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 There’s no reason to take any of this mixology stuff too seriously. Whether or not you consider the art of mixing drinks a science, it would be hard to convince most people that it’s an exact science. Everyone has an opinion about what mixes well together, what proportions work best, what tastes good and what should be avoided. The whole reason I created Summit Sips was to introduce readers to ingredients, flavors and techniques that might be new to you—because so much of it was new to me—and let you decide what to like or dislike. The journey so far has led to homemade ingredients, unusual spirit categories, tools, techniques and some fascinating history. It all adds up to a deeper understanding of what goes into the shaker so that we are all better appreciators of what comes out. Today, we pull together a variety of interesting ingredients to
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It’s probably long overdue, but I finally decided to write a few words about the bitter side of the cocktail spectrum—this time to outline some specific ingredients that impose this unusual nuance of flavor. The subject has surfaced before in drinks like the Negroni, and in homemade ingredients such as Tonic Water. Yet, Americans are are only just starting to understand the appeal of bitter beverages, so if this all sounds unusual or makes you feel uneasy, you’re not alone.
Expanding Palate For a cocktail enthusiast, the process of experimentation, and in many cases, the discovery of favorite drink recipes, can be likened to a chef, working through the pantry toward delicious dinner combinations. Each ingredient opens doors to new flavors that bring challenges and opportunities. Early favorites are often sweet concoctions that find refuge with the sours, where the quest for balance and variety can sustain plenty
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 This week I had originally intended to write about the Aviation cocktail, a drink so good that I was able to find an excuse to feature it earlier in the year. It was on this date, December 17th, 1903, that the Wright brothers sustained the world’s first controlled, powered, heavier-than-air flight in a craft they built. They are generally credited with the invention of the airplane.
With the Aviation already spoken for, I decided to describe another one of my favorites: the Paper Airplane cocktail. The 1903 Wright Flyer was definitely lightweight, but it wasn’t made of paper. Orville and Wilbur built their frame out of spruce and covered it with muslin. But anyone who has folded a sheet of paper and tried to make it fly can appreciate their achievement. I am hoping you can also appreciate the flavors of this cocktail.
I’m not sure why this drink
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 It’s a very basic drink, but nobody seems to ever make it exactly the same way. There are plenty of variations (and as many hot debates over them). But one thing everyone agrees upon is that the Manhattan is a true classic. Only a cocktail this fundamental—this delicious—could instill such devotion or inspire such creativity. One of my all-time favorite cocktails is The Violet Hour’s incredible Dogwood Manhattan, created by Michael Rubel. He takes liberty with the ingredients, raising the bar on flavor without straying from the core concept. Whether you are new to the Manhattan or you just don’t understand what all of the fuss is about, this is one cocktail that is definitely worthy of further exploration.
Origins
We cannot be certain how exactly the Manhattan cocktail came into existence. It’s no surprise that most people believe it originated in New York, but the specific circumstances surrounding its creation are unclear. One popular story is that it was invented in 1870 at the Manhattan Club for a banquet hosted by Winston Churchill’s mother, although this is probably fiction because she was pregnant and in France at the time. There are competing stories and documentation of its appearance even earlier at bars in the area.
The Basic Ingredients
The typical recipe includes whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. This combination was historically categorized as a cocktail—a word usually reserved for a concoction of spirits, sweetener and bitters. Other drinks in this category include the Sazerac and the Old Fashioned, but the word cocktail today no longer carries such a strict definition.
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