The Harrovian probably traces its roots to the term used to describe boys who are attending or who graduated from Harrow School, a very traditional boarding prep school for boys. It should come as no surprise that the Harrovian cocktail takes some getting used to. ... READ MORE]]> The Harrovian probably traces its roots to the term used to describe boys who are attending or who graduated from Harrow School, a very traditional boarding prep school for boys. It should come as no surprise that the Harrovian cocktail takes some getting used to. Like many fascinating old school cocktails, this one isn’t meant to be appreciated by novice drinkers or those who can’t comprehend why anyone likes gin. It’s meant to be favored by an exclusive set, and so it’s fallen out of popularity over the years.

If you enjoy a drink that’s a bit of a challenge, but that really does taste good once you get used to it, try the Harrovian.

Harrovian Cocktail

• 2 ounces gin
• 1/4 ounce orange juice
• 1 dash lemon juice
• 1 dash angostura bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass.

The Harrovian is basically a very dry martini with hints of orange and bitters. If you already like dry martinis, you might warm to this one rather quickly.

Like the martini, the Harrovian goes well with most foods – steak and potatoes, a vegetarian lunch, virtually anything. Nuts and cheeses are great for snacking. A chicken and provolone panini makes a particularly great pairing for a meal.

The Harrison is one of the lesser-known cocktails we’ve ever talked about here, probably  because it uses raw egg white. Bars are understandably wary of putting raw egg ingredients into cocktails anymore. But many home bartenders feel raw egg isn’t as unsafe as its publicity ... READ MORE]]> The Harrison is one of the lesser-known cocktails we’ve ever talked about here, probably  because it uses raw egg white. Bars are understandably wary of putting raw egg ingredients into cocktails anymore. But many home bartenders feel raw egg isn’t as unsafe as its publicity would have you believe. If you’re afraid of raw eggs, use powdered egg whites – the way they’re manufactured makes them about as safe as can be, yet they really are just egg whites with the water removed.

In a bitter drink, like the Harrison, egg whites mellow the flavor and add a foamy texture that’s delectable.

The Harrison

• 2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
• 1 dash angostura bitters
• 1 dash gomme syrup
• 1 dash egg white

Shake with ice and strain into a martini glass. You can garnish it with a citrus garnish of your choice, if you want, but it’s not considered necessary.

The end result is an herbal, citrus, slightly bitter, slightly sweet drink with just a touch of froth.

The Dirty Martini is a simple variation on the traditional dry martini – it just adds a little bit of olive brine, which clouds the cocktail (hence the name “dirty martini”). If you like a martini with an olive garnish, you’ll probably love this drink. ... READ MORE]]> The Dirty Martini is a simple variation on the traditional dry martini – it just adds a little bit of olive brine, which clouds the cocktail (hence the name “dirty martini”). If you like a martini with an olive garnish, you’ll probably love this drink. The olive brine adds a wonderful salty flavor that stands our from the gin and vermouth. In fact, if you’re undecided about traditional dry martinis, or you’re trying to acquire the taste for them, this drink is a good place to start. You might even prefer it.

Dirty Martini

• 2 ounces of gin
• 1 tablespoon dry vermouth
• 1 tablespoon olive brine
• Three olives

Gently stir everything but the olives in a shaker full of ice. Strain into a martini glass, garnish with the olives and serve.

The Dirty Martini is great for parties or for sipping along in the evenings. It’s also wonderful with meals – particularly hearty ones with bold but mellow flavor: steak or any other kind of meat, or a hearty vegetarian bean chili. Not every seasoning or spice blends well with the flavor of this drink, so keep your food accompaniment simple.

The Orange Blossom is a classic Prohibition-era cocktail. It’s one of those cocktails with the power to make you feel like it’s a sunny day on the beach, wherever you are and whatever the weather’s like. The flavor is orange juice with just a hint ... READ MORE]]> The Orange Blossom is a classic Prohibition-era cocktail. It’s one of those cocktails with the power to make you feel like it’s a sunny day on the beach, wherever you are and whatever the weather’s like. The flavor is orange juice with just a hint of gin. Most recipes call for gomme syrup as the sweetener, but using grenadine instead adds some pomegranate flavor.

Most variations on this recipe call for different amounts of the same ingredients, but others use Cointreau instead of gomme syrup or grenadine. Because this one’s been around so many years, there are quite a few variations – and of course, you should always feel free to make up your own.

The Orange Blossom

• 4 ounces orange juice (fresh squeezed is best)
• 2 ounces gin
• 1/4 ounce gomme syrup or grenadine

You can build the ingredients in a highball or martini glass, or shake the ingredients with ice and strain into a glass. You can also serve it on the rocks (just pour the ice and everything else into the glass from the shaker).

Honey-Orange Marinade

This cocktail calls out to be paired with hearty flavors. One of my favorite suggestions would be beef tips in a honey-orange marinade. Or this slightly more Asian inspired honey-orange salmon.

Unlike some drinks that include bitters, the Negroni tastes bitter. Some people love that about it, others wonder how anyone could find it drinkable. The flavor of the drink reminds me of pink grapefruit juice, except with that mild bitterness overlaying it. Maybe an apt ... READ MORE]]> Unlike some drinks that include bitters, the Negroni tastes bitter. Some people love that about it, others wonder how anyone could find it drinkable. The flavor of the drink reminds me of pink grapefruit juice, except with that mild bitterness overlaying it. Maybe an apt comparison would be with the white meat of a grapefruit, just inside the rind – by itself, it would be repulsive, but with the grapefruit juice in the same bite, some people love it. If you’re not one of them, go for a Cosmo, which tastes like ruby red grapefruit juice with a kick.

The Negroni

• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce sweet Italian vermouth
• 1 ounce Campari Bitters

Put ice in an Old Fashioned glass, and pour the ingrdients in. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Strong flavors

Be forwarned: this drink overwhelms meek foods. Pick something with bold flavor: steak or salmon dishes, like Green Peppercorn Steak or Osaka Grilled Salmon. For an appetizer, you can’t beat a good mussels recipe, but this eggplant rollati recipe could come close.

The Pink Lady was popular in the 1950s. It’s pink and fluffy with egg froth on the top, so on first sight you might expect it to be cloyingly sweet, but it’s actually drier than most modern cocktails. The classic recipe just uses gin, grenadine, ... READ MORE]]> The Pink Lady was popular in the 1950s. It’s pink and fluffy with egg froth on the top, so on first sight you might expect it to be cloyingly sweet, but it’s actually drier than most modern cocktails. The classic recipe just uses gin, grenadine, cream and an egg white, but one of the variations is actually more tasty, so that’s what I’m going to outline here.

Pink Lady

• 1 jigger of gin
• 1/2 ounce applejack
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice, preferably fresh
• 1 egg white
• 1/5 ounce (or a couple of dashes) of grenadine

Combine all your ingredients in a shaker without ice. Shake it, shake it, shake it to get the egg well mixed. Now add ice and shake some more. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

Like the White Lady, the Pink Lady is a little tart and a little herbal with some fruitiness. But the grenadine of the Pink Lady provides a more mellow fruitiness than the Cointreau in the White Lady, so it can take less savory foods. Try a complex shrimp quesadilla with cilantro, Chicken Marsala, or a gourmet Mac ‘n’ Cheese recipe from Alton Brown.

The classic recipe for the White Lady, or Delilah, is basically a Sidecar with gin in place of brandy. But variations on it add other ingredients, which you can experiment with to find out exactly what you prefer. The overall flavor is citrus with herbal ... READ MORE]]> The classic recipe for the White Lady, or Delilah, is basically a Sidecar with gin in place of brandy. But variations on it add other ingredients, which you can experiment with to find out exactly what you prefer. The overall flavor is citrus with herbal notes from the gin – light, refreshing, and neither dry nor sweet. If you like martinis, this drink makes for a great change every now and then.

Despite the genteel sounding name, this drink is stronger than you think.

This drink tastes best when it’s very cold, so shake it for a long time and serve it in a chilled glass. If a guest lingers until the glass loses its cool, bring them another chilled glass to pour the remainder into.

White Lady

• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce Cointreau
• 1 ounce lemon juice

Half-fill a shaker with ice, then pour in the ingredients and shake until chilled. Strain into a martini glass (sugar rim is optional) and serve.

Variations

Some bartenders reduce the Cointreau and lemon juice to 1/2 ounce each, then add an egg white and/or a teaspoon of superfine sugar. Obviously, the sugar allows you to make the drink less dry if that’s your preference. The egg whites don’t affect the flavor much; they just add some wonderful body, texture and froth to the drink.

Ham it up

The sweet-tart-herbal taste of this drink pairs nicely with the savory flavor of ham. For a tapas or appetizer, try this recipe for Manchego & Serrano Crostini, using the dry-cured for which Spain is famous, or Emeril Lagasse’s Deep Dish Pizza Bites with Mascarpone, Crispy Ham and Pesto. For a meal, you can’t beat Pasta Pancetta, using Italian bacon.

The Long Island Iced Tea is one of the all time greats. It’s a stealth drink, like the Zombie. It goes down so easy, the high alcohol content sneaks up on you. It’s also a great pre-mixer to make in pitchers and serve at parties. ... READ MORE]]> The Long Island Iced Tea is one of the all time greats. It’s a stealth drink, like the Zombie. It goes down so easy, the high alcohol content sneaks up on you. It’s also a great pre-mixer to make in pitchers and serve at parties. Summertime is an ideal time to serve the Long Island Iced Tea, because its taste  is reminiscent of iced tea even though there’s no tea in it at all.

Long Island Iced Tea

• 1 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce white rum
• 1/2 ounce white tequila
• 1/2 ounce gin
• 1/2 ounce Triple Sec
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Cola to taste (about 1/2 cup)
• Lemon wedges

Fill a shaker with ice and add the vodka, rum, tequila, gin, Triple Sec, and lemon juice. Shake it vigorously until the shaker gets frosty on the outside. Pour  into a highball glass and top it off with cola. Garnish with lemon wedges or drop some lemon rounds into it, and serve.

Meat & Potatoes

The Long Island Iced Tea basically tastes like iced tea, which is pretty delicious with any meal.  Because this is a strong drink, pair it with solid meals (even a filling sandwich) rather than light salads and snacks. Try these:

• Sunday Dinner: Easy Meatloaf and Garlic Roasted Potatoes and Zucchini
• Savory steak dinner for two
• Texas-Style Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

When you want champagne, but it doesn’t have the kick you’re looking for, you can always go for the French 75. It’s a champagne, gin and lemon cocktail with a hell of a kick. Sounds like an odd combination, but it ends up being a ... READ MORE]]> When you want champagne, but it doesn’t have the kick you’re looking for, you can always go for the French 75. It’s a champagne, gin and lemon cocktail with a hell of a kick. Sounds like an odd combination, but it ends up being a pretty interesting blend of fruit and herbal flavors.

The French 75

• 1 ounce gin
• Juice of ¼ lemon
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• 4 ounces Champagne

Vigorously shake the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice, pour or strain into a tall glass ( ice cubes in the drink are optional). Add the champagne and stir.

Meat!

This drink goes well with beef. A nice, medium rare steak is perfect with a French 75. So is a simple Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. Or a French dip with au jus.

The Singapore Sling looks like a glass of Koolaid, and it tastes fruity, so the alcohol effects can sneak up on unsuspecting drinkers. The original recipe was created in the Raffles Hotel in Singapore in the earliy 1900s, then forgotten for a while, then re-created ... READ MORE]]> The Singapore Sling looks like a glass of Koolaid, and it tastes fruity, so the alcohol effects can sneak up on unsuspecting drinkers. The original recipe was created in the Raffles Hotel in Singapore in the earliy 1900s, then forgotten for a while, then re-created from the memories of bartenders. Then it got completely revamped, probably in the ’70s. The original recipe was much simpler than the modern version, and most drinkers agree the modern version is better.

And then there are several variations on the modern version, so I’m going with a recipe that’s a little bit dryer (my preference), but then I’ll tell you how to make it sweeter if that’s your preference.

The Singapore Sling

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 3 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
• 1/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ounce cherry brandy
• 1/4 ounce Cointreau
• 1/4 ounce Bénédictine
• Dash of Angostura bitters
• Pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry for garnish

Shake everything but your garnish with ice, then strain into a highball glass (or a novelty glass – this is definitely the type of drink where that’s fun). Garnish with the pineapple and cherry on a toothpick.

To make the drink more sweet, use 1 ounce of gin and 4 ounces of pineapple juice.

Sweet loves savory

The overall taste of a Singapore Sling is light and fruity, despite the gin, bitters and Bénédictine. Savory dishes go well with this flavor. Try some of these recipes:

• Gyros Burgers – Greek/American fusion.
• Smoked Salmon Mini Cheesecakes – perfect appetizers.
• Any of these tea party sandwich recipes