When the leaves start to fall I get a craving for Cynar. It’s hard to explain, but Cynar has a vegetal, harvest-like attribute that calls to me. So I made a simple recipe that’s a twist on the classic Manhattan recipe. I serve my fair share of Manhattans and it’s nice to change it up for my guests every once in awhile. This cocktail fits the bill. Get a bottle of Cynar and give it a shot. You won’t be disappointed. …
Through all of my research I haven’t been able to identify the origin of this fantastically simple cocktail. If you do your own digging you’ll find a few informative articles out there and most of them will list Cruzan Blackstraps Rum as the base liquor. It’s this rum that gives the cocktail it’s crude oil complexion and it’s fitting name. However, I find that the Cruzan Blackstrap Rum over powers the subtleties of the falernum, the real star of this recipe. …
The Baltimore City Paper contacted me about creating a summer cocktail to feature in their next issue. Click here for the article. They wanted to inspire readers to get creative and mix up summer cocktails that take full advantage of the season’s plentiful herbs. I chose to feature Thai basil and bolster its anise tones with the anise flavors in Galliano and Peychaud’s Bitters. Since we’re in the middle of a hot summer, I kept the recipe light and refreshing using …
The Lucien Gaudin is a classic but obscure cocktail that celebrates the well decorated French early 20th century fencer of the same name. You may notice it shares similarities with the Negroni. Both feature gin and Campari. The Lucien Gaudin however has the distinct presence of orange, both from the flavor with the Cointreau and in aroma of the orange peel garnish. The Lucien Gaudin is a dry, crisp classic that is light on its feet. Lucian Gaudin 1 oz …
This cocktail is named for its inclusion of elderberry, long thought to herald the beginning of spring. All the Year Round: A Nature Reader by Frances Lucia Strong and Martha Allen Lane (1896) is a book designed to interest young school children in nature and includes the passage: “How warm the sunshine is!” exclaimed a little bud on an elderberry twig. “Yes,” answered her twin sister, “I believe spring has come at last. How glad I am!” And how glad …
The Bee’s Knees cocktail is a gin, lemon and honey classic that dates back to prohibition. The phrase “bee’s knees” was prohibition-era slang for “the best.” In that time, the addition of ingredients such as citrus and honey were often used to cover the less than ideal smell and taste of bathtub gin. Improving the taste of an inferior gin may have been the goal, but the result was a fantastic concoction that can hold its own today. Caledonia Spirits’s …
Are you having people over for the Raven’s game this weekend? The last thing you’ll want to be doing while your Ravens are taking it to the Patriots in the AFC Championship game is making drinks for everyone. The best way to keep your guests happy and liquored up while maintaining fives on your seat is to prepare a punch. I got this recipe from Dan Searing’s book The Punch Bowl. The Old Faithful is a recipe by Gina Chersevani …
Are the in-laws coming over to your place for a little holiday get together? The North Star is the perfect way to turn an awkward holiday party around, loosening everyone up and getting the vibe a bit more festive. The North Star is a cocktail I came up with for Crillon Importer’s product Absente, Absinthe Refined. As you may already be aware absinthe and cream go together nicely. The kirschwasser adds a cherry note to this cocktail and of course …