Damn-the-Weather Cocktail
The first day of spring may have been Wednesday, but it’s still cold and wet outside. For the past few days it’s been in the 50’s and pouring here in Los Angeles. Mammoth closed early yesterday because the ski resort got five feet of fresh snow in just one day. Meanwhile, the Midwest is about to be pounded by winter storm Uma which means the Dakotas and Appalacians will be covered with tons of cold, wet snow. All this chilly weather has my friends and I asking what’s up? Why can’t Mother Nature just make up her mind about whether it’s winter or spring? It is late March after all.
Since Mother Nature and all the rest of us don’t know what’s going on with the weather, I thought this cocktail from my 1935 Mr. Boston bartenders guide seemed like the perfect choice today. It’s called a Damn-the-Weather Cocktail and it’s totally apropos. I mean, I’m over this 70’s and sunny one day, 50’s and rainy the next dance that Mother Nature is doing. As much as I love the rain and snow, I’m ready for a few consecutive days of sunny warmth.
This cocktail is all about the citrus, and I think of citrus as a bright, spring-time fruit. But it turns out citrus season is winter. Cara Cara and Blood Oranges, Meyer lemons, limes… they’re all at their juiciest from December to March. Made up of gin, orange juice and curaçao (an orange liqueur), this drink brings out those bright citrus flavors. While you could use any orange that you like from Navels to Satsumas, I chose blood oranges for this drink. They’re sweet and have a bright red color that when combined with the gin and curaçao create a tipple with a beautiful blush hue that’s perfect for spring. But it’s not just the colors and citrus that make this classic delectable. It’s also the gin.
For this cocktail you definitely want to use a gin that’s more floral in flavor. There are plenty of gins out there that are dry, but a floral gin really highlights the bright, citrus flavors from the orange juice and curacao. I discovered just such a gin last summer while I was in Alaska. It’s called Amalga and it’s delicious. Amalga is a small distillery in the heart of historic downtown Juneau. Started by husband and wife Maura Selenak and Brandon Howard, the couple wanted to create a gin that used local botanicals like spruce tips and labrador tea to create a gin that reminded of Juneau from the very first sip. It’s those woodsy Alaskan flavors that when combined with the blood oranges and curaçao truly make for one delicious drink.
So, this weekend, Damn-the-Weather, and enjoy a cocktail that will make the transition from winter to spring much easier… whenever that transition may be.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 ounces Amalga gin
- 3/4 ounce blood orange juice
- 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
- 3 dashes curacao
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds or until chilled.
- Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a blood orange slice and serve.
