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How to Drink Like Your Pop Culture Heroes
http://www.zimbio.com/Beyond+the+Box+Office/articles/UtWA6EOo85a/How+Drink+Like+Pop+Culture+Heroes
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By Darrick Thomas on August 1, 2012<NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>
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(Photos: Gramercy Pictures | MGM | AMC | HBO)
You may not be able to party with your favorite characters, but you can certainly drink like them. TV shows and movies are filled with tasty adult beverages as iconic as the fictional people who consume them. The next time you throw a Hollywood-themed party, add a sense of authenticity by serving some of the most memorable onscreen cocktails. Since practice makes perfect when it comes to the art of mixology, take this time to sample the goods and brush up on your bartending skills with these pop culture classics.
Wine - Sideways
As the old saying goes, "Liquor before beer, and you're in the clear; beer before liquor makes you sicker." Unfortunately, this preventative hangover advice says nothing about vino, so you might as well start in the land of Sideways. Plus, prep work doesn't get much easier than uncorking a bottle, and nothing says classy high-brow affair like fine red wine. (Just make sure there's no "f---ing merlot.")
Best with: Traveling wine country with your buddy, crippling self doubt, social anxiety, writers block, and cheese, naturally.
Vesper Martini ? The James Bond Franchise
Now that you've enjoyed the fruity notes and earthy undertones of the world's oldest party drink, it's time to move to the hard stuff. (Settle in, it's going to be a long night of booze testing.) Despite the recent controversey surrounding 007's switch to Heineken, no movie drink is as iconic as James Bond's martini, which makes it a must on this menu.
How to: Bond's no lightweight, which explains why his martini, known as a Vesper, has both gin AND vodka. For obvious reasons, leave the stir straws behind and break out your shaker to get this mix on:
White Russian ? The Big Lebowski
Ah, now the Vesper's taken the edge off, let's move on to another popular vodka-based beverage. For Lebowski fans, there's a famous drinking game that involves participants doing as the dude does every time the Dude consumes a white russian. For the uninitiated, that means putting away nine White Russians. Luckily, since this is just the third stop on your lengthy cocktail tour through Hollywood, cap your intake at one.
How to: Grab an old-fashioned glass, toss in some ice, and add the following:
Tom Collins ? Meet the Fockers
It's a good thing Robert De Niro's character breast-fed his grandson artificially because that guy was busy sucking down Tom Collinses through the whole movie. This classic cocktail even has its own glass bearing its namesake.
How to: The Tom Collins has an unfair reputation as being an old person's drink (and the fact that it's the ex-CIA operative's favorite cocktail doesn't help). But it's time for the T.C. to make a comeback. In the requisite glass, mix:
Old Fashioned ? Mad Men
Whiskey, bourbon, scotch ? In the high stakes world of Madison Avenue advertising, the motto is "if it's brown, drink it down." Good news or bad news, everything calls for a drink at the offices of Sterling Cooper Draper Price, and most of the time, those drinks are served neat, putting the "men" in Mad Men. Don's after hours cocktail of choice though is the Old Fashioned, an appropriate choice considering the direction his character's going. As for your direction, what started as an excuse to sample some of Hollywood's finest alcoholic staples has quickly turned into binge drinking. No matter, press on with the brown goodness that is the Old Fashioned:
Cosmopolitan ? Sex & the City
In the late '90s/early '00s, bars across the country saw a surge in Cosmopolitan orders in an attempt to recreate the fun-loving metropolitan galavanting of Carrie Bradshaw and her crew of pink-drink-consuming girlfriends. While it may be pass? now to ask your local bartender for a Cosmo, it fits right in with this mixology excursion.
How to: After channeling Don Draper, a sweet drink should be a welcome change of pace.
Singapore Sling ? Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Of all the recreational uppers and downers on display in Fear and Loathing, its signature cocktail is definitely the most mild (and most legal). That said, if you're following this rundown like it's a to-do list, chances are you've had enough to drink to make the floors look like they're moving and the person next to you has an eel for a head.
How to: If your liver hasn't failed you, retreive your Collins glass, pour out the remainder of the Meet the Fockers beverage, and prep yourself a Singapore Sling.
French 75 ? Casablanca
One of cinema's most beloved films comes with one of the most beloved drinks from the old Hollywood era. The French 75 is sophisticated and classic enough to make anyone nostalgic for the romanticized, black-and-white past of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. And this many drinks into your inebriated journey, any excuse to mourn lost innocence and lost love seems like the natural progression of intoxication.
How to: The French 75 champagne cocktail packs quite a punch, but what would you expect for a beverage named after heavy artillery used in WWI?
Absinthe ? Moulin Rouge!
Things should be getting a little fuzzy now, but keep yourself together if you want to have a visit from the green fairy like the star-crossed lovers in Moulin Rouge!.
How to: Contrary to popular belief, absinthe won't make you hallucinate, but at a high of 148 proof, it might make you blackout.
Flaming Homer / Flaming Moe ? The Simpsons
This far into the night, your drink-making skills are shoddy at best. You've gone through whiskey, vodka, gin, red wine, and plenty other motor-skill-impairing elixirs, so why not get a little experimental with your next pop culture cocktail, the Flaming Homer (or Flaming Moe if you're pro-backstabber).
How to: The exact specifications on the Flaming Homer are never revealed on the show. However, there is one unique ingredient and one very important piece of preparation that make it both memorable and doable.
PBR ? Blue Velvet
These adult beverages have pretty much guaranteed you a wicked hangover, and since you're already in this deep, why not keep going? But you should probably reign it in a little with the hard alcohol and finally make the switch to beer before you call it a night. Question is, what beer? Dennis Hopper's character in Blue Velvet has some very staunch opinions on that question, and he's not the kind of guy you want to argue with, leaving you with one brew of choice ? Pabst Blue Ribbon!
Best with: Small towns, severed ears, oxygen masks, and deranged fetishes.
Red Eye ? Cocktail
Chances are that PBR and images of Frank Booth put you over the edge and caused you to pass out, totally understandable given the copious amounts of various alcohols swimming around inside your body. Luckily, Cocktail has the perfect morning after remedy. If it worked for Tom Cruise, it should work for anybody.
How to: Anyone can make a Bloody Mary; the Red Eye takes it to another level.
http://www.zimbio.com/Beyond+the+Box+Office/articles/UtWA6EOo85a/How+Drink+Like+Pop+Culture+Heroes
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By Darrick Thomas on August 1, 2012<NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>
<!-- google_ad_section_start -->
(Photos: Gramercy Pictures | MGM | AMC | HBO)
You may not be able to party with your favorite characters, but you can certainly drink like them. TV shows and movies are filled with tasty adult beverages as iconic as the fictional people who consume them. The next time you throw a Hollywood-themed party, add a sense of authenticity by serving some of the most memorable onscreen cocktails. Since practice makes perfect when it comes to the art of mixology, take this time to sample the goods and brush up on your bartending skills with these pop culture classics.
Wine - Sideways
As the old saying goes, "Liquor before beer, and you're in the clear; beer before liquor makes you sicker." Unfortunately, this preventative hangover advice says nothing about vino, so you might as well start in the land of Sideways. Plus, prep work doesn't get much easier than uncorking a bottle, and nothing says classy high-brow affair like fine red wine. (Just make sure there's no "f---ing merlot.")
Best with: Traveling wine country with your buddy, crippling self doubt, social anxiety, writers block, and cheese, naturally.
Vesper Martini ? The James Bond Franchise
Now that you've enjoyed the fruity notes and earthy undertones of the world's oldest party drink, it's time to move to the hard stuff. (Settle in, it's going to be a long night of booze testing.) Despite the recent controversey surrounding 007's switch to Heineken, no movie drink is as iconic as James Bond's martini, which makes it a must on this menu.
How to: Bond's no lightweight, which explains why his martini, known as a Vesper, has both gin AND vodka. For obvious reasons, leave the stir straws behind and break out your shaker to get this mix on:
- 2 oz. gin
- 1 oz. vodka
- splash of Lillet Blanc
- lemon twist for garnish
Ah, now the Vesper's taken the edge off, let's move on to another popular vodka-based beverage. For Lebowski fans, there's a famous drinking game that involves participants doing as the dude does every time the Dude consumes a white russian. For the uninitiated, that means putting away nine White Russians. Luckily, since this is just the third stop on your lengthy cocktail tour through Hollywood, cap your intake at one.
How to: Grab an old-fashioned glass, toss in some ice, and add the following:
- 2 oz. vodka
- 1 oz. Kahlua (or substitute coffee liqueur)
- finish with a splash of light cream
It's a good thing Robert De Niro's character breast-fed his grandson artificially because that guy was busy sucking down Tom Collinses through the whole movie. This classic cocktail even has its own glass bearing its namesake.
How to: The Tom Collins has an unfair reputation as being an old person's drink (and the fact that it's the ex-CIA operative's favorite cocktail doesn't help). But it's time for the T.C. to make a comeback. In the requisite glass, mix:
- 1.5 oz. gin
- 1 oz. lemon juice
- .5 oz. simple syrup
- top with club soda
- garnish with lemon peel or maraschino cherry
- (Note: 1 shot = 1.5 oz.)
Old Fashioned ? Mad Men
Whiskey, bourbon, scotch ? In the high stakes world of Madison Avenue advertising, the motto is "if it's brown, drink it down." Good news or bad news, everything calls for a drink at the offices of Sterling Cooper Draper Price, and most of the time, those drinks are served neat, putting the "men" in Mad Men. Don's after hours cocktail of choice though is the Old Fashioned, an appropriate choice considering the direction his character's going. As for your direction, what started as an excuse to sample some of Hollywood's finest alcoholic staples has quickly turned into binge drinking. No matter, press on with the brown goodness that is the Old Fashioned:
- muddle 1 maraschino cherry, orange peel, and sugar cube
- splash with soda water to release flavor
- add 2.5 oz. of rye bourbon (Canadian Club for authenticity)
In the late '90s/early '00s, bars across the country saw a surge in Cosmopolitan orders in an attempt to recreate the fun-loving metropolitan galavanting of Carrie Bradshaw and her crew of pink-drink-consuming girlfriends. While it may be pass? now to ask your local bartender for a Cosmo, it fits right in with this mixology excursion.
How to: After channeling Don Draper, a sweet drink should be a welcome change of pace.
- 2 oz. Vodka
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- fresh lime juice
- splash of cranberry juice
- orange peel for garnish
Of all the recreational uppers and downers on display in Fear and Loathing, its signature cocktail is definitely the most mild (and most legal). That said, if you're following this rundown like it's a to-do list, chances are you've had enough to drink to make the floors look like they're moving and the person next to you has an eel for a head.
How to: If your liver hasn't failed you, retreive your Collins glass, pour out the remainder of the Meet the Fockers beverage, and prep yourself a Singapore Sling.
- 1 oz. gin
- 1 oz. cherry liqueur
- 1 oz. Benedictine cognac liqueur
- 1 oz. lime juice
- mix in shaker, unstrained
- top with club soda
- garnish with lime rind
One of cinema's most beloved films comes with one of the most beloved drinks from the old Hollywood era. The French 75 is sophisticated and classic enough to make anyone nostalgic for the romanticized, black-and-white past of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. And this many drinks into your inebriated journey, any excuse to mourn lost innocence and lost love seems like the natural progression of intoxication.
How to: The French 75 champagne cocktail packs quite a punch, but what would you expect for a beverage named after heavy artillery used in WWI?
- 2 oz. dry gin
- 1 teaspoon fine sugar
- .5 oz. lemon juice
- mix, then top with 5 oz. of Brut champagne
Absinthe ? Moulin Rouge!
Things should be getting a little fuzzy now, but keep yourself together if you want to have a visit from the green fairy like the star-crossed lovers in Moulin Rouge!.
How to: Contrary to popular belief, absinthe won't make you hallucinate, but at a high of 148 proof, it might make you blackout.
- pour 1 oz. of absinthe into a reservoir glass
- place perforated absinthe spoon across the glass
- add a sugar cube to the spoon
- slowly drip ice cold water over the sugar cube and into the glass
- stir with absinthe spoon once the cube has melted
Flaming Homer / Flaming Moe ? The Simpsons
This far into the night, your drink-making skills are shoddy at best. You've gone through whiskey, vodka, gin, red wine, and plenty other motor-skill-impairing elixirs, so why not get a little experimental with your next pop culture cocktail, the Flaming Homer (or Flaming Moe if you're pro-backstabber).
How to: The exact specifications on the Flaming Homer are never revealed on the show. However, there is one unique ingredient and one very important piece of preparation that make it both memorable and doable.
- take whatever alcohol and mixer you favor
- add cough syrup
- light it on fire
PBR ? Blue Velvet
These adult beverages have pretty much guaranteed you a wicked hangover, and since you're already in this deep, why not keep going? But you should probably reign it in a little with the hard alcohol and finally make the switch to beer before you call it a night. Question is, what beer? Dennis Hopper's character in Blue Velvet has some very staunch opinions on that question, and he's not the kind of guy you want to argue with, leaving you with one brew of choice ? Pabst Blue Ribbon!
Best with: Small towns, severed ears, oxygen masks, and deranged fetishes.
Chances are that PBR and images of Frank Booth put you over the edge and caused you to pass out, totally understandable given the copious amounts of various alcohols swimming around inside your body. Luckily, Cocktail has the perfect morning after remedy. If it worked for Tom Cruise, it should work for anybody.
How to: Anyone can make a Bloody Mary; the Red Eye takes it to another level.
- 1 oz. of vodka
- 6 oz. of cold tomato juice
- mix juice and vodka in wide-mouthed mug
- submerge a can of beer upside-down in mug so it slowly emptys in the drink
- crack a raw egg into mug
- do not stir
