how to drink

A new year is on its way, and what better way to ring out the old, and invite in the new? Last year, my in-laws gave me an incredible holiday gift wrapped in newsprint and tied with string: the old family edition of The Flowing Bowl: What and When to Drink by The Only William. My 1891 First Edition is separating at the seams, held together by a hand-made vellum cover and sheer will, but has been re-issued in the paperback by CreateSpace for those who have a guilty weakness for Old Fashioneds, Fizzes, Ratafias, and Punches that pull nothing back. Here’s a list of a few of our favorites, adapted…..

Happy New Year!

The Hot Benefactor

A hot punch glass with 2-3 lumps or tsp sugar

½ glass of hot water for dissolving

2/3 Chianti or other dry red wine

1/3 Jamaica or other good rum

1 slice lemon

Grate a little nutmeg on top

Winter Sangaree

A mixing glass of fine ice,

3 dashes simple syrup

1 small glass of Port

Stir this very well, strain into a tall glass, cut a few slice of lemon, drop them into drink, grate a little nutmeg on top, and present

Doctor’s Orders (Caleb's own)

Rocks glass, if served on rocks, otherwise cocktail or martini glass

1 part Campari

1 part Fernet Branca

½ part Gin

½ sweet Vermouth

½ dry Vermouth

Slice of orange

Bitters of your choice

Shake with ice. Strain into martini glass or over ice in rocks glass

The Thin Vigil or The Priest’s Necklace

In a mixing glass:

2/3 Vermouth

1/3 Amaro

1 dash of Absinthe

2 dashes simple syrup

A little ice in the glass, stir well, strain and serve

The Bonne Fête

Half a glassful of ice,

2 dashes of simple syrup

2/3 Gin

1/3 Vermouth

2 dashes of orange bitters

1 dash of green Chartreuse

Stir well, strain, serve.

Jack Frost

Into a mixing glass squeeze the juice of half a lemon

1 barspoonful of sugar

1 fresh egg

1 pony fresh cream

1 drink of apple whiskey

Fill your glass with cracked ice and shake thoroughly; strain into a high glass, and fill the balance with seltzer, or club soda

The Snowball

A large glass with an egg, beat up well with a little powdered sugar, add a bottle of cold ginger ale or ginger beer (8 oz.) and a pony of brandy, stir thoroughly and serve.