Kahlúa Cocktail

We don't have Kahlúa in the house, and Crème de Noyaux is in short supply around these parts as well, so this cocktail isn't exactly what it seems. It's like Dawn Langley Simmons that way. But our version tastes pretty good!

Ingredients:

2 oz Kahlúa (or Tia Maria, because that's kind of close)

2 dashes Crème de Noyaux (or Nocello in a pinch - it's awfully tasty!)

1/2 tsp Cream (go ahead and free hand it - I won't tell)

Directions:

Fill an Old Fashioned glass half way with crushed ice, and pour in the Tia Maria and Nocello. Top with that cream that's about to expire, because you bought it a month ago in anticipation of making this cocktail, but you thought that a long string of Manhattans would be better and you made them instead. Enjoy!

The coffee of the Tia Maira and the walnut hazelnut of the Nocello blend together really well, and when you top it with cream you get a delicious dessert-for-breakfast sort of thing going on. I would never, never had made this if it weren't the next drink in the Guide, but you know what? I'm kind of glad I did!

Other news:  We had ten trick-or-treaters, and nine of them were dressed as Elsa. Our neighbor's garage burnt down, and we didn't even notice until our street was filled with firetrucks and sirens and flashing lights. We haven't had a frost yet, which seems to have given our landscaping a chance to get established. And our friend Grey was absolutely right about Headlight Restoration...  it really works!

Aviation Cocktail

It's a 'get things done in the back yard' sort of day around here! Our tree guy is also a landscape guy, and he's tackling the 30+ years of wisteria roots that have tangled up everything, everywhere. The previous owners had taken a lot out before we came on the scene, but remnants can be found. Believe me, the remnants can be found. 

In other news, I figured out how to turn on the heat this morning (yes, it's a sign of moral failure to turn on the heat in October, but when the inside temps drop below 60 degrees, something must be done!) 

I was convinced that I would need to figure out how to flip valves on the furnace, and get water going through the pipes, and bleed the radiators, and, and, and...

And I turned the cute little round thermometer up to where I wanted it, and everything worked perfectly without me doing anything at all. Hurrah!

But we still have the Heating Oil folks coming out on Thursday to make sure everything is truly in order.

Anyway, our friend Amherst came to visit a few weeks back with her girls, and while the girls enjoyed DPs very delicious pasta with cheese, the adults in the crowd enjoyed the Aviation cocktail.

That light blue color, that purple jelly bean flavor, that sweet tart on the tongue...

What's not to love about an Aviation?

Ingredients: 

2 oz Gin

1/2 oz Lemon Juice

1/2 oz Maraschino

1/4 oz Crème de Violette

Directions:

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

A really nice way to celebrate the end of summer.

New London Photo in Place of a Cocktail

I totally meant to post this yesterday, but I was too busy taking down trees with my trusty chainsaw. I only got it stuck in a stump one time, and I didn't lose any limbs at all. 

I know!

New London Photo in Place of a Cocktail - Victorian Colors

Now next winter's wood pile is growing, and our backyard is slightly less disorganized. Amazing!

New London Negronino

We celebrated the end of September by taking the train in to the city for a long weekend, enjoyed perfect weather and Midtown adventures (adventures that featured a great cast, including 'The Hotel Clerk Who Thinks That DP Is A Secret Service Agent' and 'The Woman Who Claimed To Have An OpenTable Reservation But Probably Did Not'), and returned to a gray and rainy Connecticut. One big bonus: the leaves are starting to turn, and the red and gold is already flaming outside our windows.

So it's definitely Autumn in our part of the world, but I'm not ready to let Summer go just yet. Mostly because I need to catch up on some of our Summer cocktails. 

Like our very first cocktail in New London, the Negronino!

Negronino (Maxence Traverse, Hong Kong)

Ingredients:

4 parts Amaro Nonino

2 parts Campari

5 parts Gin

5 parts Sweet Vermouth (go ahead, use the Carpano Antica, even if you have to go to New Haven to replenish your supply...  You can stop at Trader Joe's and LL Bean while you're in the neighborhood)

Directions:

Stir with ice and serve over an enormous ice cube in an Old Fashioned glass. Enjoy on your front porch while recovering from unpacking your newly arrived POD.

I know it's been less than three months, but it already feels like a million years ago.