AUGUST 2019 57
Lawn Mower CocktailsThe drinks to drink whenyou’ve finally finishedthat dang yard by M. Carrie AllanHello Friday
TOTAL 5 MIN; SERVES 1Spicy ginger ale and the baking-spice
notes from a big hit of Angostura bitters
perk up the bourbon in this bubbly reviver
from Chall Gray at Little Jumbo in
Asheville, North Carolina. If you can’t
find Blenheim, look for ginger beer.Ice cubes(^1) / 4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. spicy ginger ale
(such as Blenheim)
1 Tbsp. (^1 / 2 oz.) 100-proof bourbon
(such as Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1 tsp. Angostura bitters
Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes; add all
ingredients. Stir gently, and serve.
IT’S NEARLY 100 DEGREES OUT, but you’re going to
have to face it: your lawn. Unlike you, it loves the
brutal summer heat and humidity, and it’s thriving.
Neighbors are starting to raise their eyebrows as they
pass. Even their dogs have judgments. You need to
get out there with the mower.
But what you need is a motivator, something cool,
delicious, and refreshing for when you come back
in. And not a bland light beer—a real summer drink,
but not with so much booze that you spend the rest
of the day flat out on your couch.
Happily, top craft bartenders around the country
are coming up with cocktails that do the trick, so
when you need to reward yourself for breaking a
sweat—or just need respite from the weather— these
drinks will cut it. Your thirst, that is. The lawn is still
up to you.
Madeira Cobbler
TOTAL 5 MIN; SERVES 1
Cobblers have been cooling people down
since colonial times. Kirk Estopinal’s rec-
ipe (pictured at left) from Cane & Table in
New Orleans beats the swelter with forti-
fied wine, dark rum, and lots of ice.
Crushed ice
Ice cubes
(^1) / 4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. (2 (^1) / 2 oz.) dry-style
Madeira (preferably Sercial)
1 Tbsp. (^1 / 2 oz.) Demerara rum (such
as El Dorado)
1 tsp. simple syrup
2 orange peel strips
1 lemon peel strip
10 fresh blackberries, divided
Pineapple wedge
Fill a julep cup with crushed ice. Fill a
cocktail shaker with large ice cubes; add
Madeira, rum, simple syrup, orange peel
strips, lemon peel strip, and 5 blackber-
ries. Cover and shake vigorously until well
chilled, about 10 seconds. Strain into pre-
pared cup; top with crushed ice and
remaining 5 blackberries. Garnish with
pineapple wedge. Serve with a straw.
You Can’t Handle
the Chartreuth
TOTAL 5 MIN; SERVES 1
It’s easy being green when fino sherry
meets herbaceous Chartreuse in Carlie
Steiner’s cooling drink from Washington,
D.C.’s Himitsu. Bolivian brandy is distilled
from, and smells just like, grapes. Substi-
tute pisco in a pinch.
Ice cubes
1 (1-inch) peeled cucumber piece
6 fresh mint leaves, plus sprig for
garnish
41 / 2 tsp. fresh lime juice
11 / 2 tsp. simple syrup
41 / 2 tsp. (^3 / 4 oz.) green Chartreuse
41 / 2 tsp. (^3 / 4 oz.) fino sherry
1 Tbsp. (^1 / 2 oz.) Bolivian brandy (such
as Rujero Singani or Singani 63)
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes, and set
aside. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice,
cucumber piece, mint leaves, lime juice,
simple syrup, Chartreuse, sherry, and
brandy. Cover and shake vigorously until
well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into
prepared highball glass. Garnish with a
mint sprig.
Hot day? Go for a
low-alcohol, super-
refreshing drink like
the Hello Friday
(below) and the You
Can’t Handle the
Char treuth (right).
FOOD STYLING: MARGARET MONROE DICKEY; PROP STYLING: CLAIRE SPOLLEN
photography by VICTOR PROTASIO