THE PLEASURES OF DRINKING AT HOME

As I type, freezing rain falls on ice outside my window. My entire street resembles a large, gray ice skating rink. Welcome to January in New England. On nights like these, this LUPEC lady prefers to drink at home.

What’s a girl to do when marooned at home and craving a cocktail? Work with what you’ve got. When a trip to the store is out of the question, straight spirits are the way to go. A Manhattan is an obvious choice, but what about a Hearst? Made with two parts gin, one part sweet vermouth, a dash of orange bitters and some lemon oil (if you’ve got it), the drink was famously enjoyed at the Waldorf-Astoria by newspapermen who worked for William Randolph Hearst.

If you’re feeling creative, you can always follow this basic, time-tested formula for an aperitif cocktail, plugging in whatever ingredients you have at home. Start with two parts high-proof base spirit, one part low-proof aperitif (vermouth, Lillet, etc.) or fortified wine (dry sherry, port, etc.), maybe one bar spoon of liqueur if you’re feeling feisty, and two dashes of whatever bitters strikes your fancy. Stir your new concoction with ice and taste, then modify to your heart’s delight.

And let us know what you’ve come up with! We’ve got at least 2 more months of this lovely winter weather to contend with.
ROSITA

1 1/2 oz silver tequila
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1 dash angostura bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Cin-cin!

FOR MORE GREAT COCKTAIL RECIPES, VISIT LUPECBOSTON.COM.