Two Irish Whiskey Cocktail Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day

Neither of us grew up in families that celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, with the exception of the occasional bowl of dyed green mashed potatoes at Steve’s house. And no one drank Irish whiskey. We both had to come to it later in life. It was about five years ago that Paul brought home a bottle of Jameson. It sat on the shelf for a spell before he decided to mix a cocktail with it using pears as the theme. Thinking about pears mixed with whiskey made him reach for that bottle from which poured a slightly earthy but clean taste somewhat reminiscent of a smooth blended scotch, but without all the peatiness. Jameson makes for a good mixer. It really enhances the flavors of the other ingredients in a cocktail. So Paul thought about how much he liked the sweet, peaty Drambuie–Scotch blend that makes a Rusty Nail. Why not apply the same principal to a cocktail using Irish whiskey in lieu of the Scotch, and embellish the Drambuie with 2 blasts of pear: from a liqueur, and from freshly pureed Red Bartletts. What then became the “Oh Pear” would further become the third-place winner in the USA Pears/Imbibe Magazine Pear Cocktail Contest.


Oh Pear
(created by Paul Zablocki)

Ingredients

2 ounces Irish whiskey
1 ounce pear puree (try Red Bartlett)
1/2 ounce pear liqueur (try Belle de Brillet or American Fruits)
1/2 ounce Drambuie

Method

Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with pear slice, if desired.

We’re not going to lie; the Oh Pear is a strong drink, but the alcoholic strength is tempered by the sweetness of fresh pears and the incredible Bartlett richness of a good pear liqueur, such as Belle de Brillet, American Fruits, or Clear Creek. If you cannot make pear puree at home from ripe pears such as Bartlett, Comice, or Anjou, then find a pear puree that doesn’t contain added sugars and other juices, if possible. Even though we consider it a fall cocktail, there’s still enough of a chill in the air to warrant a round of Oh Pears with your friends. And if possible, you can make Cheddar Blue Fricos to pair with them. Fricos are wafer-thin lacy fried-cheese crisps you may have had using the traditional Parmesan. But we’ve embellished a bit, to go with the Oh Pear, and have blended some sharp Cheddar with a hint of blue cheese, and some herbs and spices.

So you don’t want to whip out the juicer to make an Oh Pear? Okay. Here’s an easy twist on a classic Manhattan that brings a big Erin-Go-Bragh grin to our faces. Irish eyes are smiling this month with a forgotten classic, the Paddy Cocktail. What better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than a cocktail named after an Irishman. When you first bring a Paddy Cocktail to your lips, you’ll smell the caramel, with hints of vanilla and cherry. The first taste will prove that you weren’t imagining the aroma, and it will bring you back to the holidays . . . as if you were drinking a whiskey-soaked cake. It’s perfect before or after your meal, or both if you’re St. Patrick’s Day revels are happening at home or close to a cab (it’s a strong drink, after all). The Paddy Cocktail is now one of our favorites, and it’s a great addition to your Irish whiskey cocktail repertoire.


Paddy Cocktail
(adapted from Mr. Boston’s Official Bartender’s Guide)

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Irish whiskey (try Jameson)
1 1/2 ounces Carpano Antica (a sweet vermouth from Italy)
1 dash Angostura bitters

Method

Stir in ice for 30 seconds and strain into chilled coupe or cocktail glass. (If you cannot find Carpano Antica, just use your favorite sweet vermouth.) Bottoms up!

photos © Cocktail Buzz

The Srirachacha Lights Up Our Lives

The Srirachacha, a savory Martini with just a drop of Sriracha chili sauce and a dash of celery bitters, garnished with a pickled green tomato.

One cold Sunday night this past January, we were too lazy to go out and brave the frigidaire that was Brooklyn, so we quadruple-locked the door and said to each other “Let’s make a Martini . . . but not a Martini Martini.” Something a little more exotic. So we looked in the frigidaire that was in our kitchen and Steve whipped out a jar of Rick’s Picks Pickled Green Tomatoes. Acknowledging his choice, I espied a brightly vermilion-hued squeeze bottle of Sriracha hot sauce. We know you’ve seen it. If it’s the original from Huy Fong Foods, it’s got a big outline of a rooster on the front and a neon green cap. It’s actually an American invention, by David Tran, in 1984, who wanted to make a ketchup-like condiment, but one that reminded him of the chilies back home in Vietnam. (There are other Sriracha chili sauces on the market, such as Roland, which looks similar, but has two yellow Chinese dragons on the bottle, and a mustard yellow cap.) Well, we decided that this sauce (pronounced SIR-rotch-ah) was going to some how mix with gin and dry vermouth to create a new cocktail, based on an old favorite.

We had some Dolin dry vermouth in the fridge, and some sample mini bottles of Death’s Door gin that we picked up at Tales of the Cocktail last summer. If you haven’t had a drink made with Death’s Door, you must seek one out. The gin, from Wisconsin, is made with organic wheat and juniper berries found wild on Washington Island. You can taste the juniper, along with zingy fennel and bright coriander, in the gin, and it mixes extremely well with the Dolin. Old-school Martinis have a dash of orange bitters, but we decided to wait on adding bitters until we added the hot sauce.

Deciding on old-school measurements, we gave the gin and vermouth a ratio of 3 to 1. Since dry vermouth loves to swish around with gin, why not send the two into quivers of sprituous delight. In thinking of the amount of Sriracha, we decided on but one drop per drink. Why overdo a good thing. After a quick shake and a taste, we were pleasantly surprised at how much we liked it. And only a hint of the Sriracha came through, just enough to elevate this drink to something more complex. However, we both knew that a little bit of bitters was needed, but not orange. Celery would be more befitting. Just a dash did the trick. And adding a nibble of pickled green tomato made the last bite a perfect end to a harmonious drink.

Steve dubbed it “Srirachacha” (stress on the final syllable), and we proceeded to do some not-in-synch, pseudo-sixties parlor-hipster Cha Cha moves. It proved to be a great pre-dinner appetite stimulator (the drink, not the dancing), because as soon as Steve was making up another batch, I was sauteeing up some chicken cutlets piccata-style, with a little Singapore seasoning added to the flour, plus more as the chicken lay sizzling in the butter-drenched skillet. And to top off those golden moist cutlets: Sriracha sauce, of course, and a little candied citron, for good measure.

So, when there’s still a nip of cold in the air, but the promise of spring teases us with a sunny day, heat things up with the Srirachacha. A drop of Sriracha chili sauce is all you need. Think of it as a a crisp martini with a warm glow. And don’t forget to treat yourself to some Seared Singapore Chicken Cutlets as a little side. Bon appetit.

Srirachacha
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Death’s Door gin
1/2 ounce Dolin dry vermouth
1-2 dashes Bitter Truth celery bitters
1 drop Sriracha chili sauce
1 piece of pickled green tomato, such as Rick’s Picks

Method

Add all ingredients except tomato to a shaker. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a pickled green tomato.

The Srirachacha perfectly pairs with an appetizer of Seared Singapore Chicken Cutlets.

Seared Singapore Chicken Cutlets
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients 

1 package of thin chicken cutlets (about 5), cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup flour
1/8 cup Singapore Seasoning from Penzey’s, or another spice mix that contains curry flavors
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sriracha chili sauce
bite-sized candied citrus peel, as garnish (citron works beautifully with the Sriracha)

Method

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Meanwhile, mix flour and Singapore Seasoning in a bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, and add to pan when butter starts to sizzle. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle more seasoning on each side. Remove from heat. Drizzle with Sriracha. Scatter with candied peels. Serve immediately with Srirachacha cocktail.

Mixology Monday XLVI: All About Absinthe! (and mules too!)

The Old Mule blends aged rum and ginger beer with a touch of absinthe.

Lucid was the first legal absinthe reintroduced to the United States a few years back, and since then, dozens of brands of the green-eyed fairy have been appearing on the shelves of liquor stores across this nation of discriminating and indiscriminate drinkers. For those who are discriminating, such as Sonja Kassebaum, distillery owner, blogger, and host of this month’s Mixology Monday, Lucid is a perfect start for mixologists and dabbler’s alike. We bought a bottle of it at Lenell’s in Red Hook, Brooklyn, for 60 bucks right when it came out, and starting looking up old-school recipes that called for a dash here, or two dashes there. The Rattlesnake is a perfect example of what absinthe can do using such a small amount: rye, egg white, lemon juice, simple syrup, and last, but not least, absinthe to give the Rattlesnake its bite.

Alone, absinthe can be a bitter comfort for some who like their way-high-in-alcohol spirits to lull them into a sleepy state of confusion. But turning the high-octane of this anise-flavored spirit into a louche will turn any pre-dinner or postprandial tippler into a believer. Recently, at Hotel Delmano in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Paul ordered some St. George Spirits absinthe verte, and it came complete with the multi-spigoted urn filled with icy tap water, holey decorous absinthe spoon with a sugar cube placed atop it, and a glass of absinthe poised under the spigot to collect the water slowly dripping onto the eagerly awaiting cube, and then through the spoon. Watching the sugar cube slowly dissolve is half the fun; the other half is watching the absinthe turn opalescent. It does this because of insoluble components in the spirit. It’s a neat effect, and with the addition of the sugar water, the bitterness naturally abates. Drink slowly or you’ll be drunk faster than you can say “Oscar Wilde.”

A big fan of both playing with absinthe and coming up with mules (highballs with ginger beer), Steve plied his mixology skills by coming up with two devilishly delicious drinks. We’ve written about his Lancaster’s Mule, named after a character in Allan Gurganis’s White People, and how rum and absinthe marry well when ginger is introduced. This mule is made with white rum, but what if you’re jonesing for an aged-rum libation? Look no further, for the Old Mule delivers lots of deep flavors and a nice bite.

Old Mule
(created by Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces aged rum (try Flor de Caña 18 yr.)
1 teaspoon absinthe (try Lucid)
3 dashes Angostura bitters
4 ounces ginger ale, or a mild ginger beer
ice

Method
Stir rum and absinthe in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled highball or double rocks glass. Top with chilled ginger beer.

❤ ❤ ❤

Does absinthe make you hallucinate? Not in the LSD sense. But at about 124 proof, if you drink it enough at one sitting, you may start seeing Salome dance for the head of John the Baptist. You’ve been warned.

Sparkle, Neely, Sparkle! Pouring Fun at Fermented Grapes, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

Many people believe that New Yorkers lack a sense of community, that we’re constantly rushing to and fro, hither and yon, and as a result, we don’t get to know the people round us. Well, that may be true for some, but most people who work in New York live somewhere within city limits, in a section of one of the five boroughs, perhaps on a small block, or a busy high rise. They say hi to their neighbors with a wave of the hand, or a polite nod. Some even hug.

There was a whole lot of hugging happening recently at a gem of a wine and spirits shop on Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Debbie Summer of Fermented Grapes asked us if we would pour some delicious sparkling wine, among other elixirs, for the neighborhood patrons that were willing to brave the cold last Saturday at one of Fermented Grapes’s well-attended tastings. We were happy to take on the challenge. In the lineup: a relatively unfamiliar sparkling Grüner Veltliner, Dolin White Vermouth, and Winter & Rothman Crème de Violette. The lovely Eudocia Rodzinak of Theo Chocolate was on hand to offer samples of some amazing organic, fair-trade delights.

We decided on pouring the sparkling Grüner first, as it was light and effervescent, like a frizzante, a perfect way to get this party started. Most patrons loved its light crisp fruit, the aroma of freshly peeled apples, and a finish that tasted of a lovely fruit salad. This sparkler’s name is Punkt Genau,which translates as “On the dot,” and it lived up to its name. For those who need to know, it is produced exclusively from Grüner Veltliner grapes grown in the heart of Austria’s Weinviertel. It can be served to celebrate any occasion, including something as simple as getting home from work. (We love sparkling wine, and don’t feel the need to drink it on special occasions. Have it with dinner!)

We then decided to pour the Winter & Rothman Crème de Violette, but wanted the patrons to try it mixed with the Grüner (we tried this the night before and were pleased with the results). A little crème de violette goes a long way—it tastes of old-school violet candies you still see at corner bodegas in the city. Most sippers were tickled by the combination (we weren’t sure if it was the exotic flavor of the violets, or the bubbles hitting their noses), and many felt like the combo produced a pleasant grape flavor, with a hint of violets. We’ll call this drink the “Violet Sparkler.”

Violet Sparkler
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1/2–1 teaspoon crème de violette (your taste buds will let you know)
3 ounces sparkling Grüner Veltliner (Punkt Genau), or other sparkling wine

Method
Add crème de violette, then chilled sparkling wine, to a champagne flute. Toast.

Paul talks shop with two delightful sisters, Emily and Melissa Elsen, who opened Four & Twenty Blackbirds, a bake shop in Park Slope/Gowanus.

We informed Debbie that we went a little crazy the night before with our friend Curt when we decided to top the Violet Sparkler with some resposado tequila, so she came back to the tasting station with a bottle of Corazón Reposado. For a spirit to mix well with crème de violette, it needs a strong character, so scotch, aged tequila, and gins with high juniper notes blend well—the violet flavor is chastened, but not lost). So we added about a half ounce to start and loved the results, and dubbed it “La Violeta.” If you really love the taste of 100% blue agave tequila, go ahead and add a bit more. It’ll be a great way to start a fiesta!

La Violeta
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1/2–1 teaspoon crème de violette (your taste buds will let you know)
3 ouncessparkling Grüner Veltliner (Punkt Genau), or other sparkling wine
1/2—1 ounce resposado tequila

Method
Add crème de violette, then chilled sparkling wine, to a champagne flute. Top with chilled reposado tequila. ¡Salud!

❤ ❤ ❤

We poured the Dolin White Vermouth next. Many of the guests at Fermented Grapes that night were confused by this vermouth—they had only heard of and tasted dry and sweet vermouths—so this one was a revelation. Imagine sweet vermouth made with white wine, not red. The herbs and spices used to fortify white vermouth play very well with tequila. As barkeep Phil Ward once exclaimed to us about mixing the two, “It’s a no-brainer.”

Luckily Debbie opened that bottle of Corazón Reposado, because after she sipped a little of the white vermouth (aka blanco or bianco vermouth), we topped her glass with some of the tequila. As she proclaimed, “This is my new favorite drink,” others took notice and extended their empty glasses out to us. We were more than happy to oblige them. One of our favorite cocktails, Cut Flowers, uses white vermouth and tequila, and it’s a terrific alternative to a margarita.

Steve, happy about tasting Theo Bread & Chocolate with Dow’s vintage 2004 Port. Thanks, Eudocia.

So after each patron sampled the wares, they looked to Eudocia and her ten samples of chocolate with eager smiles. If they had a little of their vermouth and tequila samples left, she encouraged them to taste it with the spicy chocolate that started with hints of orange, then finished with a chile bang. Of course we sampled most of the bits she had on hand, and our favorites were the dark chocolate with fennel seeds and figs, and the dark chocolate with french breadcrumb bits. (The slightly saltiness of the bread worked wonders on that bit of chocolate.) Also try the milk chocolate. It’s making a big comeback and Theo’s version is mouth-watering. And paired with Dow’s late bottled vintage 2004 Port, the smiles grew even wider. We had a splendid time meeting some of our neighbors, some newbies and some old friends.

When you’re in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, and if you see us walking around, stop to say hello. We can exchange neighborhood faves, and point you in the direction of Fermented Grapes where you can give Debbie and her partner Jan McGill a visit. (If we’re cooking, say, a Turkey Tetrazzini or grilled lamb chops, they know exactly what’ll dance perfectly with it.) The entire staff (including Mathew, Donna, and Eileen who all got to taste that night) is incredibly helpful and knowledgeable, the store has the feel of a laid-back pouring room, and nobody leaves empty handed, including the patrons that night who never in a million years thought they would need a bottle of créme de violette and white vermouth for their home bars.

Steve, calm before the crowd at Fermented Grapes, 651 Vanderbilt Avenue (between St. Prospect Place and Park Place), Brooklyn NY 11238, (718) 230-3216.

Calling Doctor Bombay . . . Emergency, come right away!

How the Bombay Cocktail Becomes the Bombay Emerald

The Bombay Emerald glows a deep rich green. Pair with samosas dipped in mango chutney for a simple cocktail party hors d’oeuvre.

In the salad days of our cocktail experimentation, we came across a recipe in the 1988 Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide for the Bombay Cocktail. I think we were looking for a drink that used both dry and sweet vermouths, but the details are fuzzy as they often are when cocktails are involved. The recipe is as follows:

Bombay Cocktail
(adapted from 1988 Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide)

Ingredients
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1 ounce brandy
1/4 teaspoon Anis
1/2 teaspoon triple sec

Method
Stir with ice and strain into cocktail glass.

❤ ❤ ❤

It’s a relatively low-alcohol drink, smooth with hints of licorice (from the Anis, or anisette liqueur) and orange (from the triple sec). The 1968 edition of Mr. Boston has the same recipe, though “absinthe substitute” stands in for Anis, and curaçao for triple sec. You can even find a similar recipe in the Savoy Cocktail Book from 1930 for the Bombay Cocktail (No. 2).

Memory can be a trickster, especially so if alcohol is involved (didn’t someone just say that?), but one thing we do remember from that night of inchoate mixology is the discovery we made when we added blue curaçao for the triple sec. The cocktail glowed a deep gold. We must have been munching on something spicy that night because we were not content with the dryness of the Bombay. So we bumped up the amount of blue curaçao and, lo and behold, the gold transformed into a deep golden green [see photo above]. Not only was the color an improvement, the elevated sweetness made the drink eminently more sippable.

Herbsaint is a terrific absinthe substitute (we made the drink before the reintroduction of absinthe in the U.S.) and we use it all the time in our Sazeracs. You can either rinse the glass with a little bit and empty it out, or you can add a dash to the mix before stirring. Either way, the slight licorice buzz will dance on your tongue with every sip. (The extra ounce of brandy will also add to the buzz making you even happier.)

If you want to pair the Bombay Emerald with something simple and tasty, and you don’t feel like going to a lot of trouble, buy some classic Indian samosas from your local restaurant and serve them with some chutney for dipping, such as mango chutney. Just make sure to up the blue curaçao to 1/2 oz. (or even more) to increase the sweetness. This will also deepen the emerald green [see photo at top of post].

Samosas with mango chutney, plus a Bombay Emerald, will keep your guests happy at your next cocktail party.

Bombay Emerald
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
2 ounces brandy
1/2 ounce dry vermouth
1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
1/4–1/2 ounce blue curaçao (the more, the greener the cocktail)
dash of Herbsaint

Method
Stir in ice for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

You can read a little tale about the Bombay Cocktail (No. 2) from our friend Erik Ellestad at the e-bar, Underhill-Lounge.

photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

Mixology Monday XLV: Teas, If You Please

Bramble Punch marries the flavors of blackberries and cinnamon.

According to tippler folklore, teas played an important role in the history of the cocktail. Many believe that they were one of five ingredients required to make a proper punch, the other four being spirits, sugar, juice, and water. These same people also believe that the word punch is derived from the Hindu word for five (panch is an approximation), so you see how this led the believers (we will call them Panchophiles) to claim that punches should be made with five ingredients. We will accept as gospel the claims of the Panchophiles for the sake of this Mixology Monday post, hosted by Cocktail Virgin Slut. This dual-natured cocktail aficionado has proposed that we all make a drink with tea as an ingredient. Not ones to shy away from a challenge, we share with you our love of communal bowls filled with redolent, spirituous delights, by making you a Bramble Punch.

Bramble Punch lauds the marriage of two bold flavors, blackberries and cinnamon, and highlights the five main elements of Punch (this would please the Panchophiles). First, cognac and a medium-bodied rum give this punch its punch, plus the addition of two more spirits—Jeżynówka, a Polish blackberry-flavored brandy, and Becherovka, a Czech herb-and-spice liqueur. Second, sweetness gets a boost from some rich maple syrup and dark brown sugar. Third, two juices, pink grapefruit and tangerine, unite to tame the heat and bold flavors of the spirits and liqueurs. Fourth, black tea infused with cassia-cinnamon enhances the melding of the flavors, and offers its own unique flavor. Fifth, ice, as it melts, adds the necessary water to make this drink smoother so you can enjoy sipping it as soon as its placed in your hands.

Bramble Punch
(created by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
4 1/2 oz. amber (medium-bodied) rum (such as Old New Orleans or Mount Gay Eclipse)
3 oz. cognac (such as as Martell VSOP or Hennessy VS)
1 1/2 oz. Jeżynówka (blackberry-flavored brandy)
3/4 oz. Becherovka (Czech spice liqueur)
1 1/2 oz. cinnamon-infused black tea*
1/2 T. maple syrup
1 T. dark brown sugar
1 1/2 oz. tangerine juice
1 1/2 oz. pink grapefruit juice
ice cubes, preferably in a chunk, or a block with blackberries frozen within.

* Steep a tea bag (with black tea) and a cinnamon stick in 1 cup of boiling water. Remove the tea bag after 3 hours. Remove cinnamon stick after 3 days. If you can’t wait 3 days, then make sure you shake it well before using.

Method
Add all the ingredients (except the chunk of ice cubes) into a large shaker or capped bottle. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds, making sure the sugar dissolves (if you prefer, you can dissolve the sugar in a little water before adding it to the mix). Place ice chunk or ice block in bowl. Pour punch into bowl. If using a chunk of ice cubes, the ice cubes will start to break apart. When they do, or if you are using a block of ice, stir the punch with the ladle to chill, wait a minute (do not rush, let the ice dissolve a bit), stir again, and serve. Add a blackberry to each cup for a nice sweet-tart surprise at the end of your drink.

Serves 4.

photos © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz

Tequila Mockingbird (What’s in It Besides Tequila?)

Steve’s friend Natasha now lives in Los Angeles, but she keeps up with him through e-mails. Most recently she inquired, “Hey, do you have a Cocktail Buzz recipe for a Tequila Mockingbird?” We’ve drunk these in the past, but really never gave them much thought, except, of course, for its clever, if somewhat cutesy, name. For those of you who aren’t in on the joke, Tequila Mockingbird is a play on words. Remember To Kill a Mockingbird, the 1960 Harper Lee Pulitzer Prize–winning novel that was made into a movie starring Gregory Peck two years later? Well, someone came up with the name for this cocktail based on this play on words. We couldn’t find the provenance of this cocktail, and would be most grateful if anyone could tell us where and when the drink first landed atop a bar. The name Tequila Mockingbird did show up on, and is the name of a 1969 episode of, Get Smart, in which Agents Smart and 99 go undercover as a flamenco dancer and a quack in search of the tequila mockingbird, a rare Mexican artifact.

Most people don’t know what’s in a Tequila Mockingbird except for the obvious. Done right, it should be a perfectly balanced sour, akin to the limey sourness of a Margarita, with just the right amount of sweet and bitter coming from the menthol richness in the crème de menthe. Whether you use white (clear) or green crème de menthe is truly up to you: Not worried about stains on your white flokati? Then by all means use green and let its blue-lagoon-reptilian color breathe fun and life into your cocktail party. Entertaining a more pragmatic crowd? Perhaps the white would work best and let the flavors speak for themselves.

Finding the perfect ratio for any cocktail using the potent liqueur crème de menthe is a challenge. Classically, cognac mixed with white crème de menthe makes a Stinger. Stingers can both stimulate the appetite and settle the stomach depending on if you like aperitifs or digestifs, respectively (frankly, we rarely take digestifs . . . it would be gilding the lily since we usually enjoy just one cocktail on nights we drink). Think of a Tequila Mockingbird as the love child of a Margarita and a Stinger, or a Mexican Stinger, if you will. All of the three ingredients have assertive, or “stinging” properties, such as our first ingredient, silver, or blanco, tequila. Some blancos sting more than others, so let’s start at 1 1/2 ounces, and see where that takes us after we add the other two ingredients: lime juice and crème de menthe. (You can always add a little more or a little less tequila in your second round if you find in the end that the other ingredients overpower the tequila or are lost to tequila’s agave-assertiveness.) Traditionally, most recipes will tell you to use the juice of one lime. If you are a more regimented person who does not like inexact amounts, you will be relieved to discover (if you don’t already know this), that most limes produce once ounce of juice (lemons yield a little more at 1 1/2 ounces). Go on and squeeze all the beautiful green-yellow juice from your lime, and make sure your lime is fresh fresh fresh. If you cut it in half and see that the vibrant green has patches of dull swampiness, and a hole has developed in the center where the segments have started to pull apart from each other, do not use this lime. Its juice will be too sour. Grab another, and move on.

The third ingredient, crème de menthe, is a little controversial. Not a popular liqueur these days, it has been relegated to the back of the shelves in most bars, if present at all. Most tipplers recall the days of yore when crème de menthe was as common as crème de noyaux, but fashions change, and when crème de menthe is bad, it tastes like mentholated cough suppresant. Not exactly a calling card to mixologists. So picking the right crème de menthe is important (but not always practical if your local liquor store sells only one kind). We tried two kinds because they were the only two available to us at the time: (1) Llord’s white crème de menthe at 30 proof (15% abv) and (2) Leroux green crème de menthe at 48 proof (24 abv). One full ounce per drink was way too much, especially with the higher proof green. Lowering the amount to 3/4 ounce was perfect for the white, whereas with the green, there lingered a little too much bitterness after the first sip. Perhaps it was the brand, or perhaps it was the higher alcohol content. We encourage you to look for 30 proof regardless of the color, but if you’re stuck on a particular color, and it comes only in a higher proof, you can lower the amount of crème de menthe to about 1/2 to 2/3 ounce.

Sipping them tonight, we thought that these were the perfect Tequila Mockingbirds. We tasted all three ingredients, but the harmony created by this ménage à trois did not allow one ingredient to outshine its partners. You can add a lime wheel as a garnish if you feel like dressing up your drink, but this may be gilding the lily as well. Keep it simple. Focus on flavor. Perhaps that will be our mantra for 2010. Bottom up, ladies and gentlemen.

Tequila Mockingbird
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
3/4 ounce crème de menthe (preferable 30 proof)
1 ounce fresh lime juice

Method
Shake in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve with chips and guacamole, or chips with a mango salsa.