June 28, 2024
Here’s a nice old drink from like 100 years ago or more (at least as far as I can tell), which carries a swell story, too, as it was named after a legendary ballet troupe. How often do we have drinks named after ballet troupes today? Not often enough friends! It’s a dancing combo of vodka, crème de cassis, and lime, which I think is a dancing combo indeed for summer, which we are within, a little fruity, a little citrus, a lot of umph. I also think this should be served extra cold if you can, which means some serious shaking, as if you were in the shape of a prima donna ballerina, like, say Tamara Karsavina, who was one of the main dancers from the Ballets Russes, and who I have a little bit of an impossible crush on. Impossible unless one of you readers designs a time machine, which, if you do, might come in handy for other things besides impossible crushes (though they are very important). Just something to mull while you sip this drink.
Ballets Russes
Ice cubes
2 ounces vodka
1 ounce creme de cassis
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the vodka, cassis, and lime juice. Shake well, until your hands are too cold to shake more.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Drink up, time traveler.
Tags: Ballets Russes, cocktail, Cocktail Recipes, creme di cassis, Friday Night Cocktail, impossible crushes, lime juice, Tamara Karsavina, vodka, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Liqueurs, Recipes, vodka, What I'm Drinking
January 10, 2020
It’s funny, in a curious way, because it’s January, and January is known as a bit of a cold-hearted month for a number of reasons; one, cause it’s cold! But, the curiously funny thing is, that for the second time in two weeks, I’m having not a winter warmer, but a light, refreshing, mix with ginger beer and ice cubes and sunshine (admittedly, chilly sunshine, but sunshine, pals, is sunshine). This devilish mix, though, is such an old favorite, and (perhaps more important? I’d say most important) my wife’s top drink, or at least top five, that it gets consumed at our house – or at nearby bars – year round. It’s a treat year round, too, as the tequila smoke and warmth play so perfectly with the ginger beer, and then that unexpected in a way, slight sweet fruity boop from the cassis and tangy tang of lime (or lemon, in a pinch, hence the “esque” in this this title, but, you know, needs must), all combining into a, well, treat! No matter what the day of the year.
One note: some folks (many?) shake the tequila, juice, and cassis first. That’s not my style. I’m not saying my style is better, oh no! But I do how I do. You do you. We all can still toast drinks.
The El Diablo-esque
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces tequila (often, reposado, but I think blanco is nice, too)
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
3-1/2 ounces ginger beer
1/2 ounce crème de cassis
Lemon slice, for garnish
1. Fill a big-ish highball or comparable glass three-quarters full with ice cubes. Add the tequila, lemon juice, and ginger beer. Stir thoroughly, but no need to chase the devil in an over-rambunctious manner.
2. Carefully drizzle the cassis over-the-top of the mix (I tend to angle towards the edges, but that’s me, again). If you want, give it a brief stir. Garnish with the lemon. Go January, go!
Tags: cassis, cocktail, Cocktail Recipes, creme di cassis, Friday Night Cocktail, ginger beer, lemon, lime, Tequila, The El Diablo-esque, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Liqueurs, Recipes, Tequila, What I'm Drinking
November 9, 2018
I’m just gonna quote one of my favorite headnotes here (I know, I know, vulgar to quote myself, but what the heck), from Good Spirits:
“It’s as if I never left. In a canoe. On the longest river in Europe, the Volga. Ice in every direction. Bears and bear-like animals along the banks. A storm railing against that canoe for every one of the 2,300 miles. Crazy birds circling, waiting for the canoe crash to pick the remains clean from splinters. Water splashing over the sides like a curse. And then the sturgeon with their beady eyes tracing my progress from the deep pockets. The banks birthing jagged rock after jagged rock, taunting me with possible capsize after capsize. But did I worry? No sir, and no ma’am. I poured a Volga and sat backed and smiled. If you’re every stuck on a long river, I suggest doing the same.”
This is made even better if you use Sidetrack Distillery’s Cassis, which is tarty, fruity, and awesome-y.
The Volga
Ice cubes
2 ounces vodka
3/4 ounce cream de cassis
1/2 ounce heavy cream
Two raspberries for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker half way with ice cubes. Add the vodka, cassis, and cream. Shake well.
2. Add the two raspberries to a cocktail glass. Strain the mix into the glass. Za vashe zdorov’ye!
Tags: cassis, cocktail recipe, cocktails, cream, creme di cassis, Friday Night Cocktail, Good Spirits, The Volga, vodka, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Distillery, Good Spirits, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
