12 P EACOC K

RED CUPS NOT WELCOMEGoing out for drinks is one thing; hosting a cocktail party is quite another. In the world of entertaining, a well-stocked (and correctly stocked) bar is a sign of an excellent host. Similarly important is the accoutrement that pulls it all together, because by at home bar, no one means liquor bottles set out on a coffee table with plastic cups. Don’t just pull out the Waterford for fancier affairs – you’ve got to use those crystal flutes sometime.

STORY BY CAROLINE WILLAUER PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAIGE ROBERTS

13SP RING 201 4

A s a g e n e ra l r u l e , i t i s w i s e t o k e e p t h e c l a s s i c d ri n k i n g re d i e n t s o n h a n d , b u t a l s o o f f e r t w o s p e c i a l t y c o c k t a i l s o f y o u r o w n d e s i g n o r o n e s t h a t y o u f o u n d o n G o o g l e. E v e n b a r s f a m o u s f o r t h e i r m i x o l o g y a d m i t t h a t c l a s s i c d ri n k s a re o rd e re d m o re o f t e n t h a n n o t .

O n e o f t h e M o n d a y n i g h t b a r t e n d e r s a t L e M e u ri c e , H u g o, s a y s h e m a k e s m o re To m C o l l i n s a n d M a n h a t t a n s t h a n a n y o f t h e f e a t u re d m a r t i n i s o f t h e w e e k . Ju s t m a k e s u re y o u k n o w w h i c h d ri n k s t o s h a k e o r s t i r.

* B y c h o o s i n g t w o f u n d r i n k s , y o u s i m p l i f y t h e g l a s s w a r e s i t u a t i o n . S e r v e o n e d r i n k i n a h i g h b a l l o r l o w b a l l g l a s s , a n d t h e s e c o n d i n a m a r t i n i g l a s s o r c h a m p a g n e f l u t e.

A l w a y s h a v e p l e n t y o f b o t h w h i t e a n d d a rk : v o d k a , g i n , w h i s k y, a n d b ra n d y. T h e s e f o u r m a i n l i q u o r s c a n b e b o u g h t i n l a r g e q u a n t i t i e s a n d p u t i n d e c a n t e r s – p re f e ra b l y w i t h a n a c c o m p a n y i n g s i l v e r l a b e l f ro m y o u r g re a t - g ra n d f a t h e r ’s c o l l e c t i o n . S u c h l a b e l s t e n d t o c o m e i n g ro u p s o f f o u r, a n d i f y o u c o m e f ro m a s a i l i n g f a m i l y o n e o f t h e m w i l l s a y R U M .

V O D K A s h o u l d n e v e r b e f l a v o re d , a n d i t i s b e s t t o s t a y a w a y f ro m b o t t o m s h e l f l a b e l s i n g e n e ra l : n o o n e l i k e s c h e a p v o d k a .

G I N i s m o re f l e x i b l e , e s p e c i a l l y b e c a u s e t h e Wa s p y c ro w d w h o d ri n k s i t , d ri n k s i t i n h i g h v o l u m e : t h e y a re n ’ t a b o v e s e r v i n g G o rd o n ’s . G o f o r a L o n d o n D r y g i n , w h i c h i s b e s t f o r m i x i n g. M a k e s u re t o h a v e a t l e a s t a b o t t l e o f H e n d ri c k ’s o r B o m b a y S a p p h i re t o a c c o m p a n y t h e d e c a n t e r o f c h e a p e r g i n .

W H I S K Y i s m o re p e r s o n a l , a s e v e r y o n e c u l t i v a t e s t h e t a s t e f o r p re f e r re d b o u r b o n w h i s k y o r s c o t c h w h i s k y o v e r t i m e a n d t h ro u g h e x p e ri e n c e. C h o o s e a s i n g l e m a l t o r b l e n d e d , b a s e d o n t h e c o c k t a i l s y o u p l a n t o m a k e. J & B i s g re a t w i t h Pe r ri e r a n d l e m o n z e s t . I t n e v e r h u r t s t o h a v e a b o t t l e o f M a c a l l a n 1 8 - y e a r o n h a n d .

R U M , i f y o u m u s t h a v e i t , s h o u l d b e d a rk : M o u n t G a y i s a m u l t i - g e n e ra t i o n f a v o ri t e. G ra n d f a t h e r w i l l a p p re c i a t e i t j u s t a s m u c h a s y o u r s u n b u r n e d c o u s i n H e n r y, w h o i s ‘ t a k i n g t i m e o f f s c h o o l ’ ( i t ’s b e e n t w o y e a r s ) t o ‘ re f o c u s ’ ( a n d d o t h e N e w p o r t - B e r m u d a R a c e a g a i n ) . H e n r y w i l l d ri n k i t w i t h G o s l i n g ’s G i n g e r B e e r, w h i l e G ra n d f a t h e r p re f e r s i t f ro m a f l a s k .

T h e b a s i c m i x e r s n e e d e d t o ro u n d o u t t h e l i q u o r a re c l u b s o d a , t o n i c w a t e r, g i n g e r a l e , C o k e , S p ri t e , c ra n b e r r y j u i c e a n d o ra n g e j u i c e. B i t t e r s , l i q u e u r s a n d a p e ri t i f s c a n b e c h o s e n b a s e d o n w h a t c o c k t a i l s y o u p l a n o n m a k i n g ; a t a m i n i m u m y o u n e e d v e r m o u t h ( d r y a n d s w e e t ) . G a r n i s h e s t o k e e p o n h a n d i n c l u d e : l e m o n s , l i m e s , o ra n g e s , o l i v e s , a n d m a ra s c h i n o c h e r ri e s .

* I n t h e w a r m e r m o n t h s k e e p G ra n d M a r n i e r, A p e r o l a n d a l i m o n c e l l o o n h a n d ; i n t h e w i n t e r, B a i l e y ’s a n d K a h l u a .

THE GLASSWAREYo u a re n o t e x p e c t e d t o h a v e f u l l s e t s o f h i g h b a l l a n d l o w b a l l g l a s s e s , m a r t i n i g l a s s e s a n d c h a m p a g n e f l u t e s b e f o re

y o u g e t m a r ri e d .

* Yo u a re e x p e c t e d t o k n o w w h a t d r i n k s g o w i t h e a c h t y p e o f g l a s s .

THE EXECUTION

THE EXTRASTHE L IQUOR

“ WA R A N D D R I N K A R E T H E T W O T H I N G S M A N I S N E V E R

T O O P O O R T O B U Y. ”

Wi l l i a m Fa u l k n e r

LIFESTYLE

14 P EACOC K

CHAMPAGNE FLUTE

MARTINI GLASS

GIN GIMLETWHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LIMES

2 o z g i n0 . 5 o z R o s e ’s L i m e Ju i c eGarnish with a l ime

GIN & TONICMOTHER’S RUIN

4 o z g i n6 o z t o n i c w a t e rA l i m e w e d g e

BLOODY MARYBREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

3oz vodka6oz tomato juiceA pinch of horseradishA dash of Worchester sauceGarnish with a celery stalk

TOM COLLINSADULT LEMONADE

3oz gin2oz lemon juice1oz simple syrup4oz PerrierGarnish with lemon peel and maraschino cherry

HIGHBALL

FRENCH 75LIKE THE RIFLE

1 o z g i n4 o z c h a m p a g n e0 . 5 o z s i m p l e s y r u p0 . 5 o z l e m o n j u i c e

BLOOD & SANDNOONTIME NECTAR

1oz scotch1oz cherry brandy1oz sweet vermouth10z orange juiceGarnish with orange sl ice

BELLINIBRUNCH-SNACK-DESSERT

2oz champagne4oz peach juice

MANHATTANA NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

3oz Canadian whisky1oz sweet vermouthA dash of Angostura bittersGarnish with a maraschino cherry

DEATH IN THE AFTERNOONHEMINGWAY CHAMPAGNE

1.5oz absinthe4.5oz champagne

LOWBALL

NEGRONILA DOLCE VITA

2 o z g i n2 o z s w e e t v e r m o u t h2 o z C a m p a r iG a r n i s h w i t h a n o ra n g e p e e l

OLD FASHIONEDJUST LIKE DAD

5oz whiskeyA dash of Angostura bittersA dash of waterA sugar cubeGarnish with an orange sl ice and maraschino cherry

VODKA GIBSONIT’S NOT A MARTINI

4oz vodka1oz dry vermouthGarnish with a pickled pearl onion

T H E R E C I P E S

“I HAVE TAKEN MORE OUT OF ALCOHOL THAN ALCOHOL HAS TAKEN OUT OF ME.”

Winston Churchill