WINE + SPIRITS

Cheers

to Dad

Gift your mixology skills for the ultimate cocktail hour with dad this father’s day.

By Nicole Paskowsky

June is a time to celebrate the fathers in our lives. You can laugh at his dad jokes or buy him a tie, but why not sit down and share a drink? A cold brewsky is great while watching a game, but a special occasion is an excellent time to sip the hard stuff. Whether shaken or stirred, these cocktails are perfect for enjoying with dear ol’ Dad this Father’s Day — or any time of the year.

Old-Fashioned

If there’s one thing dads tend to love, it’s history. The enduring classic dates way back to the late 1800s when patrons would ask for a drink made in the “old-fashioned way.” It’s said a bartender in Louisville, Kentucky, invented the sophisticated blend of bourbon, bitters and sugar in honor of Col. James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller. The city celebrates “Old-Fashioned Fortnight” during the first two weeks of June, leading up to National Bourbon Day on June 14. Is it a coincidence that Father’s Day is right around the corner?

• Combine ½ teaspoon sugar and 3 dashes bitters to a rocks glass, then add 1 teaspoon water and stir until the sugar nearly dissolves. • Fill the glass with large ice cubes, add 2 ounces bourbon, and gently stir to combine. • Express the oil of an orange peel over the glass, then drop in.

Bloody Maria

Why reserve brunch cocktails for Mother’s Day? Dads love day drinking too. Start his day off with this twist on the Bloody Mary, which swaps the typical vodka for tequila. The mix blends tomato juice with a kick from a hefty dollop of horseradish and two hot sauces for a spicy, south-of-theborder spin. Top it off with an array of salad accouterments. Dad always said to eat your veggies.

• Combine 2 ounces tequila, 4 ounces tomato juice, ½ freshly squeezed lemon juice, ½ tablespoon horseradish, 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce, 2 dashes Tabasco, 2 dashes

Tapatio, 1 pinch celery salt and 1 pinch black pepper to a shaker and fill with ice. • Shake briefly and strain into a pint glass filled with fresh ice. • Garnish with lime and lemon wedges, cucumber spear, sweet pepper slices, jalapeno pepper slices and queso fresco.

Hemingway Daiquiri

Any dad who loves beaches, fishing and rum has undoubtedly come across a daiquiri, allegedly invented in 1898 by an American mining engineer working in the town of Daiquiri on the southeastern tip of Cuba. Named for Hemingway and a favorite of JFK, this classic is a bright and pleasantly sour rum concoction that bears no resemblance to the frozen fruit slushie you’d see on a table at TGI Fridays. The OG version has three simple ingredients: rum, raw sugar and fresh lime juice. Enjoy it with your old man and the sea.

• Add 2 ounces light rum, 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice and ¾ ounce sugar syrup to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. • Strain into a chilled coupe glass. • Garnish with a lime twist.