Cocktail of the Month The City Shandy, a Sophisticated Tipple

BY JODY KURASH

Whether you love it or hate it, one thing seems certain — it’s hard to avoid. Season two of “And just Like That” (AJLT), the sequel to the blockbuster “Sex and the City” (SATC), started dropping episodes recently and it’s set the media world abuzz with stories about fashion, narratives, guest stars and an avalanche of political correctness. Even the appearance of a pigeon clutch handbag made headlines.

The frenzy started months ago with numerous tributes related to the 25th anniversary of the original groundbreaking “Sex and the City” series that changed the way society looks at single women. Next came leaks of Carrie’s fan-loved ex, Aiden, returning, glimpses of upcoming wardrobe choices, expanding plot lines for new characters with the pinnacle being the cameo return of Samantha Jones! (Which inevitably led to total rehash of the notorious feud between the leading stars.)

Even the tiniest details have been scrutinized… Miranda, the whip-smart lawyer, not understanding how to use an Android phone… Proper Charlotte obsessing over her spot on a MILF list at her daughter’s school… Or Carrie’s pin cushion bracelet she paired with her recycled wedding dress at the Met Ball. With all this he-said, she-said, they-said… the biggest thing missing is the cocktails.

Well, the girls’ nights out have definitely changed since Miranda went on the wagon after being caught hiding vodka miniatures in her backpack and having tequila-induced sex in Carrie’s kitchen last season. While Miranda attends her AA meetings in LaLaland, it’s time for Carrie and girls to have a raging night out.

But what would they drink? Certainly not their old standby cosmopolitans which have become as dated as Carrie’s Hermes headscarf and 80’s prom dress ensemble. By the time the first movie was released in 2008, our favorite New York girls had cooled on the cosmos. In the film, Miranda asks why the girls stopped drinking cosmos and, Carrie replies, “Because everyone else started.”

It’s rumored that real-life Carrie, Sarah Jessica Parker, does like cosmos, or at least enough to release a line of pre-mixed canned cosmopolitans. She’s also said in interviews that she prefers wine, so much so that she even has her own line of wines she helped blend.

Parker began collaborating with New Zealand winery Invivo Wines in 2019 and their varieties include Rose and Sauvignon Blanc.

Apparently the SATC reboot has been good for business. According to TheDrinksBusiness. Com, sales of Parker’s wine line “have grown ‘significantly’ throughout 2022 and in the first months of 2023.”

To keep the success flowing, why not introduce a wine cocktail for the Big Apple’s expanded glam squad? After all, it’s said that Parker uses some of her own wardrobe items on the show, so why not drink her own wine?

And just like that… bartender Meaghan Dorman from Dear Irving on Hudson in New York, has created the new “It” drink. Her cocktail, “The City Shandy,” inspired by NYC and sponsored by Invivo, has been making the rounds on social media and getting positive reviews (perhaps even more positive than the AJLT).

The cocktail highlights the citrus flavors of Sauvignon Blanc by combining it with pear brandy, ginger beer, and a dash of cranberry juice to create a luscious tall cocktail. “Filled with warming spice flavors, the concoction has depth with a refreshing, long finish, so every sip can be savored,” Invivo boasts. “The elegant oak influence in Invivo X, SJP Sauvignon Blanc inspired the choice of pear brandy in this recipe, which blends deliciously with the wine and gives the mix a spirit backbone,” Dorman said, “just like the city it’s inspired by.”

This sophisticated tipple is easily mixed at home and it’ll make an engaging companion while you’re watching your guilty pleasure (or displeasure).

No matter what you opinion is about the coupling of Miranda and Che, Charlotte’s teen parenting skills or simply Carrie being “Carrie,” a good cocktail will always make things better.

The City Shandy

Ingredients

• 1 OZ. PEAR BRANDY

• 2½ OZ. SAUVIGNON BLANC

• 3 OZ. GINGER BEER

• SPLASH OF CRANBERRY JUICE

Instruction

Add the wine and brandy to a glass with ice and stir. Top with ginger beer and cranberry juice. Garnish with a lime wheel and skewered cranberries.