My favorite fall cocktail
Not too boozy but nice and “warm”

Cocktail By Jason






THE CARDAMARO MANHATTAN
HISTORY

It is said that the Manhattan was born in, of all places, the Manhattan Club in NY some time during the mid 1870s at a banquet being hosted for presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden by Lady Randolph Churchill (Winston’s mother.) According to the story, Dr Iain Marshall is credited with the creation of the cocktail made especially for the event. It is also said that Lady Randolph was pregnant in France at the time so it’s doubtful that this really ever happened but it’s an alcohol related Winston Churchill story and we all love a good Churchill alcohol story.

According to the bar book Mr Boston, a Manhattan is 1 1/2 Rye, 1/2 sweet vermouth and 1 dash Angostura bitters. This particular combination came about during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic since we had the ingredients below on hand and all Pennsylvania liquor stores were closed (PA has antiquated liquor laws, but that’s another story)


BOTTLED

Friday, October 2nd, 2020 in Aspinwall, PA







PREPARATION
  • Pour the contents of the bottle into a mixing glass full of clean ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a cherry or brandied cranberry.

    Sip and enjoy.


  • BOTTLE INGREDIENTS

  • BYOB INSTRUCTIONS

    Pour whiskey, vermouth, Cardamaro and bitters into a mixing glass full of clean ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a cherry or brandied cranberry.

App






REGARDING PREPARATIONS

MEASUREMENTS
All fractional ingredient measurements are in proportion to the entire cocktail.

Remember, ice in the glass is to keep a cocktail cold not to dilute it (that gets done with the ice used to mix a cocktail.) I like clean, regular ice for mixing and large cubes for serving. Not only do they look nifty, they melt slower which means your cocktail stays colder longer and is less diluted over time.

Substitutions of both amounts and ingredients, are the best way to find your perfect version of a cocktail.
What I consider a peel

A peel is considered a clean, bright colored peel from the identified citrus in a ½ to ¾ inch wide piece with no pith.

My definition of a dash

A dash is either a drop (using a standard dropper) or two strong shakes from a bottle.

My definition of a pinch

A pinch is far less than a baking pinch. Remember, this is a cocktail, not a loaf of bread.

What makes a sprig

A sprig is a clean, bright colored portion of the identified herb or plant. Not a forest, a sprig (unless otherwise noted).

Shaking vs stirring

Tradition says you shake cocktails that contain cream, egg whites and juices and you stir those without. Tradition is good but personal preference rules here. If you want be like Bond, shake your martini but make sure to try the "traditional" way at least once.

A cherry is either from Luxardo, Fabbri, or something you have made on your own, it should not look like this.


This is no longer a cherry; it should not be in a cocktail.







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