but why, and why so adamant? why not, at least, offer a variant? i would hazard a guess that many cosmo drinkers are larval cocktail enthusiasts in a cocoon of ignorance. as we all once were. maybe they just want to play it safe: the least offensive drink in a worst-bar scenario.

as part of my flashcard training, i’m going to actually make the classics, so i can have my own opinions about them and not just recite a recipe. tonight i made a (version of a) cosmo and an old fashioned.

cosmo variant

1.5 oz vodka
0.5 gin
1 oz lime
0.5 oz triple sec
0.5 grenadine

grenadine – 1 part pomegranate paste, 1 part ikea lingonberry syrup, 1 part water, 1 part sugar. could probably increase the water and sugar, this is still very concentrated tart and sweet.

not bad, but too much grenadine, and maybe overly tart, and maybe too much gin.

old fashioned

2 oz bourbon
1/2 tsp sugar
half slice of orange, peeled
2 ripe bing cherries
splash of water
2 dashes ango
2 dashes orange bitters

muddled the fruit with the sugar, add everything else, stir with ice for 30 seconds.

good, but no need for the splash of water. also, i used my citrus-vanilla infused bourbon which is maybe cheating, since that tastes good with anything.

…

stopped at the bar of a neighborhood restaurant to see if by some chance they were making good cocktails. they weren’t, and they were charging a lot. it made me sad. i had a flitter of a notion that i might submit my resume. but now i think working there would only sublimate the remains of my resinous soul.