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I've been bartending for about 12 years now, but started mixing cocktails about a year ago (all craft beer before now). I moved to New Orleans to better learn the trade, and after Mardi Gras I decided that I wanted to celebrate Lent a little differently than most. I've been participating in what I call Reverse Lent, where I make a new drink everyday for 40 days. It's been a really fun challenge, I'm currently half way there so to celebrate I figured I'd share what I got so far with y'all. Cheers!
Cocktail number 1 is a personal favorite, the Toronto Cocktail. A spin on an Old Fashioned, this beauty utilizes Fernet Branca to bring depth to the drink.
In a lo-ball glass combine:
2oz Canadian Whiskey
1/4oz Fernet Branca
1/4oz simple syrup (I prefer demerara syrup)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
Lower in a large ice cube, or several smaller ones, and then cut an orange peel to let the ice adjust to the solution. Sir for about 10-15 seconds, then once the drink is still express the orange peel, drop it in, and enjoy!
Day 2 of reverse Lent! I honestly didn't set out to make this drink, but it's absolutely lovely to look at so I figured I'd send it. Calling this one the Becky-tini!
In essence, it's a lemon drop martini with blueberry infused vodka. I infused my vodka by mixing 3oz of Tito's with 1oz of simple syrup and muddling 20 blueberries into the solution.
Becky-tini:
1oz fresh lemon juice
0.5oz simple syrup
1.5oz Blueberry Infused Tito's Vodka
Garnish with a sugar rim
Like I said, not what I set out to make, but eventually I'll get the other recipe right and I'll send you that one as well. Cheers friends!
For day 3 of reverse Lent I present to you the High Wide and Handsome! It's a personal variation of the Blood and Sand, a classic cocktail from 1941.
The original cocktail gets it's name from a movie that was popular at the time of the same name, directed by Rouben Mamoulian. The same director also shot High Wide and Handsome, hence the name for my take on the drink.
The Blood and Sand has a bad rep for being a bit muddy, and it's well earned, so I tried to lighten it up a bit. I swapped the Italian sweet vermouth for Lillet Blanc and added soda to lift the citrus flavors
High Wide and Handsome:
1.5oz blended Scotch Whisky
1.5oz Cherry Brandy (kirschwasser)
1.5oz Lillet Blanc
1.5oz Orange Juice
Shake well on ice and dump directly into a High Ball glass then top with soda
Garnish with an orange wheel
I didn't like the first photo I took, so I took another one the day after with the set for day 4
Day 4 of reverse Lent is a Pink Lady variation I came up with called the Pink Holiday, it takes a lot of research to be in the cocktail game, I'm always scanning books to find new ideas
One day, not long ago, I was craving a pink lady, but I didn't have any apple brandy, so I improvised. The result is a little sweeter then then the classic, but still balanced and very enjoyable!
Pink Holiday:
1oz London Dry Gin
1/2oz Apricot Brandy
1/2oz White Corn Whiskey
3/4oz Lemon Juice
1/4oz Grenadine
1 egg white
Dry shake the above for a few seconds then add ice and shake again, stain into a coupe or Marti glass and garnish with Angostura hearts if desired
To make Angostura hearts, simply use a dropper to carefully place 5-7 drops onto the foam of an egg white cocktail and then draw a toothpick through them, cheers!
Day 5 of Reverse Lent is a modern take on an old island favorite, The Tia Mia. Market closes early on Sunday so I wasn't able to properly garnish, sorry guys...
As you may have guessed, this drink is a spin on the Mai Tai, with the most notable difference being the use of Mezcal. It also calls for white rum, but I found that leaving the drink overpowered by the smokiness of Mezcal, so, after taking it over with a wonderful bartender from Cure NOLA he suggested using Rhum, aka rum agricole. The result, perfection!
The Tia Mia:
1oz Mezcal
1oz Rhum
1/2oz Orange Curacao
1/2oz Orgeat
3/4oz Lime Juice
1/4oz Simple Syrup
Shake the above ingredients, and then either pour over a large cube in a lo-ball glass, or some with crushed ice and dump into a tiki mug. Garnish with a mint sprig and a lime wheel (and a cocktail umbrella if you want to treat yourself)
BONUS RECIPE! Orgeat:
800g Unsweetened Almond Milk
1200g Super Fine Sugar
14g Cognac
18g Amaretto
3g Orange Flower Water
Day 6 of Reverse Lent, going with another classic variation, The Closing Argument.
This drink is a spin off of the Last Word, utilizing Mezcal instead of gin. This little glass packs a lot of power, and a wide range of flavors, be sure to try it out!
Closing Argument:
3/4oz Mezcal
3/4oz Luxardo Maraschino Liquor
3/4oz Green Chartreuse
3/4oz Lime Juice
Shake over ice and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo Maraschino cherry
"One could spend their life in search of a perfect margarita, and it would not be a wasted life" -Ancient Margaritaville Proverb (probably...)
Day 7 of Reverse Lent, the Million Dollar Margarita! Now, I'm not going to say that I crafted the perfect margarita, but I do make a d@mπ good one. The secret? Sotol!
Up until about 10 years ago, sotol was considered Mezcal, and I'm glad we finally decided to differentiate between the two. Sotol is much softer than Mezcal, but with more attitude then tequila, try it, you won't go back
Million Dollar Margarita
2oz Sotol
1oz Dry Orange Curacao
1oz Fresh Lime Juice
1oz Simple Syrup
Shake lightly over ice and dump directly into a lo-ball glass rimmed with Tajin. Garnish with lime wheel
Day 8 of Reverse Lent brings us a classic jazz era cocktail, Between The Sheets
It's a Sidecar offshoot, built around cognac and curacao, that's sure to put you in the mood... To dance...
Between The Sheets:
1oz Cognac
1oz Orange Curacao
1oz Light Rum
1oz Lemon Juice
Shake the above ingredients, then either serve straight up into a nick and Nora glass, or over a cube in a lo-ball glass. Garnish with an orange peel, sugar rim optional
Day 9 of Reverse Lent is a collaboration with my friends Cape Fear Wine And Beer, we're calling it the Fernet 75!
It's a bit of a blend between a French 75 and a Toronto Cocktail, making use of Fernet and sparkling wine, balanced with 2 types of citrus. It's a wild ride, I highly recommend it. Bonus points for anyone who knows what a Flight 57 is
Fernet 75:
1/2oz Fernet Branca
1oz Cognac
1oz Simple Syrup
1/2oz Grapefruit Juice
1/4oz Lemon Juice
Top with Sparkling Wine
2 dash fee foam egg white substitute (optional)
Shake all but the sparkling wine over ice, double strain into a coupe glass and top with Sparkling Wine. Garnish with a sweet print from a Ripple Maker if able, or just have Lector make you one
Day 10 of Reverse Lent, the Bijou.
It's a Negroni variation, but drops the bitter Campari for sweet and herbaceous Green Chartreuse. It's a lovely little glass of booze that's sure to get you going fast and keep you coming back.
Bijou Cocktail:
1.25oz London Dry Gin
1oz Italian Sweet Vermouth
.75oz Green Chartreuse
2 Dash Orange Bitters
Stir the above over ice and serve in a Nick and Nora glass, OR combine all ingredients in a lo-ball glass, add a cube of ice and stir gently. Garnish with an orange peel
Day 11 of Reverse Lent, the Irish Coffee Martini
There's several way to make a coffee martini, this particular recipe has no business being as smooth as it is for being so strong. With both Irish whiskey and cinnamon schnaps this drink will knock you out and keep you going at the same time!
Irish Coffee Martini:
1oz Jameson
1oz Coffee Liquor
3/4oz Cinnamon Schnaps
3/4oz Half and Half
3/4oz Simple Syrup
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a Marti glass
Day 12 of Reverse Lent, the Breakfast Martin
There's absolutely nothing wrong with a mimosa for breakfast, but it's a little tired don't you think? Spice up your next brunch with a Breakfast Martin, made with gin and orange marmalade, it's a classy way to day drink!
Breakfast Martini:
2oz London Dry Gin
1/2oz Orange Curacao
1/2oz Lemon Juice
1 Bar Spoon of Orange Marmalade
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, stir in the marmalade and then shake over ice. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with an orange peel
Day 13 of Reverse Lent, Paradise
A friend of mine, who had been following my Reverse Lent posts, felt compelled to send me a vintage index of classic recipes, it's so cool! The Paradise is a mixture I managed to pull from it's pages, a simple gin drink that uses one of my favorite ingredients, Apricot Brandy
Paradise:
1oz London Dry Gin
.75oz Apricot Brandy
1.5oz Orange Juice
2 Dash Orange Bitters
Shake the above ingredients over ice and strain into a coupe glass. Express a lemon peel over the drink and use the peel to garnish
Day 14 of Reverse Lent is a New Orleans classic, the St. Charles Punch
I must admit, I've made this drink many times, but I've never tried it until mixing it on this occasion. Punch is the right word for it, in two ways, one because when I think of alcoholic punch this is the flavor I'm thinking of, and two, because it packs one! Give it a go, I'm glad I did
St Charles Punch:
1.5oz Ruby Port
1oz Cognac
.75oz Fresh Lemon Juice (fresh is important!!!)
.75oz Simple Syrup
.25oz Orange Curacao
Fill a lo-ball glass 75% with ice then pour all ingredients slowly into the glass. Stir lightly with a spoon and then garnish with an orange slice and a mint sprig
Day 15 of Reverse Lent is an old British Officers drink, the Pegu Club
Like many classic cocktails, it's surprisingly simple, but the drink carries a wonderful, bright citrus flavor that's both clean and exciting. The drink inspired the name for one of New York's most famous cocktail bars, and holds it's own in today's highly specialized world
Pegu Club Cocktail:
2oz Botanist Gin
.75oz Fresh Lime Juice
.75oz Orange Curacao
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters
Shake all of the above over ice and double strain into a coupe glass, serve straight up and neat
Day 16 of Reverse Lent, and also St Patrick's Day, brings us a Clover Leaf
The Clover Leaf is a classic that many have forgotten about, but hard core cocktail enthusiasts consider this one a real gem. It's just sweet enough, balanced with lemon, and with a velvety texture that's reminiscent of a milk shake. Plus, it's really fun to play with the garnish!
Clover Leaf Cocktail
1.6oz Botanist Gin
.25oz Simple Syrup
.25oz Grenadine
.5oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Egg White
Dry shake all the ingredients to mix the egg well, then add ice and shake again. Double strain into a coupe or Marti glass. Garnish with Angostura clover and a mint leaf
To make the Angostura clover gently place 4 drops of Angostura Bitters into the center of the cocktail and then draw a line out with as toothpick
Day 17 of Reverse Lent is a New Orleans favorite, La Louisiana
Like the Sazerac and other New Orleans cocktails, the La Louisiana is more about procedure then it is about the ingredients, though what you use is still very important. Like the city itself, the La Louisiana is a lovely, smooth glass of something else that can get you into trouble if you're not careful. Easy as the blues, and complex as jazz, this lovely number will keep you wanting more
La Louisiana:
1.25oz Rye Whiskey
1oz Sweet Vermouth
.75oz Benedictine
4 Dash Peychauds Bitters
Absinthe Rinse
Combine the rye, vermouth, peychauds bitters, and benedictine in a mixing breaker, then, rinse a lo-ball glass with absinthe and add a cube of ice. Skewer a Luxardo cherry with a tooth pick and place on the rim of the glass, then, pour the contents of the mixing breaker over the cherry and onto the ice slowly. Drop in the cherry, and serve
Day 18 of Reverse Lent brings us a forgotten gem, the Xanthia
It's obscure, it's hard to come by all the ingredients, nearly no one knows how to make it, and it's delicious! Using both yellow chartreuse and kirschwasser, not many bars will have one or both of those items, but, if you get lucky and spy the pair sitting on a lonely shelf somewhere give this cocktail a try, it's one you'll never forget. Very smooth and complex, hints of cherry, but only boozy sweetness, it's due for a comeback
Xanthia:
1oz Botanist Gin
1oz Cherry Brandy (Kirschwasser)
1oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 Dash Orange Bitters
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
Mix all ingredients in a mixing breaker over ice and serve straight up in a coupe glass
Day 19 of Reverse Lent is a drink that I pulled from the back pages of my bars master recipe book entitled Naked if I Want To
I absolutely love Sotol, seriously, if you haven't gotten a bottle yet do it now! It's cheep, it's amazing, and once the secrets out you won't be able to find it anywhere. This particular drink caught my eye not just because of the main sprit, but also because of the strange combination of other ingredients that somehow, miraculously, work together
Naked If I Want To:
0.5oz Sotol
0.5oz Yellow Chartreuse
0.5oz Aperol
0.5oz Lime Juice
2 Dash Angostura Bitters
Mix everything except the bitters in a shaker and shake lightly over ice. Pour into a lo-ball glass and add a cube of ice, then, dash the bitters directly on top of the cube to layer them in the drink. Garnish with a Grapefruit peel
Day 20 of Reverse Lent, half way there! Say hello to the Jungle Bird!
It's one of the classic tiki cocktails that's designed to do exactly two things, be delicious, and be damn near undrinkable due to the garnish. The garnish is the reason for the name, meant to invoke images of birds of paradise flying gayly through a predator free island. Seriously, if you think you've over garnished a Jungle Bird, you haven't, go back to the bar and find something else to throw on that son of a b!t¢£!! I put a little spin on the drink, swapping Campari for Aperol, it's a trick I learned from my friend Tolbert at Cape Fear Wine and Beer, and I greatly perfer it this way
Jungle Bird:
1.5oz Aged Rum
.75oz Aperol
1.5oz Pineapple Juice
.5oz Demerara Syrup
.5oz Lime Juice
Shake all the above ingredients over ice and pour into a lo-ball glass with a cube in it. GARNISH LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!!!
Cat Tax! This is Toby, one of 3 kittens I fostered not long ago. He's a really good buddy. Cheers friends and thanks for reading!