Cocktail - Corpse Reviver Number 2

 
Adapted from But Mama Always Put Vodka in Her Sangria by Julia Reed (St. Martin’s Press, 2011)

For one drink

1 ounce Plymouth gin
1 ounce orange liqueur*
1 ounce Lillet Blanc
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon Pernod
1 Luxardo cherry, for garnish

Shake the first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice until very cold. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a cherry.

*Regarding orange liqueur: It’s easy to make this more complicated than it needs to be. If you make cocktails at home, you’ve probably already chosen a favorite—Triple Sec, Curaçao, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, and many others. I like Mathilde Orange XO and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, both made by the same house. One (Mathilde) is sweeter than the other. I usually use Mathilde XO.

Cocktail - Thyme 75

Adapted from The Comfortable Kitchen by Alex Snodgrass (Harper Wave, 2021) and Cocktail Codex by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan (Ten Speed Press, 2018)

This is a festive, herb-infused take on the French 75, made with a thyme simple syrup that complements the botanical notes of gin and sparkling wine. 

For one drink

1 ounce Plymouth Gin
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce Thyme Simple Syrup*
4 ounces cold dry sparkling wine (Prosecco, Cava, or Champagne)
1 thyme sprig, for garnish

Shake the gin, lemon juice, and thyme syrup with ice. Strain into a flute or coupe, then top with sparkling wine. Stir gently with a bar spoon to mix. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Thyme Simple Syrup

250g filtered water
250g white sugar
10 to 12 sprigs fresh thyme

Heat the water in a small saucepan just until steaming, not boiling. Add the sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the thyme sprigs, and let steep until the syrup cools to room temperature. Discard the thyme before using.

Snodgrass notes that this syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks—so it's smart to make it ahead (just not too far ahead).

Note: Plain simple syrup (without added herbs or aromatics) can be stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Cocktail - The Negroni

Adapted from Gabrielle Hamilton and Cocktail Codex by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan (Ten Speed Press, 2018)

Serves 1

1 ounce Plymouth Gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth*
1 ounce Campari
A half wheel of orange, for garnish

Shake or stir the ingredients together and either strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice or go rogue and serve it straight up, which is the way I like it. Garnish with the half wheel of orange.

*About the sweet vermouth:

Gabrielle Hamilton told The New York Times that in New York she uses Noilly Prat—unless she’s having a second one, in which case she switches to Carpano Antica, “because it’s softer, mellower, with a slight vanilla taste.” In Italy, she drinks her Negronis with Cinzano or Martini "because they are sold most prevalently."

The Cocktail Codex boys, without hesitation, recommend Carpano Antica. I think it’s delicious in a Manhattan, but for a Negroni I usually use Martini.

Cocktail - The Fresh Gimlet

Adapted from Cocktail Codex by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan (Ten Speed Press, 2018)
Serves 1

2 ounces Plymouth Gin
1 ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce simple syrup*
1 lime wedge, for garnish

Shake all the ingredients together, then strain into a coupe. Garnish with the lime wedge.

*Simple syrup:
From The Kitchn.
Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water.

250g filtered water
250g white sugar

Heat the water by itself, but do not bring it to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until fully dissolved. Cool completely and store in a jar in the refrigerator. Keeps for 2 to 3 weeks.

I make a fresh gimlet because I no longer use Rose’s Lime Juice, which comes in a plastic bottle and contains high-fructose corn syrup and dye—things I avoid.

Cocktail Notes

Some Basics to Start
The two cocktail books I turn to most often are The Cocktail Codex by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan, and The Book of Cocktail Ratios by Michael Ruhlman. I also owe a big hat tip to John Maddox, who really fueled my interest in cocktails.

Simple Syrup
Adapted from The Kitchn

Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water.

250g filtered water
250g white sugar

Heat the water by itself, but do not bring it to a boil. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves completely. Cool and store in a jar in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

Orange Liqueur
It's easy to make this harder than it needs to be. If you make cocktails at home, you’ve probably already figured out which orange liqueur you like best—Triple Sec, Curaçao, Cointreau (a brand of Triple Sec), Grand Marnier (not exactly, but similar to Curaçao), and plenty of others. If you want a deep dive, Serious Eats has an excellent guide.

I personally prefer Mathilde Orange XO, which has a hint of sweetness. Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao—beloved by many—is quite dry.

A few other ground rules
All citrus juice is fresh.
Only use Luxardo cherries. It’s worth going for broke here. (And remember: the spoon will have delicious syrup on it. Dip it into some lucky person’s drink.)