Today's cocktails

I spent yesterday in NYC and while I had a few cocktails there, none were exactly inspiring. I had drinks with my father and had a classic 3:1 martini (Bluecoat, Vya Dry, Fee orange bitters) which was fairly passable. It was the first time my father had a martini with more that a rinse of vermouth and he was quite pleased. We followed that with a botched round of Last Word's. The guy behind the bar ruined it by using Roses sweet lime. It is such a simple thing... I really don't know how you fuck it up.

Last Word

• 3/4 oz. Plymouth Gin
• 3/4 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz. Maraschino
• 3/4 oz. Lime juice

Shaken and fine strained into a cocktail glass

To make up for it, this afternoon I made one for myself. It was quite delicious with all the complexity refreshment that I crave from it. It was a hot one in Philly today, so it hit the spot.

Last night we went to New York's finest raw food establishment, Pure Food & Wine. They had a Master Cleanse Tini on the menu (I know... groan at the mention of a flavored 'tini bastardization). My lady decided she liked the concept and asked me to make her one today. I agreed, but under the condition that I could turn it into a real cocktail and drop "tini" from the name. She agreed, so I came up with this:

Master Cleanse Cocktail

• 3/4 oz. Bluecoat Gin
• 1/2 oz. Maple Syrup
• 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
• 2 dashes Bitter Truth Grapefruit Bitters
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

Shaken and fine strained into a cocktail glass

It was quite delicious. Bitter balanced by the syrup with just a touch of spice (a touch too much for the lady, but I enjoyed it). I should have taken a picture, but we drank it too quickly. It was a lovely earthy color with the cayenne specks floating through.