It may be just what we need right now, and it may be a foolish endeavor to hold the games in the middle of a pandemic, but the Olympics have begun! Since fans are not allowed, it only makes sense to sit back and watch the events on TV with a great cocktail in your hand. I am reaching back into the vault of the cocktails I have made to celebrate the nations participating – and remember drinks I may have forgotten all about.
Cheers, ¡Salud!, Prost, Skål, 乾杯, Υγεία, Sláinte, Gesondheid, 干杯, Будем здоровы!, à votre santé, ‘cin cin!’
WEEK TWO!
Day EIGHT – USA, USA, USA
AotC-024. Old Fashioned – The original cocktail
2oz bourbon (or rye)
1/2oz Demerara syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters
Orange peel garnish
Add ice to a rocks glass. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into rocks glass, and garnish with lightly expressed orange peel. Take a sip and think about how perfect this moment is.
Day NINE – Italy
AotC-148. The Negroni – Anthony Bourdain’s favorite
1/3 Campari
1/3 London dry gin
1/3 sweet vermouth
Orange wedge for garnish
Add ice to a double old fashioned glass and build the cocktail in the glass. Stir as required and add the orange wedge. That’s it. Serve.
Day TEN – Canada
AotC-391. The Bloody Caesar – The Canadian national drink
1 1/2oz vodka
4oz Clamato juice
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cucumber spear garnish
Celery stalk garnish
Lime wedge
Celery salt for the rim
Run the lime wedge around the rim and invert onto a plate with celery salt, and set aside (the longer it sits, the harder the salt will become). Add everything to a pint glass and mix by rolling (pour back and forth between two pint glasses). Add fresh ice to the prepared glass and pour the contents in. Add the garnishes and serve.
Day ELEVEN – Cuba
AotC-100. The Daiquiri – The Cuban original
2oz white rum
1oz fresh lime juice
1/2oz simple syrup
Lime wheel garnish
Add everything to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 15 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add the lime wheel and serve.
Day TWELVE – Peru
AotC- 110. The Pisco Sour – The national drink of Peru
2oz pisco
1oz fresh lime juice
(Preferably Peruvian limes)
1/2oz simple syrup
1/2 to 1 egg white
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
Add everything to a cocktail shaker except the bitters and dry shake for 5-10 seconds (not too much). Add ice to the shaker and wet shake for an additional 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and add the bitters (use as dropper to get the classic three-sided triangle pattern if you like). Serve.
Day THIRTEEN – Russia
AotC-013. The White Russian – This drink abides
2oz vodka
1oz Kahlúa
Splash of heavy cream
Add the Kahlúa and vodka to a rocks glass filled with ice. Now here you can either pour the cream over the top and let is float down for a dramatic look and serve it as is, or you can stir everything and hand it off – The Dude would just use his finger here, but if you are not alone I would recommend a bar spoon. Serve.
Day FOURTEEN – Norway
AotC-212. The Nordic Summer – And now for something completely different
2oz aquavit
1oz Aperol
1oz fresh lime juice
Orange twist garnish
Add everything to a shaker with ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail or Nick and Nora glass. Add garnish and serve.
Cheers!
Bill
AotCB-043
