Cooking Lesson #1007: The Irish Cocktail

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

credit: diffordsguide.com

How you doin’? Let me be perfectly clear, I’ve got nothing against Guinness and shots of Jameson downed in honor of St. Patrick's Day, but I wanted to give you another option. This is a cocktail that was served at The Customs House Restaurant in honor of Casey’s Wake.
 
If you're celebrating at home and just don't feel like dosing your beer with green food coloring, how about trying my classic Irish whiskey cocktail? I think you'll really like this one.
 
I first stumbled across this classic drink at the Savoy Hotel and later in the Savoy  Cocktail Book, among others. But this proper cocktail goes all the back to the Roaring 20’s and Harry MacElhone's 1927 Barflies and Cocktails. In both of these books, in addition to Irish whiskey, the Irish Cocktail is made with maraschino cherry juice, orange curaçao and a touch of absinthe, plus a little Angostura bitters tossed in for good measure. So far it might sound a bit like a popular Genever cocktail called the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, but here's the kicker: in addition to a twist, it's also garnished with an olive. Weird? Right!
 
Here's what to expect… orange and anise scented; this odd combination is actually quite tasty. At first, it's lightly tinged with citrus and malt, followed by a wave of anise and wormwood from the absinthe. The cocktail ends sweet and herbal with a touch of smoke and salt. It's a great pre-dinner drink, especially if you're serving salty snacks.
 
Prep time:  4 minutes
Yield:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
2 ounces Irish Whiskey
1/4 ounce absinthe
1/4 ounce Curaçao
1 barspoon/teaspoon maraschino cherry juice
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 lemon twist for garnish
1 martini olive for garnish
 
Directions

1. Add the Irish whiskey, absinthe, dry curaçao, maraschino cherry juice and Angostura bitters to a mixing glass.
2. Fill with ice and stir until well chilled, about 20 seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass as picture above.
4. Garnish with the lemon twist and olive and serve.

ChefSecret:  I discovered the rich history behind Jameson Irish Whiskey, steeped in tradition since the 18th century. I made it our house Irish whiskey in all of our restaurants. You'll experience a unique blend of floral notes and a bold, fiery finish with every sip, that makes it a truly authentic Irish whiskey.

Quip of the Day:  Two Irishmen friends are drinking together at one of their homes. One friend takes out a bottle of Irish whiskey and asks the other, "Will you pour this bottle out on my grave if I die first?" His friend replies, "Do you mind if I pass it through my kidneys first?"
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food.
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