Recipe: The Zombie

Nowadays, there are almost as many different Zombie recipes as there are zombies in most low budget horror films. The reason for that is that while this cocktail has a long established name (1939), Don the Beachcomber, was very guarded with the recipes to his inventions, even keeping secret ingredients from his own staff at his bars. Our variant is a take off of the close-to-original brought back to “life” by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry.

Recipe: Corpse Reviver No. 2

The Savoy Cocktail Book suggests that a Corpse Reviver No. 2 “be taken before 11 a.m., or whenever steam and energy are needed.” For us, it is usually a brunch cocktail, enjoyed in the morning (or afternoon depending on our “steam and energy”).

Recipe: Hemingway Daiquiri

Once upon a time the Daiquiri was not the gloppy sweet, faux fruit beverage dispensed from a slushee-machine at your French Quarter/Las Vegas/insert-other-home-of-debauchery-here tourist trap. It was once a fine sweet but tart drink, savored in pre-revolution Cuba, Florida, and elsewhere.

To the Boudoir

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Ms. Boozenik and I created a romantic dessert cocktail, somewhat reminiscent of a dark chocolate cherry truffle with a pinch of sea salt.

Crystal Caipirinha

We recently attended a Novo Fogo cocktail event, and came away with a lovely Caipirinha recipe courtesy of Jacob Grier.

Slab Town Limited

This cocktail is a variant of the Red Hook, and rather than Slab Hook or Red Slab, which first occurred to me as names, Ms. Boozenik smartly chimed in that since this was a limited release, and also hits like a train (since it’s slightly higher in whiskey than a Red Hook would be) we should name it as if one. Hence, the Slab Town Limited.

The Oregroni

We’re fortunate in Portland to be able to eat a very diverse and enjoyable 100-mile diet. That started me thinking about 100-mile cocktails, too. Now that we have numerous gins, an Italian-style amaro, and vermouth produced in the Portland Metro Area, here’s my 100-mile take on the classic Negroni, which despite likely, and deserved groaning, I will call the Oregroni, because all of the finished ingredients are produced in Oregon.

Vieux Carré

In my purse, I keep our swizzle sticks from the original Vieux Carré cocktails we had at the Hotel Monteleone Carousel Bar. When our Vieux Carrés arrive, I discretely slip them in when the bartender isn’t looking and we reminisce about our time at the historic hotel.

Brooklyn 46

We tried this take on a classic Brooklyn during the Maker’s 46 release party held at one of our favorite bars, Beaker & Flask in Portland, Oregon. Of all the cocktails stirred and shaken that evening, this one best preserved the true essence of the spirit.

Black Paloma

When I bounded down the Hotel Monteleone staircase to the Kahlúa Coffee Bar on my second morning at Tales of the Cocktail I thought, “Kahlúa in my coffee sounds like a delicious way to begin to the day!” Little did I know I was about to experience what would become one of my favorite brunch cocktails.

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