How do you think your books and favourite characters feel watching you eat, drink, and be merry through the holiday season? A little bereft! Today, five lucky characters get matched with perfect cocktails in their honour from the beautiful new bar book, Cocktail Culture, by Shawn Soole and Nate Caudle (TouchWood Editions).
It was hard to stop at five, with cocktail handles like Holy Hand Grenade, Drunk Uncle, and Kilt in the Monastery. To get more Cocktail Culture action, please head to its Facebook headquarters here!
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For you, David Slaney and frenemies in Caught because you need it, the Desperado.
2 oz (60 mL) reposado tequila (Herradura)
3⁄4 oz (22.5 mL) Tuaca Liqueur
2 dashes Fee Brothers’ Aztec Chocolate
Bitters absinthe, to spritz glass
Glass: Old fashioned/Rocks
Method: Lightly stir tequila, Tuaca Liqueur, and bitters together with ice and double-strain into absinthe-spritzed glass.
Garnish: Flamed grapefruit zest
For you, cast of characters in Cosmo because you are stars, the Bellucci (named after actress Monica Bellucci).
2 oz (60 mL) London dry gin (Tanqueray)
1 oz (30 mL) Campari
1 oz (30 mL) sweet vermouth (Martini & Rossi Rosso)
Glass: Large cocktail glass
Method: Stir gin, Campari, and vermouth with ice and strain into glass. Top with Aperol Spritz Foam.
For you, Jean Vale Horemarsh in Practical Jean because you may have morbid leanings but you are still every bit a flower, the Grim Rose:
2 oz (60 mL) Dubonnet Rouge
2⁄3 oz (20 mL) Fernet-Branca
1⁄4 oz (7.5 mL) grenadine
Glass: Ornate port glass
Method: Shake ingredients with ice and double-strain into glass.
Garnish: Picked cherry
For you, Clare Vengel, detective extraordinaire in Robin Spano's mystery series, the Gaarden Hoe, for your love of beer and willingness to jump into bed with suspects.
3⁄4 oz (22.5 mL) London dry gin (Beefeater)
3⁄4 oz (22.5 mL) bianco vermouth (Martini Bianco)
3⁄4 oz (22.5 mL) Bottlegreen Elderflower Cordial
3⁄4 oz (22.5 mL) lemon juice
2 dashes lemon bitters (Bitter Truth)
Hoegaarden beer, to top
Glass: Wine glass
Method: Shake all ingredients except Hoegaarden with ice. Double-strain into glass and top up with beer.
Garnish: Lemon twist
For you, Inspector Luc Vanier of Peter Kirby's The Dead of Winter, the Visceral and Violent because you're no stranger to mean streets. The drink may look fey, but images can be deceiving. As you know.
8 fresh raspberries
4 large mint leaves
2 oz (60 mL) bourbon whiskey (Buffalo Trace)
1⁄4 oz (7.5 mL) absinthe (Lucid)
1⁄2 oz (15 mL) maple syrup
Glass: Tasting glass
Method: In a shaker tin or Boston glass,muddle raspberries and mint. Add remaining ingredients. Shake with ice and double-strain into glass.
Garnish: Lemon twist (use to spritz drink and then discard)
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