Drinks I had at work

My newsletter but about cocktails instead of books!!!

I've been wanting to revive this newsletter but I realized I'm more excited about the variety of shifties I've ordered this month at work than my recent reading. As close friends will know at the end of each year I’m always in a hurry to finish certain books because I have a rule that I have to read all books within three years (as with any system, there are some complicated and silly exceptions). Thus, there are some duds in my reading life right now though hopefully soon there will be something worth writing about.

For those that don’t know I’m serving at a bar/restaurant and I’ve been using my shiftie as a way to expand my cocktail knowledge. It’s probably the best job I’ve ever had and not just because of the free drinks. Here’s what I ordered this month…

• Paper Plane. This is a citrusy whiskey drink but I wanted it to be more bitter and herbaceous so I asked to swap out the Aperol for Montenegro. I can’t provide feedback on this one because we had a really stressful customer situation while my boss was making it and she thinks she forgot some ingredients and I fear it was the Montenegro…

• Dirty Gibson. It’s a martini but with an onion garnish instead of an olive. We make our own brine and also add celery bitters and it tastes like the platonic ideal of a martini. I get it with vodka. 5/5

  

• Trinidad Sour. I was v intrigued by this because it uses bitters as a base rather than just for added flavor. I will always love a sour but this did dry out my mouth insanely. Using this many bitters is expensive so proceed with financial caution if you decide to order one. 3/5

• Hanky Panky. An old dapper gentleman at the bar was really excited when I ordered this because its a very old school drink. I obviously got it due to the name. It’s basically a negroni but with Fernet instead of Campari (so think more bitter, less sweet) and usually served up. 4/5

• Black Manhattan. I wanted to try a perfect manhattan (which uses a split base of dry and sweet vermouth rather than just the sweet) because my coworker once said its the sexiest thing you can order but she misheard me and made a black manhattan which I was promised is still a sexy drink order. A black manhattan uses Averna instead of vermouth. 4/5

  

• Pina Colada with a coffee liquor float. People called me crazy for this but I love tiki drinks and pina coladas are my guilty pleasure but coffee liquor just gives it an extra oomph. I’m proud to have invented it. I’ve only had it with the coffee liquor we make in house which is not cream based so to be clear I am not advocating for you to add Baileys… 4/5

• Cynar Negroni (aka a perfect negroni). Another thing I invented, which is to say I just asked for a negroni with Cynar instead of Campari. Cynar is minty and herbal (it’s made from artichoke). An easy thing to order when you don’t know what you’re in the mood for. 5/5

• Vieux Carre. The first time someone ordered one of these I had no idea what he was talking about which is usually when I decide I need to try one. It’s a rye cognac cocktail with benedictine (an amber honey-like French liquor). People who order this really know what they’re talking about its so warming and well-balanced and to top it off anyone who has ever ordered one has been a delightful guest… 5/5

  

  thank you for reading and let me know if you would be on board with more cocktail content and if you end up ordering any of these baddies at your favorite bar <3