Clear or Amber?

Just last night, I had to make the decision…

Should I have a martini or a manhattan?

On one hand, I really dig manhattans. Two parts rye (although a lot of people use bourbon) to one part sweet vermouth. Add a dash of bitters and a Luxardo cherry, and boom – you have a classic cocktail that is both spicy, boozy, and a little sweet.

It was also my mom’s favorite cocktail. Having one (or two) is a nod to her memory. For many years, I couldn’t stand brown liquors. Bourbon, whiskey, scotch, rye, etc. all tasted equally yucky. At some point, during my stint performing at the Michigan Renaissance Festival, I started hanging with some hard-core whiskey drinkers. They introduced me to some top shelf hootch, and I started developing a taste for it. My liquor cabinet is now never without a bottle of Woodford Reserve bourbon, Basil-Hayden Toast, or Jameson Black Barrel.

Then there’s the martini – three parts gin  one part dry vermouth. Another classic that makes me feel like I’m in an episode of Madmen or hanging out with Frank Sinatra.

I can’t stand olives, but I like a little brine, so I keep a bottle of Barsmith olive juice in the fridge. No “extra dirty” for me. I use just a splash. Dry, lightly soiled , with a cocktail onion. Gin of choice – Hendrick’s. Unlike whiskey,  I can’t seem to find many gins that I really like. A close second is Bombay Sapphire.  The rest is turpentine.

So what’s a girl to do? Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and a toast to my mom would be appropriate. But I have more gin in stock…

I made a Negroni.