Balalaika

I’m reading the wonderful Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami and I came across this cocktail description:

A Balalaika is made with one part each of vodka, Cointreau, and lemon juice. A simple concoction, but unless it’s as bitingly freezing as the North Pole, it doesn’t taste good. If somebody who doesn’t have the right touch mixes it, it ends up tasting diluted, watery. This Balalaika was amazingly delicious, with an almost perfect bite to it.

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The Bloody Mary

Nothin’ says “day drinkin’” like The Bloody Mary:

• 2 ounces vodka
• 6 ounces tomato juice or V8
• 2 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 dash Tabasco Pepper Sauce
• Celery salt Stir alll together in an iced highball glass. Sprinkle celery salt on top. Garnish with a celery stick.

I’ve read that in the early days of cocktails they were consumed in the morning, providing an almost medicinal lift to the rest of the day. Now, at least in Western society, the consumption of alcoholic beverages before noon is frowned upon, and most are expected to wait until after the work day has ended.

The Gimlet

A confusing drink is The Gimlet:

• 2.5 ounces gin or vodka
• 0.5 ounce Rose’s Lime Juice Cordial
• 0.5 ounce fresh lime juice

Combine in an iced cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

I say confusing, because in the Appendix to Dr. Cocktail’s book he says the Gimlet should consist of gin and Rose’s Lime Juice Cordial, but because it was too sweet, he combined the recipe with that of the Gin Rickey. But what part was Gimlet and what part was Rickey?

The Vesper

When Bond, James Bond, walks into a bar, he is known to order The Vesper:

• 3.0 ounces gin
• 1.0 ounce vodka
• 0.5 ounce Lillet Blanc

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Twist a large swathe of lemon peel over the surface of the drink and drop it in.

For a long time I did not like gin. But then there was the time I was at Vong’s in Chicago (sadly, now closed) with my friends Demetri and Cat. My usual go-to drink at that time was a highball of bourbon and ginger ale, but Vong’s didn’t have any ginger ale. The place was packed and Demetri ordered a martini with Bombay Sapphire gin, so rather than hold up the line I just decided to order the same to make it easy. I liked it so much I had two.

The Moscow Mule

For a recent party I bought some spicy Jamaican-style ginger ale, so I thought it was time to try The Moscow Mule:

• 2 ounces vodka
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Ginger beer or ginger ale

Squeeze lime juice into a Moscow Mule mug. Drop the spent lime shell into the mug. Add ice cubes and the vodka, then fill with ginger beer.

Almost every time we go to the Oak Leaf for lunch, my friend Ben gets a Moscow Mule. I thought it was because he really likes them, but at the party he told me it was because they are usually on special. (grin)