by Brian | Apr 24, 2018 | Dedicated Drinker's Diary, Recipes
Just a week ago today, Suzen and I were in Milan. We were sitting in the lovely Marchesi patisserie as the day grew dark. We had been walking for hours and we were tired. “We are lost,” Suzen said. “No, we are not,” I gave the only answer I could. There are two things...
by Brian | Apr 3, 2018 | Dedicated Drinker's Diary, Recipes
Aperol is now 99 years old. The Italian aperitif is made with bitter orange, rhubarb, different flowers and surely some secret ingredients. At 11% it has half the alcohol of its sibling Campari and a far less bitter taste. The Campari company actually bought out the...
by Brian | Sep 6, 2017 | Dedicated Drinker's Diary, Recipes
I am a fan, a devoted fan, of Crème de Pamplemousse Rose from Combier. That’s grapefruit liqueur for here in America. This recipe comes from their website but I’ve changed the name to reflect the zing this cocktail provides. The base spirit is gin, although you could...
by Brian | Aug 14, 2017 | Cocktails, Dedicated Drinker's Diary, Recipes
I know, people think of the Whisky Sour as a rather Old Fashioned beverage. Pun intended, thank you. And the classic recipe can be very simple, starkly simple. On the Crown Royal website, they propose just four ingredients: 5 ounces Crown royal Delux Whisky .5 ounces...
by Brian | May 27, 2017 | Dedicated Drinker's Diary, Recipes
I had gin. I had Aperol. I wanted to combine them. A quick search found this recipe on Epicurious. There it is called Gin and Aperol for the Win. I’m calling it Lively instead because I am leaving out the curry leaf and salt the Epicurious recipe calls for. And I find...