Rusty Monk

There’s a cocktail in Mr. Boston called the Rusty Monk that has eight parts gin, four parts Dubonnet, two parts Yellow Chartreuse (we used Strega) and two dashes of orange bitters. It’s good.

Safe Word

Creme de cacao is an ingredient I’d always seen and never had around and never sought out because it sounds like dessert or something. The local store only really has the version made by Llord’s but whatever, it’s not like we’re charging $14 for these things. Just googled it and learned that “white” is the clear stuff (which we bought) and “dark” is, uh, dark and is apparently sweeter. Also, you can apparently make it yourself.

I tried making several cocktails and kept waiting for me and mine to dislike them but it never happened; the cocoa flavor is really earthy and good and reminds me of the fancy chocolate bitters we have on hand.

Mr. Boston has this drink called “The Interesting Cocktail” (drinks with creme de cacao tend to have dopey names) which is eight parts blanco tequila, two parts Aperol, two parts dark creme de cacao (we used white) and three parts lime juice. It’s a good drink.

For a whiskey variant, the Commodore Cocktail (also in Mr. Boston) is eight parts bourbon, three parts creme de cacao, two parts lemon juice and a dash of grenadine. Still good.

Meanwhile, in the PDT book, there’s a drink called the La Florida Cocktail that is eight parts rum, three parts lime juice, two parts creme de cacao, one part sweet vermouth and 5 ml grenadine: this is good; they note it’s a variation on a daiquiri and it tastes like that but with that added earthy cocoa flavor.

Finally, Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology has a sour called Delmarva Cocktail No. 2 (a variation of a drink that uses creme de menthe) using eight parts rye, two parts dry vermouth, two parts creme de cacao and two parts lemon juice — it’s subtle, and post-pucker you’ll taste the cocoa flavor on the back end.

Not Quite Mortal But Pretty Good, Nonetheless . . .

Here’s a cocktail that tastes like a lot of things, but which is solid (and I don’t care if it’s too clever by half): the Venial Sin (Mr. Boston, page 145) is six parts blanco tequila, two parts yellow Chartreuse (substituted Strega), one part Elderflower liqueur, one part maraschino and two parts mezcal.

Always Bet On Novelty Bottles

Obviously I don’t go liquor shopping with copies of cocktail recipe books in hand. This is why I end up buying shit like Frangelico, which I feel like I remember seeing a lot in recipes in these books but which after I get home and look at the books realize that I’m actually wrong about that. Anyway, Frangelico is that thing that comes in a bottle that looks like a stylized Mrs. Butterworth’s, but which is supposed to look like a friar or something. I don’t know — there’s a rope belt there or something.

Frangelico is hazelnut, which is a flavor that is sort of kind of gross tasting to me, but which I’m trying to appreciate. I actually didn’t know what the fuck flavor Frangelico was before I got it.

The first cocktail I tried with Frangelico was something I found using Amaretto (someone somewhere said you can substitute it; I took it at its word). It was OK. I don’t remember what it was.

Then I found something called a Dolce Vita in Mr. Boston that uses four parts bourbon, two parts sweet vermouth and two parts Hazelnut liqueur. A ha! The nut is cracked! Look for “hazelnut liqueur” recipes. I substituted Punt y Mes for the sweet vermouth and mixed that with the go-to everyday bourbon (Evan Williams green label). This drink is good.

Good Like, Weird Good

The Keegan (Mr. Boston, page 185) is four parts bourbon, three parts Aperol, two parts yellow chartreuse and three parts lime juice. I have two almost-empty bottles of lime juice in the fridge, so this was appealing, as was the chartreuse, though I have green and not yellow. So, you know, there’s that.

Normally I don’t like this kind of low-alcohol drink; I like stuff boozy. This was good, though. Strange good. Weird good.