Quick tip: When someone invites you to dinner, maybe even Thanksgiving dinner, instead of offering to bring the wine, volunteer to bring a specialty cocktail. Preferably a cocktail that forces you out of your Manhattan-and-Gin-and-Tonic cocktail rut. If itโs this time of year, the cold time of year, preferably one that is brown. Preferably one that requires you to hunt down and learn about an ingredient youโve never heard of, like Suze, but not one that requires you to purchase expensive bottles that are lovely and aromatic but that youโll likely never use again. (And about that expensive bottle, preferably one that isnโt carried at your local liquor store, but one that the owner of that liquor store happens to have in the trunk of his car, and hands over to you for free! True story!) Preferably one that does not require a lot of fanfare to prepare. Preferably one that looks beautiful served in your hostโs grandmotherโs vintage coupes. Preferablyโฆ.
โฆthis one. I discovered the recipe by reading and ogling my way though Jim Meehanโs comprehensive, classy new Meehanโs Bartender Manual.ย Now that Iโm equipped to make them, I plan on doing so all season long. Itโs warming, like a Manhattan, but slightly sweet and floral, perfect for a cozy winter night with friends. But maybe be warned before you offer one to your blowhard uncle during Thanksgiving cocktail hour: It was given Joe Louisโ nickname, โThe Brown Bomber,โ (not the most politically correct nickname, I should add) due to its considerable, iconicย strength. This drink is not for the faint of heart or for those who tend to shout their opinions as opposed toย share them. I think you know what Iโm saying. Happy weekend, everyone. Cheers.
Reprinted with permission from Meehanโs Bartender Manual, by Jim Meehan, copyright ยฉ 2017 by Mixography Inc. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.ย Photographs copyright ยฉ 2017 by Doron Gild.
This looks great! I also cannot wait for your gift guide hopefully with lots of book picks!
Hi Jenny, I really like your all the recipes thanks for sharing and keep it up.
Not sure if you meant to post D*ck or Dickel but I approve! Just wanted to mention; it gave me a laugh. Cheers!
Love the vintage coupes; I have a similar pair I found at an estate sale. Something about drinking out of a glass like that changes the entire experience.
As a brown person, I cannot imagine going somewhere bringing along a cocktail called a brown bomber. I do not even want to imagine the number of possibly well meaning but ultimately racist jokes that will be made.
That is a *ridiculous*, horribly offensive, VERY racist name for a drink (or anything beyond a drink, really). Not sure how or why you were comfortable posting this entry and advertising the name so much. You got the cocktail recipe from a book so I guess you tried to keep it consistent and continue calling it that? The right thing to have done would have been to briefly mention what the cocktail was called but then refer to it by some other name. As someone who has such a large public presence, itโd be great if you could handle the situation in a politically correct fashion, change this, and be on the right side of social change.
Sahana โ I apologize. When I was reading about the drink and the provenance of itโs name, I was like โWow, can you freaking imagine giving the world heavyweight champion, or any iconic sports hero a nickname like that today?โ before writing it off in my head as something that happened a loooong time ago. I canโt give Joe Louis a new, less-racist nickname 80 years later, but I donโt have to perpetuate it in the form of a cocktail. Iโve edited the text to reflect this and sincerely apologize for anyone else Iโve offended.
OK, but we can still call bourbon a โbrownโ liquor, right? Because thatโs what it is. This drink requires too many new bottles for my bar, and i am overloaded as it is. Maybe iโll get lucky and someone else will make this for me? Happy Thanksgiving, Jenny!
I canโt wait to make this drink! Our current favorite fall-ish drink is The Down Easter from Shake: A New Perspective on Cocktails. Itโs made with apple cider syrup, bourbon, and citrus. As much as we love the Down Easter (and drinking them from my grandparentsโ green crystal coupes), it will be great to have a drink that will carry us through the winter and even better that we can still use our awesome green glasses!
This looksโฆ.delicious. Iโm not much of a drinker but a do like fancy cocktails. I will definitely try this ๐
Have been waiting to locate Suze locally to make this (as a Kentuckian, the bourbon was not an issue). Enjoying it right now as my husband and I begin our winter break from work. Appreciate everyoneโs notes and your edit. Definitely will just call it the โBomberโ here. Thanks for sharing!