Comics & Cocktails #5 • Dr. Strange Orders A Mai Tai

COMICS & COCKTAILS

It’s been a while since I’ve written a “Comics & Cocktails” post, but I was reading Marvel’s new Doctor Strange book the other night and came across this:

 

Don’t get between Stephen Strange and his drink!

In this first issue of Marvel’s new solo series, Dr. Strange meets a group of fellow Mystics at a secret New York bar for magicians.

In the panel preceding this one, Strange gets hassled about his bill, but not the “bill” as in his bar tab. He gets hassled about the bill due for all the magic he uses — or, put another way, the cost of his sorcery and what it means to the world.

But Strange is all like: “Chill, dude… My drink ain’t even ready yet.”

I’d have to go back and re-read the issue, but I thought Chondu was at the table with Strange — but maybe he’s the bartender? Either way, Strange just wants his Mai Tai.

THE MAI TAI
The Mai Tai is one of those drinks that people know about, but don’t really know what’s in it. 

People know it’s name and order it because they’ve heard it said in movies and on television. Nothing’s wrong with any of this, of course, I just usually feel bad when someone orders the drink at the bar where I work — because it’s not a drink we offer (or even have the ingredients to make). And thankfully, everyone who has ever tried ordering the drink from me has never seemed to mind the fact that I couldn’t make it for them… Because they didn’t know what was in it themselves and only wanted to order if because the name stuck with them.

All that said, if you see a Mai Tai on a cocktail list somewhere — give it a shot!

ABOUT THIS DRINK
The Mai Tai was created by either Trader Vic or Don the Beachcomber, and the recipe from each of those tiki heavyweights differs slightly.

The following recipe comes from Imbibe Magazine:

• 1 oz. amber Martinique rum
• 1 oz. aged Jamaican rum
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz. orange curaçao
• 1/4 oz. orgeat
• 1/4 oz. simple syrup (1:1)
• Garnish: mint sprig

PREPARATION
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and add crushed ice. Shake for 10 seconds and pour, unstrained into a glass. Garnish.

Adapted from Jeff Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log, 1998

•PAST COMIC BOOK POSTS•
•#1 — Darkseid Drinking Brandy (Link)
•#2 — Constantine Chugging From The Bottle (Link)
#3 — Iron Man Shares A Drink (Link)
#4 — Hellboy Beer (Link)

Photo Post: Banana Chip Garnish

Some photos I took tonight:

  
  

The cocktail was a banana version of The Revolver, which I’ve written about before.

Anderson Valley’s Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

BEER ME: Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

I was at Southern Tier last night, and one of the two beers I had was this Oatmeal Stout from the Anderson Valley Brewing Company:

 
The following info comes from the Anderson Valley Brewing Company’s website:

DESCRIPTION: Deep ebony color, voluptuous mahogany head and bold, roasty flavors. Aromas of freshly baked bread, espresso, and dried cherries plus toffee flavors and a creamy mouth feel.

ABV: 5.8%

BITTERNESS: 14 IBU

MALTS: Pale Two-Row, Crystal (40L & 80L), Roasted Barley, Munich, Chocolate, Oats

HOPS: Columbus, Northern Brewer

A Tribute To Maureen O’Hara

STARS AND SPIRITS

Cocktail: The Maureen O’Hara
Inspiration: Actress Maureen O’Hara
Base Ingredient: Irish Whiskey
Why today? O’Hara died yesterday, Oct. 24, 2015.
Origin: March 2013, from the blog The Straight Up
Cocktail Groupings: Old Hollywood, Actresses & Calendar Cocktails

Actress Maureen O’Hara died yesterday, Oct. 24, 2015.

You can read her obituary in The New York Times here, and The Guardian here.

Despite being known as the “Queen of Technicolor,” I grabbed a black-and-white photo from Google images because I liked the contrast and general look of O’hara in this photo.

In March of 2013, the blog The Straight Up posted the following original cocktail and named it the Maureen O’Hara:

INGREDIENTS 

• 1.5 Irish Whiskey
• .75 Dry Vermouth
• .75 Domaine de Canton
• 12 Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub
• 8 Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit Bitters
• Lemon Twist

PREPARATION

Add the Irish whiskey, dry vermouth, Domaine de Canton and habanero shrub and hopped grapefruit bitters to a chilled mixing glass. Add ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

All The Stars & Spirits:
There are dozens of cocktails named after actors and actresses, and I’ve written about a few of them here:
•Charlie Chaplain — (Link)
•Clara Bow — Link)
•Fay Wray — (Link)
•Ginger Rogers — (Link)
•Lauren Bacall — (Link)
•Lillian Gish — (Link)
•Mary Astor — (Link)
•Mary Lee — (Link)
•Mary Pickford — (Link)

Mary Lee And The Nancy Drew

STARS AND SPIRITS

Cocktail: The Nancy Drew
Inspiration: Actress Mary Lee Wooters
Base Ingredients: Rum
Why today? Mary Lee was born Oct. 24, 1924.
Origin: Did this drink exist before the 30 Rock episode?
Cocktail Groupings: Old Hollywood, Actresses & Stars And Spirits

Actress Mary Lee Wooters was born Oct. 24, 1924.

She was a big band singer and B movie actress from the late 1930s into the 1940s, starring mostly in Westerns.

I usually know something about the actresses I post about here, but I had to do a little reading about Mary Lee — and also about the Nancy Drew cocktail.

Mary Lee’s first screen appearance was in the Warner Brothers Nancy Drew… Reporter (released Feb. 18, 1939). In the film she played the character Mary Nickerson, the younger sister of Nancy Drew’s boyfriend, Ted Nickerson.

About This Drink:

The Nancy Drew is a simple drink, just rum and ginger ale with lime juice — which makes it a sort of buck/mule.

Ingredients:

• 1 part white rum
• 2 parts ginger ale
• Splash lime juice

Preparation:

Build in a rocks glass filled with ice, and garnish with a lime wedge.

A VARIATION:

The blog A Crimson Kiss gives a recipe for a slightly more “craft” version of this drink:

• 2 oz aged rum
• 1 oz ginger syrup
• 3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 oz coconut cream
• Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice; shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Top with a few dashes of Angostura bitters.

Thirsty For More!? Click These Links:
—Nancy Drew and “The Hardy Boy”
—Another post about 30 Rock

All The Stars & Spirits:
There are dozens of cocktails named after actors and actresses, and I’ve written about a few of them here:
•Charlie Chaplain — (Link)
•Clara Bow — Link)
•Fay Wray — (Link)
•Ginger Rogers — (Link)
•Lauren Bacall — (Link)
•Lillian Gish — (Link)
•Mary Astor — (Link)
•Mary Pickford — (Link)

Otter Creek’s Double Dose IPA

BEER ME: Otter Creek’s Double Dose IPA

This annual release by Otter Creek is a collaboration with Lawson’s Finest Liquids:

  
DESCRIPTION: 

ABV: 

BITTERNESS: 

MALTS: 

HOPS: 

Drinks At Brazill’s

Last night I had dinner and drinks at Brazill’s on Main in Westfield, N.Y.

It was my second time at the restaurant, and it was as great an experience as my first visit — if not better.

I had a rye Manhattan to start:

I also had a bourbon & cider drink:

Even though it’s within Chautauqua County, Brazill’s is a bit of a hike from Jamestown — and I don’t get there often enough because the place is open the same hours as when I’m usually working at my restaurant.

Last night was a bit of a surprise night off though, and I tried to make the most of it.

Happy Birthday, Lillian Gish!

STARS AND SPIRITS

Cocktail: The “8 East 83rd” Cocktail
Inspiration: Actress Lillian Gish
Base Ingredient: Rye Whiskey
Why today? Gish was born Oct. 14, 1893.
Origin: Nicholas Horton — Bar Noir, Beverly Hills
Cocktail Groupings: Old Hollywood, Actresses & Calendar Cocktails

Once upon a time the actress Lillian Gish was on par with the likes of Mary Pickford.

Today is the actress’s birthday. She was born Oct . 14, 1893.

She’s far from forgotten today, but in terms of a cocktail legacy there’s no actual drink named after Lillian Gish.

However, a California bartender did create something in 2012 as an homage to the actress — and the drink received a write-up in The LA Times. I’ve copied the recipe below comes from that newspaper article:

The “8 East 83rd” Cocktail
An homage to Lillian Gish

By Nicholas Horton
Bar Noir, Beverly Hills

INGREDIENTS
•1 1/2 ounces rye whiskey
•1 ounce simple syrup
•1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
•2 1/2 ounces Earl Grey tea

PREPARATION
Mix ingredients in a shaker and serve on the rocks in a tea pot.

Thirsty for more?
There are dozens of cocktails named after actors and actresses, and I’ve written about a few of them here:
•Charlie Chaplain — (Link)
•Clara Bow — Link)
•Fay Wray — (Link)
•Ginger Rogers — (Link)
•Lauren Bacall — (Link)
•Mary Astor — (Link)
•Mary Pickford — (Link)

The Bitter Truth’s Apricot Liqueur

Just bought a bottle of The Bitter Truth’s Apricot Liqueur!

Now to make some classic cocktails!