Stock the Bar 2

There's a stock photo for almost any blog post or topical website you can dream up. Outside of those, so many random images exist that it's difficult to figure out exactly why a given website keeps them on hand. About a month ago, David Griner challenged me to choose the drinks I'd make for some of the weirdest stock photo characters he could dig up. Here's the second installment.

Oh, my! I do believe her delicate sensibilities would surely require a Mint Julep to calm her nerves if it was summertime. Since chilly weather has set in, she'll have to daintily remove her gloves to sip a Ward 8. The dratted Yankees do make such delicious cocktails.

I've probably been reading too much zombie lit, because her lab coat currently reminds me of mad scientists and CDC affiliates. However, her tight smile and suspicious orange flask can only mean one thing -- conspiracy! To take her out of the game, I'd make her a few Corpse Reviver No. 2s. As the famous Henry Craddock said, one or two of these concoctions can revive the corpse, but "four or more taken in quick succession will unrevive the corpse again."

Drinking at home may be the best way to save a few bucks, but at the bar, you have to stick to straight liquor to save money. This chap looks like a traditional bourbon guy, so he'll have a one ounce pour of W. L. Weller Special Reserve.

If Ab Man comes in for a post-fight drink, I'll serve him a Horse's Neck. Hopefully the name won't remind him of any bad experiences during his stint in Mother Russia. Since he's probably going to go back out after cementing his whereabouts at the bar, he'll probably want it in its original mocktail form -- ginger ale with the peel of a whole lemon. Bourbon can take too much of the fight out of a hero.

No red-blooded 'Merican wants the Commies to win, but the service industry is about serving customers. I'll make him a Cuba Libre, but if he's meeting up with his pals, I'll phone back in time to the House Un-American Activities Committee.

Cocktail of the Hour -- the Champs Elysees

If you've ever taken a French class, chances are that your teacher made you sing the song called "Champs Elysées." When I first stumbled across the Champs Elysées cocktail on drinkboy.com, I couldn't get the song out of my head for weeks.

Tasting this drink made the earbug worth it. As a Sidecar variation, this brandy-based beverage is at once herbaceous, bold and delicately balanced. By most accounts, it's a cocktail that's remained largely obscure since it first appeared in Henry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. In this edition, the recipe calls for Chartreuse, while elsewhere the green or yellow is specified. This ambiguity allows the bartender (or home bartender) some room to play, so use whichever you prefer.

So little is known about this drink's history that, much like the Last Word, ordering it is a pretty easy way to demonstrate interest in classic cocktails. It's also worth noting that brandy-based cocktails are sometimes viewed as foreign but are actually as old (if not older than) some of the most revered whiskey cocktails.

Recipe:

1 dash Angostura bitters

.5 oz simple syrup

.5 oz (green or yellow) Chartreuse

.75 oz lemon juice

1.5 oz brandy

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add ice. Shake for 13-16 seconds or until combined. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and enjoy.

Cocktail of the Hour -- Blood and Sand

As much as I love all things whisk(e)y, I'm still dipping my toes in the peaty waters of scotch and scotch cocktails. One of my recent favorites is the classic Blood & Sand. Composed of equal parts blended scotch, Heering cherry, orange juice and sweet vermouth, the drink is surprisingly smooth and sensuous. This tipple first appears on the radar in Henry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book. Its name is most likely derived from the 1922 movie that starred Rudolph Valentino, but its history is otherwise unknown. More recently, its revival was almost halted by its ingredient list. In fact, master bartender Dale DeGroff rediscovered the recipe in the mid-1990s and was so intrigued by the combination that he both doubted its value and had to try one.

Though the ingredients might seem incompatible at first glance, the result is a rich, almost-tropical-punch drink. Rich cherry liqueur adds weight, sweetness and velvety texture that's balanced by the orange juice's acidity. The scotch gives the drink the smoky, peaty notes that are grounded by the rich wine-y-ness of the sweet vermouth. On paper, it appears of be a cacophony of tastes, but in reality, it all comes together for a right, delicious experience.

Recipe:

.75 oz orange juice .75 oz Heering cherry .75 oz sweet vermouth .75 oz blended scotch 

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake until well-mixed, about 13-17 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and serve.