Freelance Food & Drinks Writer

Tag Archives: gin

Pink Puppies

No, it’s not a new Labradoodle mix, it’s a cocktail. My friend, Bill (who, incidentally, was  this blog’s first subscriber), graciously poured out pitchers of them at a recent gathering. The recipe’s simple enough: one part vodka, one part gin and 1-1/2 parts freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice. That last is essential. Fresh citrus juice—squeezed… Continue Reading

At the Bar: Tavern in the Village

What’s the best way to inject fun into a meeting? Hold it at a bar, of course. It certainly worked during a planning session for Turning Point’s 10th Annual An Evening Among Friends, recently convened at Tavern in the Village. It was fitting—the June 24 event is billed as The Art of the Cocktail. So… Continue Reading

At the bar: Harry’s Bar & Tables

I’ve made a habit of asking bartenders where they like to drink, and one establishment comes up over and over: Harry’s Bar & Tables in Westport. So I dropped in one recent afternoon and whiled away some time over an Elderflower Gimlet. It was perfectly balanced and delicious, made with Hendrick’s gin, St-Germain Elderflower liqueur… Continue Reading

Getting the Last Word

Rejuvenating forgotten classics is a favorite bartender past-time. They comb old tomes in search of deserving recipes, then return their discoveries to modern glory. The Last Word is one such worthy cocktail. As the story goes, Murray Stenson of the Zig Zag Café in Seattle was searching for ways to use unusual ingredients when he… Continue Reading

In Season: blood oranges

Bartenders love the local food movement almost as much as chefs do. Some snip herbs from patio pots, others luxuriate in strawberries and cucumbers from the farmers’ market and the guys at Justus Drugstore have even planted an entire garden to supply the restaurant and bar. That’s all well and fine in July, but what… Continue Reading