Old Waldorf Bar Days (1931) describes Yale University — founded in New Haven on October 9, 1701 — as "An institution somewhere beyond Old Greenwich, where many young men go for the purpose of commuting to New York for weekends." We’re celebrating the anniversary of Yale’s founding with the cocktail named in its honor. The Yale Cocktail originated in New York during the late nineteenth century, with two competing recipes from two different bars. Our version is closer to the recipe published by the Waldorf-Astoria. The club soda cuts through the sweetness of the Old Tom Gin and the sweet vermout ..read more

Negroni Week is an ideal time to celebrate one of our favorite cocktails: the Negroni. While the cocktail’s origin is somewhat uncertain, the most widely accepted origin story places the birth of the Negroni at Florence’s Caffè Casoni circa 1919. It was then that Count Camillo Negroni, who traveled in the US between the late 1880s and 1905, reportedly asked the bartender to fortify his Americano by adding gin rather than the usual soda water. An orange garnish was added to distinguish the new cocktail from the Americano, which typically has a lemon garnish. While there have been many variation ..read more

One of the many pleasures of summer is the opportunity to discover new produce at a local farmer’s market. We certainly weren’t disappointed with this year’s farmers market in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where we discovered the wonderful world of microgreens. Microgreens are the little seedlings of many garden plants that are rich in essential nutrients that allow them to grow into adult plants. There are much data on the health benefits of consuming microgreens. Phyllis Hansen, owner and founder of Solrig Farm introduced us to her farm and microgreen culture. We’ve tried several—nasturtium, ce ..read more

Tom Bullock’s (1872-1964) influence in the history of cocktails in the US is undeniable, yet little is known about the author of the first cocktail manual written by a Black bartender. Bullock was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of a former slave who fought for the Union Army in the American Civil War. Bullock began his bartending career at the Pendennis Club, an elite private club in Louisville where Bullock started work as a bellboy. Bullock also enjoyed a brief stint at the Kenton Club, a short-lived rival started in 1885 by businessmen who were denied membership to the Pendennis. Bul ..read more

French is often said to be the language of love, so what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a French 75. The cocktail, which originated during World War I and evolved during the 1920s, is named in reference to a French 75 millimeter field gun. The combination of gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar give this cocktail a definite bang. Ingredients 1 oz gin ½ oz lemon juice ½ oz simple syrup 3 oz champagne Combine the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake until chilled. Pour into a flute and top off with champagne. Garnish with a lemon ..read more

The Kakkoii was developed by international award-winning Vancouver bartender David Wolowidnyk. The original recipe features G’Vine, a gin made from a base of grapes in the Cognac region of France, and Ume Plum wine. Since we didn’t have Ume Plum wine on hand, we substituted Bianco Borgogno to continue with the grape and botanical elements. This Italian vermouth is made from white wine from the Cortese grape, as well as an herbal macerate of 37 other botanicals. The flavors of cinchona bark, vanilla, gentian, rhubarb, cloves, and cardamom come across well in this take on the Kakkoii. The lemon ..read more

For our sister’s birthday, we marked the occasion by creating a special cocktail in her honor. She loves roses, so we took a cue from the birthday bouquet my parents sent her and, after a bit of experimenting, created a twist on a traditional gin sour called the Soured Rose. The secret to this cocktail is the subtlety of the rose flavor. We found that too much rose water overpowered the drink. A small amount gives the right hint of floral notes, which are accentuated by the combination of the lemon and lime juice. The egg whites give a rich and velvety texture to the drink, as well as a dramat ..read more

We’re celebrating the birthday of novelist Ian Fleming (May 28, 1908 – August 12, 1964) with the cocktail created by his fictional alter ego: the Vesper. Fleming invented the Vesper in the James Bond novel Casino Royale in 1953. 007 orders a dry martini in a deep champagne goblet, giving the bartender very specific instructions on the ingredients and preparation: “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel.” Everyone at the bar is impressed with the order, including Bond. “I never ha ..read more

We’re celebrating the birthday of the famous silent movie star with the cocktail that bears his name. Fairbanks (May 23, 1880 – December 12, 1939) rose to stardom in the 1920s for his swashbuckling roles in such silent films as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood and The Mark of Zorro. The Douglas Fairbanks cocktail gained its popularity in the 1930s at the famed Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Havana, Cuba. The egg white froth gives the drink a dramatic flair. The apricot liqueur makes the cocktail fruit-forward, yet the drink is remarkably balanced. All of the ingredients complement each other, much like th ..read more

Looking for something to warm you up on these cold “Movember” evenings? Look no further than the Sharpie Moustache. The cocktail, which was created by mixologist Chris Elford at New York City’s Amor y Amargo around 2011, takes its name from the college prank of using a Sharpie marker to draw a moustache on someone while sleeping. "Given how strong the cocktail is, it’s dangerously drinkable," Elford told Food and Wine. "I first served it to an older woman. I imagined her going back to her senior-citizen sorority house and somebody drawing a Sharpie mustache on her." The notes of citrus and car ..read more