Dying Embers
From the bartender’s corner – Victoria Secret
This is different from the other cocktail – Victoria’s secret. There are a couple of variations in the ingredients of the cocktail used by different mixologist. I used equal parts of Vodka, Cointreau, Peach Schnapps and Cranberry juice.
One variation is to use Rum and Amaretto instead of Cointreau. This drinks usually has no garnish.

From the bartender’s corner – Sweet Memories
From the bartender’s corner – Corpse Reviver
In the past, I have made a few variations of this gin based drink – Viking Corpse Reviver #2, Cutch Courage Corpse Reviver #2, and the storied Corpse Reviver #2 from London that was rumored to be an antidote to a hangover.
This one is a slight variation – this uses 1.5 ounces of brandy, 0.75 ounces of cognac and 0.75 ounces of sweet vermouth. (Some use apple brandy instead of cognac)

Flower from Sharmila’s garden – 2
I do not know the name of this flower – or for that matter most of the flowers in Sharmila’s garden. Need to ask Sharmila about it. But I love the unique color. Look at the distinctive pattern in one one or two petals. Reminds me of the gulmohar tree we had in our elementary school in Durgapur and how one petal used to be a variegated one while the rest were plain red.

Flower from Sharmila’s garden – 1
Sharmila could not remember the name of the flower immediately. But these are seasonal ones. The come right in the beginning of fall and withering away soon. The first thing that it reminds me of is the wood carvings that used to come out of the pencil sharpener in India (there was no mechanical pencil then).
The iPhone does a great job with macro photos. You can see the single pollen drops off the pistil.

From the bartender’s corner – Fashionable Manhattan
Picked this cocktail up from The Cocktail Project. Three parts bourbon, one part sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters with muddled lime, lemon and orange.
The muddling of lime, lemon and orange is done separately in the glass itself. The bourbon, vermouth and bitters is shaken with ice separately and then strained into the glass.

“Letter Writing…”, as Lord Byron said…
From the bartender’s corner – Barbed Wire
Five years back, I had made this drink for the first time. The ingredients are such that they leave a fairly pronounced length and after taste. Tried it again today. Some bartender’s suggest sherry instead of raspberry liqueur.
This would be 3 ounces of vodka with half a teaspoon each of absinthe, sweet vermouth and Chambord raspberry liqueur. It is best to shake it with chipped (or crushed) ice instead of ice cubes. Cooler and little more dilution brings the ingredients to the palette better.




