The Bitter Heiress

While I am neither bitter nor an heiress, this recipe (NY Times) sounded intriguing. Plus I got to set something on fire. Alas, when we tried these out last weekend, all I managed to do was produce some citrusy-smelling charred bits. Both Kate (who I first made it for on Friday night) and John (who tried it on Saturday) were much better at successfully getting some of the oil to spatter. The drink itself is quite good - the sharp, bitter Campari contrasts nicely with the vaguely herbal smoothness of the Lillet and the sweet tang of the orange juice. The recipe, with my annotations, follows.

• 3 oz. Lillet
• 1 oz. orange juice (they ask for fresh-squeezed, but I've only tried this with oj-from-a-carton so far)
• a good splash of Campari (anywhere from 1/2 to 1 tbsp. )
• 2 pieces of orange peel

Put all the liquids in an ice-filled shaker and mix till the shaker's surface begins to frost over. Pour into a chilled glass. (Our prep work wasn't nearly as fancy, but the drinks turned out well nonetheless.)

Hold a piece of orange peel about 3 in. from the surface of the drink, with the orange bit facing it. Strike a match or a lighter flint and hold the flame between the peel and the drink. Squeeze the peel towards the flame in order to send a spray of citrus oil along the drink's surface.

Garnish with the other orange peel.

Dreaming of Summer - Le Petit Hiboux

I first read about Lillet in Thomas Harris' Hannibal; the title character serves it with a slice of orange after dinner. It does make a nice aperitif - even when you haven't been dining on the brains of your beloved's enemy beforehand. This cocktail (via CHOW), the product of The Little Owl restaurant in Brooklyn, is a simple, easy but lovely drink. It was - and will probably be, once the weather warms up again - one of the staples of our weekend "lawn" lounging.

• 2 ounces Pinot Blanc or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
• 2 ounces Lillet Blanc
• 2 ounces apple juice

Pour all ingredients into an ice-filled glass and stir.