CerebralDebris

Things have been quiet on the cocktail front of late, not because I’ve stopped enjoying them, but rather because I received a terrific book for Christmas: The Craft of the Cocktail by Dale Degroff. I highly recommend it. The first half is interesting and informative, tracing the evolution of the cocktail over the years and giving advice and information on specific liquors, mixers, ingredients, and techniques. The second half is a list of 500 cocktails, and I’ve been taking the opportunity recently to stop experimenting and instead try my hand at replicating some of those recipes. The results have been largely successful, but I can’t entirely stifle my creative side, and in the past few weeks I’ve come up with two cocktails that I’m really happy with. One of them is based on a cocktail from the book, and the other is a creation that was born after my lovely wife picked up a bottle of cranberry juice concentrate, which makes an interesting mixer, though you have to be careful to keep it from overwhelming things. Anyway, check these out, and if you’re into mixing cocktails like I am, pick up a copy of that book. You won’t regret it.

The Bitter Stork

Based on the Stork Club Cocktail, first created by Nathaniel Cook of the Stork Club, and brought to my attention by the aformentioned Dale Degroff. I didn’t have all of the ingredients for the traditional Stork Club Cocktail, so I improvised with what I had, and turned out a cocktail that ranks among my wife’s favorites, of those I’ve created. I’m pretty fond of it too! Just the right level of bitter, sweet, and tart.

1.5 oz Gin
.5 oz Triple Sec
.5 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
.25 oz Simple Syrup
Dash of Angostura Bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry, and a lime twist.

Tart in Tennessee

I wanted to create a long drink that took advantage of the cranberry concentrate that my wife bought me, so I played around and found something that I think works very nicely. Not too strong, not too tart, and the Tennessee Whiskey plays very well with the cranberry, bringing some vanilla notes to it.

2 oz Tennessee Whiskey
.5 oz Cranberry Concentrate
.5 oz Simple Syrup
4 oz Club Soda
Dash of Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a collins glass with ice, and stir gently until combined. Garnish with drunken cranberries, if you can get them (it helps if you married someone who makes them!).