Almond Syrup, Too

When we last left it, I said I wanted to try the Trinidad Sour, which is three parts rye, one part Fernet Branca, one part lemon juice and one part orgeat (or whatever you’re using). This is good — the Fernet Branca is medicinal but you get used to it, which I know doesn’t sound appetizing, but in the end/by the end, it’s a nice cocktail.

Witch

We always held back from Strega because, in general, it’s expensive ($35 or so for .75 l) but I had to replenish the cabinet (or the cabinet plus the sprawling excess spot next to the china cabinet on the floor where the kids, thankfully, don’t really poke around near) so it’s less of a thing to sneak in an expensive add-on. Thus, the Strega.

It’s a funny thing because you think you see an ingredient everywhere and then when you don’t have it you automatically skip over certain recipes. But then when you have it, it’s impossible to remember what’s got it. I went on to Amazon to “look inside” the PDT book and alighted on the Rye Witch (page 232): eight parts rye, one part Strega, one part sherry (it called for a Palo Cortado but I had an Amontillado, which is less sweet on the sherry spectrum), a sugar cube (used a blurp of simple syrup instead) and two dashes of orange bitters.

This was good! The Strega flavor is powerful, be warned, but the overall flavor is good.

File Under: Stuff With Gin, Limes, Rum And Crème De Cassis

Latest cocktails tried . . .

Solomon Sling (Mr. Boston, page 95): six parts gin, three parts lemon juice, two parts simple syrup, two parts Kirschwasser, one part Cherry Heering, one dash Angostura bitters. Good.

Angel’s Share (Mr. Boston, page 171): six parts bourbon, two parts Amaro, one part crème de cassis, one dash orange bitters. Overlooked this recipe in the book for a while because I don’t know why. We used Amaro CioCiaro and this old cassis sort of forgotten in the liquor cabinet. This was good, too; worth returning to.

Junior (PDT, page 154): eight parts rye, three parts lime juice, two parts Benedictine, two dashes Angostura bitters. We had a bunch of limes in the fridge so I put them to use. Was OK, if memory serves.

Romeo y Julieta (PDT, page 228): eight parts rum, two parts sweet vermouth, two parts Campari. Like a Left Hand but with more rum. Definitely didn’t add the four spritzes of diluted Aftel Tobacco Essence, though, so who knows.

Hello, Cocktail!

The Junior (PDT cocktail book, page 154) is a nice drink: rye, lime juice, Bénédictine and Angostura bitters. The amount of lime juice — 3/4 ounce — is a lot but as the note in the book says, it’s a “sophisticated sour.” Jen likes puckery cocktails, and she immediately took to it.