Posts Tagged ‘cocktail’

Rethinking the Aviation Cocktail

Last night I wandered into one of my favorite local cocktail spots and ordered an Aviation, that tasty, well-balanced drink with gin, maraschino and fresh lemon juice.  A few minutes later, when a nearly purple cocktail was placed in front of me, I assumed there had been some mistake.  But when your bartender quotes Gary Regan as to the authenticity of your purple Aviation, it’s hard to argue.

It seems the original Aviation included the little used and hard to find liqueur, Creme de Violette.  Gary Regan notes that a 1916 recipe called for two parts gin, one part lemon juice and a couple dashes each of maraschino and Creme de Violette, which “makes for a very sour drink indeed.”  Instead, Regan proposes using three parts gin and one part each of the liqueurs and the lemon juice.

While I still love the Aviation sans Violette, this new-to-me concoction is really quite good.  Plus, it gives the drink an interesting purplish hue.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
1/2 ounce Creme de Violette
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Shake with ice, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Source: CocktailEnthusiast

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Before Martini, there was Martinez

Many cocktails have predecessors, but perhaps none was quite as important as the under appreciated Martinez, a gin and sweet vermouth concoction that helped pave the way for the ubiquitous martini.
As with many cocktails, origins of the Martinez are a hazy mess of conflicting stories.  Some say it was created by a gent named Martinez, [...]

Source: CocktailEnthusiast

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How to Make Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is found in cocktails ranging from the Cable Car to the Sazerac, and it’s an important component for any home bartender serious about making drinks. Luckily, it’s incredibly easy to make and can be produced in whatever quantity best complements your drinking habits.  And all you need to make it is sugar and [...]

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