Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Happiest of Hours

Ask not for whom happy hour tolls...
It is hard to be on Smith Street in Brooklyn these days and not get pulled into one of my favorite haunts. Renee at Zombie Hut served be the first hot cider of the season yesterday warming my blustery wind tossed soul.

And of course no visit to Brooklyn would be complete without a stop in at The Clover Club. They are moving the staff up there quickly. My bartender was in training the last time I was in, but he knew the drinks and shakes them like a pro now. They still had their summer menu out, and although I was disappointed not to try some fall cocktails, this was assuaged by the fact that the specials were almost half off. That right...a Happy Hour at the Clover Club! Hot damn, that means I can have two! And maybe have some chips fried in duck fat with truffles and just break a twenty!

Since it seemed like a recession special, I decided to take a recession vacation during happy hour. I started with the Roman Holiday; a refreshing collaboration of gin, Aperol, St Germain, Riesling, lemon and soda, served on the rocks in a big thin white wine glass. The grapefruit peel and the grapefruit notes in the Aperol counteracted the sweetness of the St Germain and wine perfectly. I tried imagining myself under Roman skies in a lovely outdoor cafe be romanced by Gregory Peck, but the Riesling just made me think of Gregory Peck from the Boys in Brazil. Ok. Maybe I should be in Bavaria, being romanced by a handsome German prince instead.... Ja, wunderbar.

Next I went to Cuba for a Hemingway Daiquiri. The theme here is the fresh grapefruit. Rum, maraschino liquor, lime, grapefruit and sugar. So simple and yet so delicious.

Two cocktails later (I skipped the chips so I could be a bigger tipper...recession, you know) I was happy! Its a recession miracle! And I was ready to Mambo out of there.

Johnny Castle? Where are you? Baby needs to Mambo!

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