To start the Limoncello I removed the peel from 13 oranges (I did a dozen, and then added one more to help speed things up). If you’re trying this at home, be sure to avoid getting any of the white plinth as it theoretically will add bitterness to the drink. I then added vodka to it. I’ve read that 100 proof vodka is the way to go, but I used what was at hand.

The leftover lemons seemed like a shame just to waste, so I ended up squeezing most of them and freezing the juice in an ice cube tray. I have some doubts as to when or if those will actually be used, but Christy suggested it and this seemed like a good idea at the time. Perhaps throw a cube in a glass of iced tea? My family are huge fans of half lemonade/half iced tea so perhaps my parents will use them when there here in a couple of weeks.

The limoncello should steep for a week, but as it is it will sit for a few days and then I’ll add a good bit of simple syrup and chill before the party. It’s pretty simple, and at least this version will give me something to compare to if I feel the need to peel another dozen lemons and try this again sometime.

As far as that red jar; I first heard about Tequila por mi Amante from the Cocktail Chronicles’ post. It’s basically just tequila that sits in a pile of strawberries for a month. Simple and delightful sounding. Unfortunately, mi amante is on some high-powered drugs at the moment, so the tequila will probably be more for me than for her. That being said, I’m really excited to see how it turns out. I ended up slicing the red parts off a bunch of strawberries and discarding the inside white (meh, store bought strawberries). Hopefully this will compensate for them not being picked fresh out of someone’s garden. Once the TpMI is done steeping, it should be ready to serve as is!

That’s right, I said an olive. You’ll see recipes that call for a cherry, which was far less brain-bending to my mind, but this drink is all about the olive. Because, my friends, the Bijou Cocktail is a strange and delightful journey. The chartreuse is certainly present, as is the vermouth, as is the citrus, as is the olive. It’s like you invited one friend from each of your very different social circles, and now their all hanging out in your mouth having a delightful time.

Green Chartreuse is one of those things I’ve had around for years, and I’m always happy to find an excuse to use it. If you have some in your cabinet, then this is worth giving a shot. It’s certainly not something I’d have two of in one sitting, but I’ll be returning to it again soon. The only ingredient I didn’t taste in this was the gin, although I used Plymouth. I’m quite curious to try it again with something a little more aggressive, perhaps Junipero.

UPDATE: The Junipero was, in fact, a terrible idea. Plymouth gin is delightful, as is Beefeater. Christy finds the drink interesting as well, although probably wouldn’t make it through a whole one.

This cocktail came about since I had accepted a dubious mission. Namely, making dinner. Now, I don’t mind cooking dinner, it’s just that I have a few things I know how to do well, and when I move beyond that arena there is a high potential of Bad Things Happening. I just don’t have the familiarity with the terms and process so end up with everything needed to happen at one point, and finding myself chopping the garlic as the onions are burning. I decided to get myself in the mood, I’d revisit the Sidecar. I happened to have fresh lemons on hand, which provided enough juice for me to experiment a couple of times to find the version I liked the best (above).

Having succeeded in something that seemed close to cooking (a recipe, multiple ingredients, what can be the difference?), I opened the cookbook and started working.

Alas, the Sidecar was of little help. I eventually managed to get my way through a really quite simple recipe involving a forest of some theoretically enchanted broccoli without mucking it up too badly (ok, perhaps there was too much dill). Still, I had my usual moments of panic as all the timers went off, things boiled over and ingredients that needed adding were yet to be chopped. In the end, I have another recipe I now know enough to probably prepare more cheerfully next time, and the feeling that I’ve finally got at least a handle on a cocktail that’s been on my mind for some time.

Recipe #8: Scotch Whiskey Punch

Steep the thin yellow shavings of lemon peel in the whiskey, which should be Glenlivet or Islay, of the best quality; the sugar should be dissolved in boiling water. As it requires genius to make whiskey punch, it would be impertinent to give proportions.