Alcohol

Put together spicy rye, smoky mezcal, and coffee-accented amaro, and it’s easy to understand why Joe Briglio, of Chicago’s Billy Sunday, describes this cocktail as “my interpretation of the flavors of the early American West and possibly a cowboy’s campfire.” The drink name is inspired by a Tom Waits song called “Goin’ Out West,” he adds.

The Sherry Cobbler is an American-born cocktail by most accounts. Simply sherry, sugar, and citrus shaken, poured over crushed ice, and slurped through a straw, the cobbler is thought to have originated sometime in the 1820s or early 1830s.

Manhattanesque in both composition and deliciousness, this whiskey and sherry welcomes swapping in bourbon if you prefer your drink a little sweeter.

Many unconfirmed reports of this cocktail’s creation exist. Some believe it came from Chicago’s South Side during Prohibition; others think that it comes from the Southside Sportsmen’s Club on Long Island. Manhattan’s 21 Club also claims it as its own creation. There, they serve it long in a Collins glass over ice with a mint spring for garnish.

This simple two-ingredient cocktail is the ideal brunch or before-dinner drink. Campari gives it a delicate bitterness, while fresh orange juice creates a beautiful froth.

Strawberries shine in this tall, refreshing, gingery cocktail, made with bourbon, fresh lemon, muddled berries, and spicy ginger beer.

This cocktail is a refreshing, slightly bitter spin on the Pimm’s Cup, thanks to the addition of Cynar, a vegetal Italian liqueur.

This no-knead loaf is made with a combination of whole grain rye and bread flours. Molasses and dark beer add warm notes that enhance the rich flavor of the rye.

I created this sparkling cocktail for the menu at Keith McNally’s Morandi Italian restaurant.

This luscious drink gives hot chocolate a run for its money. Really caramelizing the sugar keeps the drink from tasting cloyingly sweet. Add a glug of good rum or skip it as desired.

This winter cocktail is bright and fizzy, spicy with ginger, and smoky with Scotch. Think of it as a Penicillin, gone extra-festive.

No new drink of the twenty-first century has gone further in terms of fame than this complex, spicy, smoky turn on a Whiskey Sour.