I'm actually taking a detour from drinks Amis mentioned in his book today, mostly because I have grapefruit juice, and there are so many drinks you can make with it. Also, he talks about the Salty Dog a lot, and this drink is a variant.
The Greyhound
Vodka
Grapefruit Juice
Unlike the Salty Dog, this drink doesn't require a salted rim. I think that is what actually makes the Salty Dog the better of the two drinks. The Greyhound uses vodka to cut down the bitterness of the grapefruit juice and it does so quite well. It would be a great summer drink, but it's a little too bland for me. I guess I just like the mix of bitter and salty of the Salty Dog a little bit more.
5/25/10
5/24/10
The Brandy Alexander
From my dad's old standby drink to my mom's. Amis claims that this drink isn't so much a drink for before meals, but a drink for a meal. This is probably due to the fact that you make it with heavy cream.
The Brandy Alexander
1 part Brandy
1 part Crème de Cocoa
1 Part heavy cream
sprinkle of nutmeg for garnish
The only bad thing about this drink is that I am currently on a diet, and anything that has heavy cream in it can't be good for that. That aside the drink is very tasty, and it's easy to see why Evelyn Waugh made it the drink of choice for one of the characters in Brideshead Revisted. You really can't drink a lot of these, due to their sheer weight alone, but they are good, but I'm pretty sure anything with crème de cocoa and heavy cream in it is bound to be good.
The Brandy Alexander
1 part Brandy
1 part Crème de Cocoa
1 Part heavy cream
sprinkle of nutmeg for garnish
The only bad thing about this drink is that I am currently on a diet, and anything that has heavy cream in it can't be good for that. That aside the drink is very tasty, and it's easy to see why Evelyn Waugh made it the drink of choice for one of the characters in Brideshead Revisted. You really can't drink a lot of these, due to their sheer weight alone, but they are good, but I'm pretty sure anything with crème de cocoa and heavy cream in it is bound to be good.
5/23/10
The Manhattan
Now, my dad has forever used the Manhattan as his drink of choice. Many a time is remembered as having memorized Crown Royal Manhattan on the rocks as his drink order. I had one before but that was after a long night of drinking, so it doesn't count.
The Manhattan
Mostly Whiskey
Some Vermouth
Dash of Bitters
Whenever you want to drink whiskey but not be stigmatized for drinking straight whiskey, it seems that the Manhattan is the answer to all your dreams. Though Fridays is not so much a legit bar as they don't have Angostura Bitters, at least they didna have to ask what was in a Manhattan..
The Manhattan makes a straight whiskey drink pretty smooth... I mean it seems the kind of drink someone wants to order because he wants to mix his whiskey with more booze. It's a good drink, a smooth drink, definitely awesome before a meal
The Manhattan
Mostly Whiskey
Some Vermouth
Dash of Bitters
Whenever you want to drink whiskey but not be stigmatized for drinking straight whiskey, it seems that the Manhattan is the answer to all your dreams. Though Fridays is not so much a legit bar as they don't have Angostura Bitters, at least they didna have to ask what was in a Manhattan..
The Manhattan makes a straight whiskey drink pretty smooth... I mean it seems the kind of drink someone wants to order because he wants to mix his whiskey with more booze. It's a good drink, a smooth drink, definitely awesome before a meal
The Stinger
So Friday's is apparently more legitimate of a bar than Buffalo Wild Wings, and as such I was able to partake in a Stinger tonight.
The Stinger
Mostly Brandy
Some White Crème de Menthe
James Bond once ordered this drink, and it boggles my mind as to why he would want a primer drink. This drink seems to be another in the list of drinks that ease you into drinking something straight. The Crème de Menthe really does nothing for the brandy, except give it a burny aftertaste. So Obviously someone invented this drink either to get into drinking straight brandy, or because they had an old bottle of Crème de Menthe lying around and they wanted to get rid of it.
This drink sort of tastes like weak Drambuie--not as sweet and less of an aftertaste. Definitely something I won't have again
The Stinger
Mostly Brandy
Some White Crème de Menthe
James Bond once ordered this drink, and it boggles my mind as to why he would want a primer drink. This drink seems to be another in the list of drinks that ease you into drinking something straight. The Crème de Menthe really does nothing for the brandy, except give it a burny aftertaste. So Obviously someone invented this drink either to get into drinking straight brandy, or because they had an old bottle of Crème de Menthe lying around and they wanted to get rid of it.
This drink sort of tastes like weak Drambuie--not as sweet and less of an aftertaste. Definitely something I won't have again
5/21/10
The Americano
I've been drinking Campari and Soda for a while now, mostly so that I can be like Steve Zissou, but also because its damn good. Campari isn't for most people (i.e. people who like sweet drinks) but I love it, but then again I also love a good DIPA. The bottle of Campari I have in my possession now is the prize from a four liquor store scavenger hunt--even the Wines and Spirits superstore by the mall only ever seems to have one bottle at a time.
The Americano
1 Part Campari
1 Part Sweet Vermouth
Soda to fill the rocks glass
This is an interesting combination of sweet an bitter. It seems to me that this is a drink for people who want to drink Campari but can't handle it on its own merits, much like the Rusty Nail for Scotch drinkers. I'll stick to drinking my Campari with orange seltzer
The Americano
1 Part Campari
1 Part Sweet Vermouth
Soda to fill the rocks glass
This is an interesting combination of sweet an bitter. It seems to me that this is a drink for people who want to drink Campari but can't handle it on its own merits, much like the Rusty Nail for Scotch drinkers. I'll stick to drinking my Campari with orange seltzer
5/20/10
The Rusty Nail
I originally wanted to drink a Stinger today, but the bar I went to had no Crème de Menthe. How this is possibly I am still not fully sure, so in substitute, I drank a Rusty Nail. I'm not sure if this drink is ever called so in Everyday Drinking, but I remember it being mentioned, so it counts.
The Rusty Nail
Mostly Scotch
A Tinge of Drambuie
A friend of mine who wanted to get into drinking scotch was told to start with equal parts scotch and Drambuie and then to decrease the liqueur gradually until he was just drinking scotch. After a half and half pouring, he quickly switched to pure scotch.
The Rusty Nail is a drink that is little on taste, but big on aftertaste. The woody notes of the scotch are combined with the honey licorice of the Drambuie only after you have swallowed. Not a bad drink, but definitely not one to write home about either. I'm pretty sure the scotch is much better on its own.
The Rusty Nail
Mostly Scotch
A Tinge of Drambuie
A friend of mine who wanted to get into drinking scotch was told to start with equal parts scotch and Drambuie and then to decrease the liqueur gradually until he was just drinking scotch. After a half and half pouring, he quickly switched to pure scotch.
The Rusty Nail is a drink that is little on taste, but big on aftertaste. The woody notes of the scotch are combined with the honey licorice of the Drambuie only after you have swallowed. Not a bad drink, but definitely not one to write home about either. I'm pretty sure the scotch is much better on its own.
5/19/10
The Dry Martini
It amazes me sometimes that I've made it to my late twenties without ever having a martini. Not even one of those crazy appletinis or cotton candy affairs they serve at TGI Fridays. Thankfully this book came along and Kingsley constantly claims that the Dry Martini is the greatest drink ever, so I felt behooved to try one, even if the drink he describes is more modernly known as the Gibson.
Dry Martini
4 Parts Gin
1 Part Dry Vermouth
Cocktail Onions
I made my drink stirred, not shaken, because I would rather trust the advice of a Mid Twentieth Century Humorist and not a fictional character. However, I did stick to the traditional recipe and not Amis's suggestion of 16 parts gin and 1 part vermouth--I didn't feel like trying to measure out a quarter second pour. Martini and Rossi was the vermouth, because although it's name has nothing to do with the drink, I am assured it is the right vermouth to use.
The dry martini is amazingly smooth for a drink containing mostly gin, but it is true that being chilled is key. As the drink warms it loses its drinkability, thankfully you have the cocktail onion to look forward to at the end. It's just too bad the drink has to be served in a glass so ostentatious, but then again, drink and oneupsmanship go hand in hand.
Dry Martini
4 Parts Gin
1 Part Dry Vermouth
Cocktail Onions
I made my drink stirred, not shaken, because I would rather trust the advice of a Mid Twentieth Century Humorist and not a fictional character. However, I did stick to the traditional recipe and not Amis's suggestion of 16 parts gin and 1 part vermouth--I didn't feel like trying to measure out a quarter second pour. Martini and Rossi was the vermouth, because although it's name has nothing to do with the drink, I am assured it is the right vermouth to use.
The dry martini is amazingly smooth for a drink containing mostly gin, but it is true that being chilled is key. As the drink warms it loses its drinkability, thankfully you have the cocktail onion to look forward to at the end. It's just too bad the drink has to be served in a glass so ostentatious, but then again, drink and oneupsmanship go hand in hand.
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