One of my 2009 new year's resolutions was to find my signature cocktail. I haven't done a very good job. I have found lots of cocktails I like -- anything summery with fresh mint and lots of lime juice springs to mind -- and discovered a deep love for Cognac.
But I have yet to find the sort of cocktail that I can order in any situation -- fancy bar, dive bar, airport bar, and be happy with what is delivered. Indeed, I am picky. I don't want my signature cocktail to be too girly (no cosmos), and try as I might, I can't stomach a martini, no matter if it is made with gin, vodka, or lots and lots of olive juice. And did I mention that my signature cocktail has to be easy to make and identifiable to even the thickest of bartenders? This means no Greyhounds, Bourbon Planners, or Sparkletinis for me.
Really, a nice glass of champagne does me right nearly any evening. But not every bar out there offers a nice glass of champagne. Hence, my need for a signature cocktail.
The other night, facing my cocktail conundrum yet again, I ordered a Gin and Tonic. I was delivered a smooth, not too juniper-y drink with just the right amount of lime. It was delicious. I remembered I like gin and tonics, I just don't like gin and tonics that are so light on the tonic that they might more aptly be called "gin with a twist of lime."
Could the slightly boring yet vaguely elegant gin and tonic be my signature cocktail? I was hoping for something slightly more exciting, but a girl can't have everything she wants, can she?
Can she?
2 comments:
Good post. My "old" cocktail was a G&T from back in grad school with the husband. When we'd go to parties, it was always the safe thing to order..usually wine was cheap and sour, beer was bad (I only like fresh microbrews), and I stuck with G&T's. Lately, I've been getting into trying some of the new higher end imported gins which have more flavor. My current favs are Tanquray 10 or Hendricks. Interesting that both of my adult sons have become fans of the G&T as their standard drink. We were just vacationing with them, and our older son ran to the store for a bottle of gin, tonic, and a lime. It's nice to have a fall-back drink that has so few ingredients. The 3 of us polished it off over 5 days, while my husband stuck to wine.
Also - my older son lives in SF and is very into the fancy artisnal cocktails served at many of the upscale bars there (like Bourban & Branch). I think they're fun to try, but seem a bit too busy.
As advice - I think you should give a Tom Collins a try (that's my standard for bad bars and airport bars) and if I'm somewhere nicer at an old-school bar I like to order a Side Car. Give them a try.
I LOVE cognac too, but why don't they make more varieties?
Hi Shelley,
I am going to go out tonight and order a Tom Collins! I'll let you know how it goes...
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