, of course. <rimshot> It is absolutely delicious and refreshing. Of note, the recipe as presented on liquor.com called for no garnish at all, … Continue reading The Dorchester
Between the Sheets
By rights, I should start a short series by posting the more classic Sidecar (Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice), but I love this one even a little more because it adds rum (I love rum!), and I mixed one of these for my tasting at CHM last Saturday, so I’m in the mood for … Continue reading Between the Sheets
Five Dog-themed Cocktails
Photo provided by Frankly Vodkas Back on March 26, we had a tasting of Frankly Organic Vodkas at Pinnacle Wine & Liquor. (Full disclosure: I am in the part-time employ of both fine organizations.) Frankly donates 1 percent of its revenues to animal welfare organizations in the markets where it’s sold through its Frankly Fido … Continue reading Five Dog-themed Cocktails
In-Seine
I got this recipe from Crazy Edouard—he’s … IN-SEINE!!! I know. I'm showing my age, and references to 1970s tri-state area electronics retailers and divey pop-culture icons don’t really belong in a sophisticated cocktail blog such as this, but … Simon Difford created and named this drink, so don’t blame me! (You kids just click … Continue reading In-Seine
Genever and the Dutch Martini riddle
The riddle: Two Dutchmen walk into a bar, and each orders a Dutch Martini, but neither gets the same drink. What’s up with that?? I tripped across the Dutch Martini on a search of the very excellent Difford’s Guide website for another recipe, and when I did a wider internet search, I found at least … Continue reading Genever and the Dutch Martini riddle
The Elder Aviator
This is a riff on the classic Aviation cocktail (gin, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, crème de violette, lemon juice), but dropping the sweet, floral violette and adding the more herbaceously floral (and health-giving!) notes of elderflower liqueur. THE ELDER AVIATOR2 oz Gin (good stuff, please)⅔ oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur¼ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur½ oz Freshly … Continue reading The Elder Aviator
Revolver: the cocktail
I love finding the stories behind the invention and naming of cocktails—to the extent that such history is discoverable. Here’s a good example. Punch, the drink magazine, starts its profile of the Revolver cocktail this way: “A drink named after a gun. A bourbon called Bulleit. A garnish set on fire.” That’s a concise illumination … Continue reading Revolver: the cocktail
The Libation Lounge 