2018_July-August.indd

the Wedding issue

Joined at the Hip words Sarah Baird A t least once in your life, you’ll have the inevitable thrust upon you: A second cousin/ work acquaintance/next-door neighbor is having a dry wedding — and there’s no way you can avoid attending. For some folks, a dry wedding is a complete non-issue. Like solar panels on a roof, they’re completely content to harness a couple’s radiating joy as all the fuel they need for several hours of ceremony, plus the requisite speeches and toasts (with water, no doubt), plus a sober night on the dance floor. For the rest of us, a dry wedding calls for enlisting the help of a trusty sidekick: the flask. Whether you received one years ago as a groomsmen gift or sought out a leather-wrapped version with your initials embossed on it, carrying a flask ensures that you’ll be able to drink exactly what you want during a wedding, whether or not it’s dry. Not all concoctions, though, are flask-appropriate. Particularly in the sweltering, muggy days of summer (when outdoors weddings are still inexplicably popular), it’s critical to plan ahead with your drink-making, lest you end up with a flask full of piping hot gin several hours later. If you’re pouring a straight spirit into your flask, it’s best to go with something that can warm up to room temperature and still be palatable — anything in the whiskey family works well (bourbon, rye and scotch are all strong choices) as do many high-quality rums. Looking to craft a full-on cocktail inside your flask? Make sure you’re not using any ingredients that could sour quickly, like dairy products, or muddled fruit, which can lead to a not-so-fresh mess in the bottom of your vessel. For as long as I can remember, the Boulevardier — a classic drink made up of equal parts rye, Campari and sweet vermouth — has been my go-to flask cocktail: an appropriately boozy but completely non-fussy drink that comes together easily and is perfectly sippable over the course of an evening. Flask cocktails are the kind of drinks that truly pair form with function: a unique intersection where simplicity and longevity are, ultimately, the name of the celebratory game. Boulevardier Makes 1 WHAT YOU WILL NEED 1 ounce bourbon or rye whiskey 1 ounce Campari 1 ounce sweet vermouth Garnish: orange twist or cherry HOW TO PREP

versions of the standard corona — are a good idea because they take less time to smoke; you don’t want guests pulled away from the main party for too long. If you are looking for an easy and accessible cigar, one particularly light option is the CAO Flavours Gold Honey petit corona. It is a mild, Dominican cigar whose flavor description is right there in the name. On the more sophisticated end are Montecristo cigars, a very traditional and very celebrated premium brand. It tends toward a medium- bodied smoke,creamy with great complexity and an even burn throughout. If you are a known cigar enthusiast — and especially if they have played some significant role in the celebration— cigars are a dignified touch as gifts for your wedding guests. An easy choice here might be Cohiba Blue — they certainly have brand name recognition. It promises a medium body with creamy notes and a hint of cinnamon. Rouses Markets also carries cigars from Drew Estate , a relatively young, one-time cult brand and now a major mover in the industry. Their Undercrown Shade cigar is a standout blend, smooth and peppery. Pair your parting gift with personalized matchbooks marking the occasion, and your guests can later relive memories of your posh celebration. The love shared by bride and groom will linger in the smoke drawn from that well-enjoyed cigar.

Pour ingredients (except garnish) into a mix- ing glass and fill with cracked ice. Stir well for 20 seconds and strain into a chilled cock- tail glass (or flask). Garnish with a a twist of orange peel or a cherry. Both Boulevardiers and Negronis include Campari — a bitter Italian aperitif, and sweet vermouth, but the main liquor is what distinguishes them. The Boulevardier is made with bourbon, while the Negroni uses gin. Get the recipe for Negroni at www.rouses.com/we-are-local/blog/digestivo.

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MY ROUSES EVERYDAY

JULY | AUGUST 2018