Had a wonderful, extra cold, extra dry, Hendrick’s Martini at the Black Point Inn in Scarborough, Maine.
Martini by the Sea
My Daily Cocktail
Have what I'm having
Category Archives: Cocktails
Original Cocktail
This is simple as simple syrup gets. This is my version of the Original Cocktail. I make this when I am looking for something one step up from rocks. I put a splash of simple (my syrup recipe is 2 parts sugar to one part h2o) in the base of the glass, maybe nickel size. Then I put a dash or two of Angostora bitters–sometimes Fee Bros orange or black cherry–and a splash of water. I dump in the Old Forester (2.5-3.5 oz depending on the day I had) and swirl the glass a few times in my hand. Next, I grab one of my mega cubes and ease it into the glass. I like to stir a few times, just touching the cube with my stirrer, to chill the mix. Lastly, I peel a three inch section of fresh lemon, no pith, and express that over the drink, once around the rim, then into the drink. Done.
Be sure to take a huge whiff of the aromas before the first sip.
Monkey Gland
1.5 oz gin
1.5 oz orange juice
1 barspoon grenadine
1 tsp simple
1 tsp absinthe
Up in a Coupe…no garnish
All my frozen coupes are in the dishwasher so I had to use a martini glass.
Cocktail named after a 19-century surgical procedure that replaced a homo sapiens testes with grafting of monkey testicles to increase their (male homo sapien’s) sex drive. Popular in Paris during the 1920s.
Pegu Club
Pegu Club
Attributed to the Pegu Club in Rangoon, a British officers’ club of the 19th century, this tart, refreshing drink is perfect for an end of day wind down. So, I lost a squash match to my arch rival in 5 games (final game score 12-10) today, but who cares? I am having a Pegu Club cocktail and all is right in my universe again.
My recipe:
1.5 oz dry London gin (Plymouth tonight)
.5 oz Cointreau
.5 oz Squeezed lime juice
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Fee Bros orange bitters
Garnish with sprig of rosemary
Negroni
I have been so excited to have one of these magical drinks outdoors, now that spring is full upon us, that I have done this two nights in a row. Last night was a lucky seating at the outdoor patio of the Boat Club and tonight is on my own deck. This particular Negroni pictured below was made by my own hand. I literally had to tell the bartender at the Boat Club how to make a Negroni, but it turned out okay and it was a beautiful evening by the river.
At home I use:
- 1oz London Dry Gin, usually Beefeater;
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth, usually Dolin or Byrrh if I have it;
- 1 oz Campari
Like all of my “don’t shake” drinks, I shake it then pour over rocks in an oversized highball and garnish with an orange wheel.
Between the Sheets
I have been wanting to make this cocktail for a few weeks now. It seems like a good opportunity because Diane wanted to go with one of her favorites and I was not in the mood for gin since it’s snowing outside. I pretty much stuck with the recipe from the 1920s except I went with brandy instead of cognac.
1 ounce rum — white rum…I used Bacardi
1 ounce Cointreau
1 ounce brandy (Copper and Kings)
1/2 ounce lemon juice
Pendennis Club’s Famous Special
Nothing more appropriate than the Pendennis Club cocktail (before dinner at the club). Of course we all make drinks better than those we can have made for us out (there are exceptions)! I have spent a lot of thought on this drink and can sense its origins in the Pegu Club cocktail. My theory is that the Pendennis Cocktail (aka Pendennis Club’s Famous Special) crept up from New Orleans where the Pegu had been tinkered with. The timing is right since the gin+liquer+citrus+bitters concept was going well in the 1880s.
My recipe:
1.75 oz dry gin
1 oz apricot liquer (or fine apricot brandy)
1/2 oz lime juice
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Shake 20 seconds, like a mad person, and strain into a chilled coupe. I like these ice cold.
A bit of simple if you are making it for a friend who has a sweet tooth.
Tom Collins
Tonight I went with the Tom Collins. It is February but 70 degrees. After a hard ball doubles match that went to 5 games, I needed something thirst-quenching and refreshing. This was the perfect choice.
