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You could slap a name on any unique combination of ingredients and call it an original cocktail, but if you create something from scratch that you want people to remember, the name can be pretty important. Of course, it also has to taste good, so by the time you’re ready to pick the name, hopefully you’ve weighed your options. Memorable drinks of the past have celebrated geographical locations, an individual’s name, and even popular events throughout history. If you want the name to stick, it helps if it’s accompanied by a good story. As stories go, the one behind the Mexican Circus Tiger is pretty hard to beat.
This cocktail actually has two stories—mine, and that of the cocktail’s creator. I’ll start with mine since it’s shorter and not as intersting. A few weeks ago, my wife and I found ourselves at Beaker & Flask, a fantastic cocktail bar
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It’s Cinco de Mayo, the holiday that celebrates Mexican heritage and commemorates the battle of Puebla, Mexico in 1862. It’s hard not to think about the Margarita on this day, but since I wrote about it last year, I thought I would feature a different tequila drink I have been enjoying ever since I spotted it in Imbibe Magazine. The drink I am referring to is the Red Pepper Daisy, and it’s wonderful. It was created by John Lermayer from the Florida Room in Miami and it recently made it’s way onto the menu at Forty Four in the Royalton Hotel, New York.
The Daisy is a class of drinks that goes all the way back to the days of Jerry Thomas. Technically speaking, a Daisy is a fizz—or rather, a soda-topped sour—that is sweetened with a bit of orange liqueur or grenadine
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I was never a Gin & Tonic fan, but all of that changed last year when I read Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s post about making tonic from scratch. Of course, his wasn’t the first recipe to gain widespread attention. The resurgence of craft tonic is credited to Kevin Ludwig of Portland, Oregon whose recipe even appeared in the March/April 2007 issue of Imbibe Magazine. Having basically skipped over that recipe back then, I considered it an ingredient best left to gin drinkers, or someone who was more interested. Finally, after reading more about it and seeing craft tonic added to a cocktail I really enjoyed, I decided to give it a try.
Why make something that already exists? When I first saw the Imbibe article, I was asking myself all sorts of questions. Can’t you simply buy tonic water at the store? It’s cheap enough, it’s crystal clear, and
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Does the old saying, “necessity is the mother of invention” apply to cocktails? I suppose to some people it’s hard to recognize the need for a refreshing beverage, but that didn’t stop my sister from buying a bottle of Villa Italia Blood Orange soda this past weekend. You see, she already had a well-stocked liquor cabinet, but wanted—or rather needed—a good mixer. So, after returning from Trader Joe’s, she pulled this gourmet soda from the bag with the thought that I would be able to come up with something.
While I normally enjoy creating delicious cocktails using only the best, fresh ingredients, I wasn’t about to back down from a challenge. Armed with a few ideas, I wandered around the back of the house to inspect the herbs. Even with autumn upon us there was still hope for adding a bit of freshness to this drink. Finally, I came up
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Antique/Vintage Store Spotlight:
 Decorated Coupe, Rye Pattern, Flared Rim 7 oz |
 Snifter, Etched "Ship" design |
 Cocktail, V-Shaped, Silver Rim, Crystal Stem 6 oz |
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