Shelby Jones, Director of Communications
The holiday season is all about gathering together with family and friends, and it usually involves a cocktail or two. We mix up drinks all year at The Trustees’ Table, and in the spring, summer and fall we serve them from our Music Bar on The Trustees’ Lawn during the Music on the Lawn series.
Our Music Bar Bartender Jim Rogan spends time researching and formulating each recipe before serving it up at Shaker Village. We wanted to share Jim’s top-selling cocktails from the Music Bar this year so you can recreate them at home and toast to 2022.
Best-Selling Music Bar Cocktails
Amaretto Sour
1.5 oz amaretto
.75 oz cask-proof bourbon such as Booker’s or Baker’s
1.0 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp simple syrup (2:1)
.5 oz egg white, lightly beaten
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake without ice or use an immersion blender to combine and froth. Add ice and shake well. Strain over fresh ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with lemon peel and brandied cherries, if desired.
Recipe by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Portland, Oregon
Billionaire
2.0 oz Wild Turkey 101 bourbon or other high proof bourbon
1.0 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup (1:1)
.5 oz house made Grenadine
Dash of Absinth
Garnish: lemon wheel
Combine ingredients with ice in shaker and shake to chill. Strain into chilled cocktail glass or rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with lemon wheel.
House Made Grenadine
2.5 cups R. W. Knudsen pomegranate juice
1 cup simple syrup
½ cup dark rich brandy
Pour pomegranate juice and simple syrup into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Decrease the heat to low and reduce mixture until it becomes syrupy enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Let cool and add the brandy. Pour into a food safe container and store in refrigerator. Will keep for 2 weeks.
Adapted from Speakeasy, Classic Cocktails Reimagined by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric
French Martini
2.0 oz vodka
1.5 oz pineapple juice
.5 oz Chambord
Garnish: lemon peel
Combine ingredients with ice in shaker and shake to chill. Strain into chilled, stemmed cocktail glass or into rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with lemon peel.
Marty Manhattan
2.0 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
1.0 oz sweet vermouth
Dash of Regans’ No. 6 orange bitters
Garnish: orange peel
Stir ingredients with ice in mixing glass to chill. Strain into stemmed cocktail glass or into rock glass with fresh ice. Express orange peel over glass and drop in glass.
Jim’s Bartender Note: My wife Marty usually works weekends greeting guests as they arrive at the entrance to Shaker Village. One weekend in June three ladies came up to the Music Bar after talking to Marty and told me they wanted a Manhattan just like the Manhattan I make for her at our evening cocktail hour. I was a bit puzzled and finally one of the ladies said, “You know, the Marty Manhattan.” That’s the story behind the name.
If you’d like to learn more about making cocktails and the history behind their origin check out our Cocktail Craftsmanship & Sipinar class lead by Jim on January 22nd at Shaker Village.