Corpse Reviver #2

More successful than #1, this drink is a classic that is very refreshing. It is important to be truly judicious with the absinthe substitute, as this addition is more about giving the drinker a hint of anise than balancing the other flavors with this strong ingredient.

3/4 oz Gin
3/4 oz Triple Sec
3/4 oz Lillet
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
2-4 drops of Absinthe (Pernod or Herbsaint also work)

Combine in an ice-filled glass and shake for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy.

Abbey

A classic Lillet cocktail, and the very first recipe in the Savoy Cocktail Book.

1 1/2 oz Gin
3/4 oz Lillet
3/4 oz Orange juice (Fresh, please)
2 dashes Angostura

Combine ingredients in an ice-filled glass and shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy.

Leap Frog

Invented by the excellent Jim Meehan at PDT and printed in the New York Times, this drink is refreshing and pleasing to both the sophisticated palate and the newcomer to cocktail pleasure. Definitely one to break out when you have fresh mint on your hands, particularly in the summer.

2 oz Gin
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Apricot Brandy
3/4 oz Simple syrup
6 Mint leaves
2 dashes Orange bitters

Combine mint and simple syrup in a glass and muddle the mint until it has released its oils. Add the other ingredients and fill the glass with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds and double strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy.

Alaska

This early martini variation highlights the delicious monk-made liqueur.

1 1/2 oz Gin
3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
2 dashes Oranges Bitters

Combine in an ice-filled glass and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Bijou

An oldie and a goodie.

1 1/2 oz Gin (Plymouth)
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Orange Bitters

Combine in an ice-filled glass and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry (optional).

Enjoy.

Pink Lady

For people who have never had a drink with egg, I think this (or the Pisco Sour) is the best introduction. This recipe comes from the lovely Little Black Book of Cocktails by LUPEC Boston.

1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Applejack
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
1 Egg White

Add ingredients to an empty shaker, shake for 5 seconds to emulsify ingredients. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 20-25 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass or small wine glass.

Because the proportion of grenadine is pretty big, only use a good homemade version. You should use homemade for all recipes calling for grenadine, but it is particularly important here.

Enjoy.

Green Ghost

Few drinks highlight the herbaceous flavor of Green Chartreuse as well as the Green Ghost.

2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse

Combine ingredients in an ice-filled glass and shake for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime slice.

Enjoy.

Pendennis Club

A drink introduced to me by the fantastic Oh Gosh! cocktail blog, this is a highly complex cocktail that's still very refreshing and bright, and includes two of my favorite things, Apricot Brandy and Peychaud's Bitters. The drink was originally garnished with a lime wedge, but I prefer the twist for the nose it imparts.

1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Lime juice
1/3 oz Apricot brandy
1 bar spoon Peychaud
1/2 bar spoon Simple syrup

Combine in an ice-filled glass and shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime twist.

Enjoy.

Gin and Tonic

One of the most common cocktails is also one of the most abused when it comes to making one. The first problem is the the traditional tonic, Canada Dry, is mostly corn syrup and/or sugar. The second is that people traditionally eyeball measurements of the two main ingredients, and too much of either makes for a cocktail one will muddle through rather than truly enjoy, as one should when making such a timeless treat. So use a gourmet tonic water like Q, and measure, please.

2 oz Gin
3 oz Good Tonic Water
Lime Wedge

Build in an ice-filled hi-ball, and squeeze the lime wedge into the drink to taste and drop into the drink.

Enjoy.

Pimm's Cup

I spent some time in England and drank more than my weight of this quintessential British summer drink. I like to fortify the drink with a bit of gin.

2 oz Pimm's
1/2 oz Gin (optional)
Sparkling Lemonade (or Ginger Ale)

Fill a hi-ball with ice, add the Pimm's and gin, top with sparkling lemonade. Garnish with a slice of lemon, a slice of cucumber, and a sprig of mint.

Many bars use 7-Up (absolutely not Sprite) in place of the sparkling lemonade, but I think the lemon-lime corn syrup is a disservice to the Pimm's and everything else. Sparkling lemonade comes in two varieties - one clear and one slightly opaque due to the addition of lemon juice and pulp - go with the opaque one. Ginger ale also makes a nice variation - look for one with cane sugar in place of corn syrup, such as Boylan's.

Enjoy.

Twentieth Century

A strange combination, indeed, and some may balk at the unusual flavors. Still, every cocktail fan should try this cult favorite.

1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
1/2 oz Creme do Cacao (white)
1/2 oz Lemon juice

Combine in an ice-filled glass and shake for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy.

French 75

The definitive Champagne cocktail (that isn't the actual "Champagne cocktail"), this is named after a gun, but is much more refined. Traditionally served with ice, I prefer it in a flute. Feel free to disagree with me in practice.

2 oz Gin
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Combine in an ice-filled glass and shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a Champagne flute (or an ice-filled highball glass) and top with Champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist (optional).

Enjoy.

Blue Moon

Creme de Violette is definitely worth buying. This drink highlights its great color and floral aroma more than almost any other cocktail.

2 oz. Gin
1/2 oz. Creme de Violette
1/4 oz. lemon juice

Combine in an ice-filled glass and shake for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Enjoy.

Martinez

Some say this was the precursor to the Martini, though it is difficult to know, and is most likely just one of many early prototypes. Regardless, it is a spectacular drink on its own merit. Originally, the ratios of gin and vermouth were reversed, but the modern palate would find this a little too sweet. The hint of Maraschino is particularly pleasing in this version.

2 oz Gin
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Maraschino liqueur
1-2 dashes Orange Bitters (Regan's, or Regan's/Angostura)

Combine in an ice-filled glass and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish will a lemon twist.

Note: some prefer Angostura bitters in this drink (Boker's, now unavailable, were in the original). I like the interplay of the maraschino and the orange, but would never turn down a fine Martinez made with the other.

Enjoy.

Vesper

Ian Fleming created this riff on the martini for James Bond in Casino Royale. The result is a dangerously smooth concoction. Be careful.

3 oz. Gin
1 oz. Vodka
1/2 oz. Lillet

Mr. Bond apparently loved enormous drinks; cutting it down in size may be a good idea.

Combine in an ice-filled glass and stir for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Enjoy.

Clover Club

This drink is named after a club in Philadelphia, though an excellent bar in Brooklyn has taken its name. One of the great egg white drinks, and a solid yet gentle introduction to both gin and raw egg for the novice.

2 oz Gin
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 oz Egg White
1/4-1/2 oz Raspberry Syrup (or fresh raspberries when lucky)

Combine 1/4 oz raspberry syrup and all other ingredients in a glass and shake for 5-10 seconds. Add ice and shake for 30 seconds to one minute, or until a nice foam builds up. Taste to see if more syrup or fruit is necessary. Strain into a cocktail glass (if using fresh berries, use a tea strainer).

Note: While a proper Clover Club is made with raspberries, homemade grenadine makes an excellent substitute. If raspberry syrup is unavailable, or if you have a particularly exciting grenadine, do not let tradition get in the way of your enjoyment.

Enjoy.

Pegu Club

A classic from Southeast Asia during the Colonial Era. The famous Pegu Club in New York is named after the club where this drink was the signature cocktail.

1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Triple Sec or Orange Curaçao
3/4 oz Lime Juice
2 dashes Angostura
1-2 dashes orange bitters

Combine in an ice-filled glass and shake for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Enjoy.

Martini

This is the proper martini recipe, Winston Churchill be damned. Make sure to measure properly, as the wrong proportions can ruin your evening.

1 1/2 oz Gin
1 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
1-2 Dashes Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Combine in an ice-filled glass and stir gently for 15-20 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Note: If one insists, the proportion of gin to vermouth may be lowered to 2:1, though any further and the drink is no longer a martini, but an entirely different beast.

Enjoy.

Ramos Gin Fizz

Certainly one of the great cocktails in history, this drink can double as a pretty satisfying dessert. It takes quite a bit of time to do it right, but it is 100% worth it.

1 1/2 oz Gin (Plymouth)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 tbsp Cream
1 tbsp Superfine Sugar
1 Egg White
3-4 drops Orange Flower Water (no more, please)
1 oz Seltzer Water

Combine all the ingredients save the seltzer in a glass and shake for 5-10 seconds, or until the egg whites start to foam. Add 5-6 cubes worth of cracked ice and shake until your arms are ready to fall off (you are trying to wake it up, not put it to sleep). Place the glass in the freezer in a bucket of ice for 1-2 minutes, or until you are ready to shake again. Repeat until you can shake no more, or you have built up a meringue that is to your satisfaction (this is the drink where you really want to get it right). Strain into a highball, add the seltzer water, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Enjoy.

Last Word

Murray Stenson at Seattle's Zig Zag Cafe resurrected this unusually balanced drink. This is a must try.

3/4 oz Gin
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
3/4 oz lime juice

Combine in an ice-filled glass, and shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass with a maraschino cherry (optional) in the bottom.

Some bartenders prefer Yellow Chartreuse over the green. This substitution creates a slighter sweeter, less herbal drink. Both versions are delicious.

Enjoy.