Cocktail culture in the US has definitely risen dramatically in the last few years. The Mad Men influence, paired with a reemerging respect for the mixologists behind the bar is taking cocktails to a very exciting place. I would wager there isn’t a major city in America anymore that doesn’t have a least one or two speakeasy-esque bars that are known for their signature drinks. Many will tell you Purim is a holiday for dressing up, and usually drinking a little too much for your own good, but why drink Rum & Cokes, Vodka & Sodas and Jager bombs all night, when on the way to total inebriation you can actually have a wonderful drinking experience?
Here are what I consider some of the best cocktails for Purim, and if you don’t feel like making one, some of my favorite cocktail bars across the country as well.
The Old Fashioned – This would be Mordechai’s drink, a true classic, there’s even a specific glass for this drink and this drink alone!
- 2 maraschino cherries
- 2 slices of orange
- 1 small sugar cube
- 1 or 2 dashes of angostura bitters
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 ounces rye, ALWAYS USE RYE, it isn’t an old fashioned without it. I like Old Overholdt.
Muddle 1 cherry, 1 orange slice, and the sugar, bitters, and water in a chilled Old Fashioned glass. Remove the orange rind. Add the whiskey and ice; stir. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice.
The Martini – If Esther had a drink in her hand, I like to think it would be a Gin Martini with a twist. NEVER USE VODKA!
- 2 ounces dry gin
- 1 ounce dry vermouth
- Ice
- Twist of lemon, for garnish
Combine the gin and vermouth in a shaker, fill it halfway with ice, and stir vigorously until well chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon, being sure to run the slice over the glass’s rim before floating it on top of the cocktail.
The Scarlet Harlot – Perfect for Queen Vashti
- 12 cherries, pitted
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugarr
- Ice
- 2 ounces brandy
- 1/2 ounce Dubonnet rouge
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- Combine cherries and sugar in a cocktail shaker and muddle until cherries are broken up but not completely pulverized.
- Fill the shaker halfway with ice, then add remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and serve.
The Dark and Stormy – Complex, perfect for a king.
- Ice
- 2 parts Gosling’s Black Seal rum
- 6 parts Ginger Beer
- 1 lime wedge
Place several ice cubes in a tall glass, such as a collins, and add rum. Top with ginger beer, add a lime wedge, and stir.
The Death in the P.M. – Do you even have to ask who this drink is for?
For all you literary folk, Hemingway invented this drink and named it after his novel, Death in the Afternoon.
- 1 part absinthe or other anise-flavored liqueur
- 10 parts chilled brut sparkling wine
Pour absinthe into a chilled champagne glass. Top with sparkling wine and serve.
If you’re in costume, and don’t want to play bartender.
If I missed your favorite, let me know in the comments:
Summit Bar, NYC
Louis 649, NYC
Death & Co., NYC
Holeman & Finch, Atlanta
The Varnish, LA
Anvil, Houston
Sylvain, New Orleans
Bourbon and Branch, San Francisco
The Violet Hour, Chicago