my pink toes

Oh yeah, and I'm also tipsy. I'm about to down another one of these lovely cocktails, but I'll post the recipe while I can still see (mostly) straight. I have a new fascination with "vintage/classic" cocktails (which, interestingly enough, led to my choice of the bar where we were royally and fantastically disdained) and the Singapore Sling is my latest foray into this ancient mixology. Holy cow they are good. So good, in fact, that I want to hurry and post this so I can down another one and then crawl into bed.

Special props to my friend Shona for giving me this amazing book for Christmas last year. It is quite simply the best book on cocktails ever. It is much more than recipes - it is history, chemistry, allure and a splash of ego. It's a great read and a fabulous resource. And, the recipes ARE amazing.

Singapore Sling

original recipe created in 1915 by Ngiam Tang Boon for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore
this version is from Dale Degroff's The Craft of the Cocktail
Use the "cups" to make a pitcher-ful, or the "ounces" to make a single drink. You know you want to make the pitcher!
1 1/2 oz/cups gin*
1/2 oz/cup Peter Heering Cheery Heering**
1/4 oz/cup Cointreau
1/4 oz/cup Benedictine***
2 -3 oz/cups pineapple juice
dash (or 6-8 dashes) Angostura bitters****
2 dashes (or 2 T.) grenadine
1/2 oz/cup fresly squeezed lime juice
club soda (optional)
marachino cherries and/or pinapple wedges, for garnish

Combine all ingredients except club soda and garnish in a large pitcher. Serve in highball glasses over crushed ice. Top off each glass with club soda, if desired. Garnish as you feel inspired.

* the best gin in the world is Tanqueray (classic, NOT 10). Well, in my opinion, I mean
**in Washington, the state has a monopoly on liquor, so this is impossible to get without special-ordering a case. I made mine with cheap-o DeKuyper cherry brandy and it was still fabulous. If you can get the real thing, by all means do so! (and let me know how it is!)
*** this is also really really good in eggnog
****available in the grocery store, right next to grenadine. it's a classic ingredient for classic cocktails