It's Five O'Clock Somewhere...

It's five o'clock somewhere in the world. In other words, time for a stiff drink. It may be more socially acceptable to don workout gear on your way to spin class following a tough day at the office. But there will always be a crowd at the local watering hole, toasting the end of day whistle. Whenever I watch "Mad Men" on AMC, I find myself craving one of those cool retro cocktails, evocative of simpler, drunken times. (I also find myself wondering how these folks could possibly have gotten any work done, given their proclivity for midday scotch and groping with secretaries.) I have been considering a trip to Crate & Barrel to purchase highball and double old fashioned glasses. Maybe I will even make some rumaki! So, let's don a skinny tie or little black dress with pearls and clink our glasses. In a virtual sense. I leave you with a collection of classic cocktail recipes in hope you'll invite me over for a swank evening of drinking. We'll leave the cigarettes at home!

Old Fashioned Manhattan

1 oz. whiskey

1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

3 dashes bitters

1 t. sugar

1 splash club soda

Pour the whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters and sugar into a cocktail glass over crushed ice. Stir well. Top with club soda, and stir again gently. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, and serve.

Tom Collins

2 oz. gin

1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 t. superfine sugar

3 oz. club soda

1 maraschino cherry

1 slice orange

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, lemon juice, and sugar. Shake well. Strain into a collins glass almost filled with ice cubes. Add the club soda. Stir and garnish with the cherry and the orange slice.

Gimlet

4 parts gin or vodka

1 part Rose's lime juice

Serve straight or on the rocks in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with lime


Whiskey Sour

2 oz. blended whiskey
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 t. powdered sugar
1 Maraschino cherry
1/2 slice lemon
Shake blended whiskey, juice of lemon, and powdered sugar with ice and strain into a whiskey sour glass. Decorate with the half-slice of lemon, top with the cherry, and serve.

Champagne Cocktail

2 dashes bitters
1 tsp sugar
chilled Champagne
1 twist lemon peel
Place one lump of sugar with bitters in a chilled champagne flute. Fill with chilled champagne. Add the twist of lemon peel and serve.

Cheers!