Michael Ruhlman's Blog

12/26 Newsletter (Hope You’ll Subscribe!)

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Newsletter Holiday Cookie Recipes

Kiflis

The following are the recipes from my most recent newsletter on holiday cookies (newsletter is at ruhlman.substack.com—hope you’ll subscribe!). The following words from from friend Emilia one why this cookie is important. All are part of her bookie repertoire.

Cookie time is upon us again and every family has their traditional holiday cookies. This year I wanted to highlight my chef friend and culinary sister Larissa Popa’s Christmas Hungarian kifli. During this interesting year I got to spend my “outdoor” time with her on a local farm she tends. Typically the two of us are cooking up a storm, making eastern European specialties like stuffed cabbage, pierogi, paprikash and various noodles. Instead it consisted of planting veggies, weeding, tending to chickens, ducks, guinea hens, cattle, unruly sheep, and one adorable calf.

I wanted to highlight her recipe and her story because it mirrors my family. She made these walnut kifli with her mom during Christmas. Larissa recalls prepping these cookies with her. Grinding the walnuts, the special kifli scoop (a melon baller), seasoning the walnut filling, debating between golden raisins and dried currants and the worn wooden rolling pin every immigrant mom or grandmother would wield. This cookie recipe she shared with me two years ago is now one of my favorites.

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Walnut-Raisin-Lemon Kifli


A cookie rolled around a walnut stuffing

Course CookiesCuisine AmericanKeyword holiday cookies, kifli

Prep Time 1 hour

Servings 50 cookies




Ingredients3 cups flourpinch salt8 oz butter room temperature8 oz cream cheese room temperaturezest from 2 lemons2 tbls sugar (plus 2 cups for filling)1 tsp vanilla3.5 cups walnuts, ground for the stuffing not too finely ground2/3 cups raisins2 cups sugar noted above1-2 lemons, juiced add lemon juice to filling to tastepinch salt again, this for the fillingpowdered sugar for rolling and dustingegg wash one yolk mixed with 2 tbls milk, optional
InstructionsFirst make the dough: Sift flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.In a 5 quart standing mixer with a paddle attachment, add cream cheese, butter sugar and lemon zest. Paddle on medium high speed for 3-5 minutes until creamy. Scrape side and pour in vanilla, cream for another 2 minutes.Reduce speed of the mixer and then slowly sift in the flour mixture. Add the flour in 3 additions, to allow the flour to be fully mixed in each time. Once done adding all the flour, the cookie dough will be soft, but not sticky on your hands.Begin to scoop out teaspoon sized kifli dough balls, roll to make a sphere/ball and place on a ½ sheet tray lined with parchment or silpat. Once all the dough is formed into balls, wrap tray in plastic wrap and put in the cooler overnight.Next make the filling (it can be done the day before and refrigerated. In medium bowl pour in ground walnuts, golden rasins, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and combine.Season mixture with a pinch of salt. Adjust filling to taste, add more lemon if needed, more sugar or salt. You can even add your favorite warm spice (cardamom, nutmeg, all-spice) or just keep it simple and traditional. Use or refrigerate until reading to finish the cookies.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F./ 177 degrees C.Prepare to roll out the kifli balls by clearing a space on your counter, dust surface with powdered sugar and use a rolling pin. Grab walnut filling mixture and spoon.Remove the sheet tray from the cooler with the kifli dough balls and begin rolling flat disks out of the balls. Roll each round as thin as possible or 1/16”, but be sure the dough can be moved and hold the filling.Once the ball is rolled into a circle/oval, about the size of your palm, place a small line of the  filling near the end closet to you. Be sure to leave a space on the edges.When the filling is evenly spread start rolling the kifli up, place the edge of the dough closet to you and then delicately roll up. You do not need to tightly roll the kifli. Once rolled, leave the seam side down, then shape into a “u” shape or “horn” and pinch the ends.Place the kifli “horn” “U” onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Be sure to leave about 1” in between each kilfi. Egg wash if desired.Bake kifli for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed. Remove kulfi from oven, cool on tray for 10 minutes, then place on cooling rack.Once cooled dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy with coffee, tea or hot cocoa. Bet you can’t each just one!







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Cardamom Ginger Coconut Cookies




Course Cookies



Servings 28 cookies




Ingredients1 cup cake flour3/4 cup bread flower3/4 teaspoon salt3/4 teaspoon baking powder1/2 + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda3/4 cup unsalted butter room temp1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup brown sugar1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom1/2 teaspoons ground coriander1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 large egg1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract2 tablespoons minced crystalized ginger3/4 cup shredded coconut
InstructionsSift the two flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.In a standing 5-quart mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, the two sugars, and the three dry spices. Paddle on medium-high speed until it's light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.Add the egg and vanilla and paddle until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Paddle on low and add the minced ginger. Pour in the spiced flour mixture and paddle on low speed, then the coconut and paddle just to combine.Once the dough has come together, cover and let it rest for at least 4 hours or refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Scoop out tablespoon-size cookies onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

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Spiced Pecan Thumbprints with Cajeta








Servings 2 dozen




Ingredients1 cup unsalted butter (two sticks) room temp1/4 cup sugar3/4 teaspoon cinnamon3/4 teaspoon ground anise1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups all purpose flower1 cup ground pecans1/2 teaspoon saltCajeta1 quart goat's milk1 cup sugar1 teaspoon baking soda1 tbsp cornstarch
InstructionsPreheat oven to 325 degrees F./163 degrees C.In a standing 5-quart mixer with the paddle attachment, begin to cream together the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and anise. Paddle on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and paddle for 30 seconds to incorporate into sugar butter mixture.In a separate bowl stir together the flour, salt and ground pecans, then add to the sugar butter mixture. Paddle at low speed until the dough comes together.Line two sheet tray with parchment paper or silpats. Begin to scoop out tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll into balls. Once all the dough is formed into balls place them two inches apart and then press your thumb into the middle of the ball.Bake for 10 minutes; then remove from oven and press center of the cookies down again with a small round spoon. (back of your measuring spoons)Return to oven and bake for 10-14 minutes more.Allow to cool for 15 minutes then drizzle the caramel in the indentations in the cookies.CajetaIn cup combine the baking soda and cornstarch with two tablespoons of water (slurry) and set aside.Using a large sauce pot pour in the goat’s milk and sugar. Place on medium high heat stir until all the sugar dissolves.Now stir in the slurry and increase to medium high heat. Bring milk to a boil, keep stirring and be careful not to boil over.Stir and watch the milk mixture for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until the milk transforms into a golden caramel.Once color and consistency is reached allow the caramel to cool. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 month in a sealed container.

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Sour Cream Sugar Cookies








Servings 5 dozen




Ingredients1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temp3 eggs1.5 cups sugar1 cup sour cream2 teaspoons vanilla extract3.5 cups all purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt
InstructionsIn a standing 5-quart mixer with the paddle attachment, begin to cream together the butter and the sugar. Paddle on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.Add in the eggs one at a time and vanilla and paddle until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Paddle until eggs and vanilla are incorporated, next add the sour cream. Paddle for 1 minute more on medium speed and be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl again.Pour in the dry ingredients on low speed and paddle until the dough comes together. This cookie dough is very sticky. Refrigerate at least for 4 hours or overnight.On a heavily floured surface, begin to roll out your dough. Be sure to flour the top of the dough and the rolling pin. Roll to 1/4 inch thick and cut in your favorite shapes. Place cookies on sheet trays lined with parchment paper or silpats. Bake at 350 degrees F./177 degrees C. for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should poof a bit and have a cake like consistency.Cool and decorate as desired.

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Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies




Keyword Christmas cookies, holiday cookies



Servings 24 sandwiches (48 cookies)




Ingredients3 cups hazelnut flour3/4 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 cup unsalted butter room temp1/4 cup shortening1/2 cup granulated sugar1/4 cup brown sugar1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract2 large eggs1 jar raspberry preserves as needed
InstructionsPreheat your oven to 350°F/177°C.Sift the hazelnut flour, salt, and baking soda together.Put the cream the butter, shortening, the two sugars, and the cinnamon in the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and blend on medium-high until it's light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Or do the same in a large bowl with a hand blender.)Add the eggs and mix on medium until they're incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Turn the mixer to low and pour in the dry ingredients, and continue to mix till combined.Scoop teaspoon-sized cookies onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool.Spread a thin layer of raspberry preserves on each cookie and sandwich another on top. together.

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Mayan Chocolate Cookies




Course DessertKeyword chocolate, cookies, holiday, sweet



Servings 16 cookies




Ingredients1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper1/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 1/4 cups all purpose flower1/4 teaspoon salt1/2 cup butter room temp3/4 cup sugar1 eggCinnamon Sugar Sprinkle2 tbsp sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
InstructionsPreheat the oven to 350°F/ 176°C.Sift the cocoa, cayenne, chili powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and flour together in a bowl.In a standing 5-quart mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for a minute to soften, and then add the sugar and beat for 3 more minutes. Paddle until the butter is light and fluffy, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.Add the egg to the butter and beat for another minute.Stir in the flour/spice mixture until the flour is just incorporated. Remove the dough, place in plastic wrap, and let chill for 45 minutes in the refrigerator.On a parchment-lined sheet tray, scoop out tablespoons of dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar on top and then bake the cookies for 12 minutes.Remove the cookies from the oven, cool for 10 minutes, and enjoy.

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Langues de Chat – Cat’s Tongues




Course DessertKeyword cookies, holiday, sweet








Ingredients1 stick plus 2 tbsp butter room temp2/3 cup sugar4 egg whites1/2 teaspoon vanilla3/4 cup all purpose flourpinch of salt
InstructionsPreheat the oven to 390°F/180°C.In a standing 5-quart mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. The butter should look light and fluffy. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.One by one, add the egg whites and then the vanilla to the creamed butter. Add a white, beat for 30 seconds, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and repeat.Sift the flour and salt a few times so there are no lumps.  Slowly mix in the flour into the butter mixture.Using a pastry bag with a #2 tip, fill the bag with the cookie batter and pipe on to a sheet tray that is lightly buttered or onto a silpat. Be sure to leave 2 inches between the cookies as you pipe, as they do spread a little.Bake the cookies until a nice golden brown appears on the edges, about 12–15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.

Ga-Ga’s Eggnog

Ga-Ga’s eggnog

This is a two day process, so start the night before you want to serve it.

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Ga-Ga’s Eggnog


An easy delicious homemade eggnog to make the day before you serve it.

Course Cocktail, DrinksCuisine American, English, HolidayKeyword christmas, eggnog, Holidays

Prep Time 30 minutes2 days






Ingredients13 eggs, separated (cover and refrigerate eggs)13 tabls sugar2 cups bourbon2 cups dark rum (such as Mount Gay)1 cup brandy1 quart half and half1 pint creamgrated nutmeg to tast
InstructionsAdd the sugar to the yolks and whisk.Sloooooowly at first, add two cups of bourbon, stirring constantly (yolks will “cook” if the liquor surprises them too fast). Afterward, okay to go faster.Add two cups of dark rum and the brandy. Whisk to combine and dissolve the sugar.Place mixture in fridge overnight, covered, and allow liquor & eggs to become acquainted.The next day, strain the eggnog into a punch bowl.Whisk in the half and half.Whip the reserved egg whites until stiff, and fold into the mixture (use punch ladle to gently dunk the whites under the surface until combined).Whip a cream until stiff, fold into mixture using same process.Top with nutmeg and put back in fridge until time to serve.Once you serve it, the cream/whites may need another minor dunking if any rises to the surface.

Friday Cocktail Hour: The Penicillin

The Penicillin (supported by my last cookbook, From Scratch)

Today’s cocktail is credited to Sam Ross at NYC’s Milk & Honey in the early 2000s, uses a spirit I’m not particularly fond of and one that is one of my favorites, both in the same category. Scotch whisky: one blended (not a fan), one peaty single malt (major fan), and when combined with ginger-honey syrup and lemon, they make a fabulous cocktail.

To make ginger honey syrup, combine 1/2 cup each water and honey and a 4-inch piece of ginger thinly sliced or grated. Simmer five minutes, allow to cool and strain.

As the Penicillin has the same basic template as a Gold Rush (bourbon) and a Bee’s Knees (gin) this syrup will make an excellent variation on those as well.

The poem? One of my absolute favorites for its wonderful misanthropy!

Happy cocktail everyone! Stay safe!

(music courtesy of bensound.com music)

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The Penicillin


A relatively new scotch-based cocktail using honey-ginger syrup and lemon.

Course CocktailCuisine AmericanKeyword honey-ginger syrup, scotch, scotch cocktail, single malt

Prep Time 3 minutes

Servings 1




Ingredients2 ounces blended scotch3/4 ounce lemon juice3/4 ounce honey-ginger syrup see post for the simple instructions1/2 ounce Islay single-malt Laphroaig or Lagavulin are my faves1 lemon wheel Mr. Ross suggested a small cube of candied ginger.
InstructionsCombine the liquids andy syrups in a glass. Add ice, garnish with lemon wheel.

French Onion Soup

The finished onion soup.

What I love about traditional French onion soup is that no stock is necessary for this soup. It’s just onions, water, seasonings and patience. You’re basically making onion stock, flavoring it with salt vinegar and a splash of wine. The most expensive part of this dish is actually the cheese, and it is pricy—but only about $3 per serving.

And there is nothing better to eat on a cold winter night. The following recipe is adapted from my book Ruhlman’s Twenty (a James Beard award winner, in fact). It’s a swell gift for someone who’s learning to cook and loves to cook because I try to break down all of cooking into 20 basic ingredients and techniques.

I’ll post process shots after the recipe.

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Traditional French Onion Soup


Onions, cheese, and bread—the world's best soup

Course SoupCuisine FrenchKeyword Cheese, gruyere, Onion, Soup

Prep Time 20 minutesCook Time 1 hour 30 minutes




Cost $20

Ingredients1 tbls butter7 or 8 large Spanish onions (or 7 to 8 pounds)kosher saltfreshly ground black pepper1/3 cup sherryred or white wine vinegar optional, as neededred wine optional, to taste12 ounces Gruyère or Emmanthaler cheese, grated
InstructionsUse a large pot, with a capacity of about 7 1/2 quarts/7.1 liters, that will hold all the onions. An enameled cast-iron pot will provide the best surface. Place the pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onions, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt, cover, and cook until the onions have heated through and started to steam. Uncover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally (you should be able to leave the onions alone for an hour at a stretch once they’ve released their water). Season with several grinds of pepper.Preheat the oven to 200°F/95°C. Place the bread slices in the oven and let them dry completely (you can leave the slices in the oven indefinitely, as the heat is not high enough to burn them).When the onions have completely cooked down, the water has cooked off, and the onions have turned amber—this will take several hours—add 6 cups/1.4 liters of water. Raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Add the sherry. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. If the soup is too sweet, add some vinegar. If you would like a little more depth, add a splash of red wine. I like the onion-to-liquid ratio with 6 cups of water. But if you’d prefer a slightly more delicate soup, add an additional 1 cup/240 milliliters water or to taste.Preheat the broiler (be sure you've removed the bread from the oven!). Portion the soup into bowls, float the bread on top, cover with the cheese, and broil until the cheese is melted and nicely browned. Serve immediately.The

NotesThe onions can be cooked a day ahead, and stored well-wrapped in the fridge. Pack them tightly and well wrapped and freeze for up to a month.



The finished onion soup.

Friday Cocktail Hour: Amaretto Sour

It’s that time— yes, another week has gone by. And with Covid’s surge likely to continue through the holidays, I urge you to drink inside with your loved ones! There IS light at the end of the tunnel, but we have many weeks to go, and to pass some of the time, I am recommending this version of the Amaretto Sour, enhanced by Portland, OR, bar manager Jeffrey Morgenthaler.

The Amaretto Sour is oft-maligned for being simplistic and sweet. Moganthaler fixes this simply by adding a shot of bourbon to the drink, utterly transforming it. Yes, many drinks are transformed by a shot of bourbon (your morning coffee during Covid, for instance, the screaming toddler’s glass of milk), but it is particularly effective here, tempering the drink’s sweetness and upping the alcohol to give this cocktail the standard oompf (amaretto itself is typically about 40 proof).

Also, Morgenthaler uses egg white, in my opinion part of the definition of any drink called by the name “sour” (as opposed to, for instance, The Gimlet, which is in the sour category but not named as such). 

Sour ratio please: 1/2 egg white, 2 ounces spirit, 1 ounce sour, 1 ounce simple syrup. Yes, egg whites are difficult to halve, but then, why would you ever make just one whiskey sour?

And finally, Morgenthaler diminishes the simple syrup to one-sixth in the standard sour ratio because Amaretto is so sweet.

This is a perfectly balanced cocktail:

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The Best Amaretto Sour


Jeffrey Morganthaler simply adds bourbon to make this a fabulous cocktail

Course CocktailCuisine AmericanKeyword Amaretto, bourbon cocktails, jeffrey morganthaler, Lemon, sour

Prep Time 3 minutes

Servings 2 people




Ingredients1 egg white3 ounces Amaretto1.5 ounces bourbon2 ounces lemon juice2 teaspoons simple syrup1 lemon twist2 brandied cherries optional
InstructionsPut the egg white in a shaker or ball jar, and give several good shakes to loosen it.Add the remaining liquids and shake again. Add ice to the container and shake or swirl to chill it. Pour into lowballs over ice.Garnish with the twist and, if using, the cherries.

NotesIf you don’t want to use a shaker you can use a hand blender or whisk to make the egg white gently frothy.

I just used a twist. Worked fine.

Stay safe everyone, and keep the people you come into contact with healthy and safe, too! Happy Friday everyone!

Friday Cocktail Hour: The Enhanced Martini

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRZNb...

As the martini tends to be my drink of choice, I decided to vary my standard practice lest I grow weary of it, that standard being 2 to 3 oz gin with a capful of dry vermouth, into a frozen glass with a twist.

I looked to two great sources to switch things up a bit. First, Robert Simonson’s 3-Ingredient Cocktails, in which he describes the martini as “the undisputed monarch of cocktails,” and briefly notes its long evolution from sweet and vermouthy, pre-prohibition, to the arid glass of gin with olives post-WWII. Only relatively recently has the martini found its balance. Part of that balance is a bitter component, orange bitters which, he writes, “brought the drink closer to it original profile and made it strictly speaking, a true ‘cocktail’ again (that is, a drink with bitters somewhere in the equation).”

David Lebovitz’s more recent Drinking French also includes orange bitters in his martini.

As for the vermouth, I think those who suggest waving the vermouth over the glass are wags. You need vermouth, enough to taste, to balance the gin and round the drink’s steely edges. Simonson likes a 3:1 ratio of gin to vermouth. That’s too much for me—and Simonson readily admits that everyone has their own preference. Eight years ago, when I was being obsessively exact, I called for a 5:1 ratio, 90 grams gin, 18 grams vermouth, for the perfect balance. I was gratified that this is exactly what Lebovitz suggests: 2-1/2 oz gin, 1/2 ounce vermouth. I add not 1, but 2, dashes of orange bitters.

And for the video, I flamed orange zest, for variety and color. But honestly, a lemon twist remains the perfect enhancing garnish. This is indeed a splendid cocktail and I would argue that this should be the bedrock standard ratio for the cocktail known as The Martini.

Happy Friday Cocktail Hour all!

(Music courtesy of bensound.com!)

Easy Turkey Stock

Make your turkey stock now so you have plenty for Thanksgiving gravy, which really holds the whole meal together and makes leftovers the greatest!

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Easy Turkey Stock


A simple way to make turkey or chicken stock

Course freezer, pantry, Side Dish, Soup, stapleCuisine AmericanKeyword Stock, Turkey, turkey stock

Prep Time 30 minutesCook Time 8 hours






Ingredients2 large turkey drumsticks2 large turkey wings2 Spanish onion, sliced4 carrots, cut in pieces4 celery ribs, cut in pieces3 bay leaves5 cloves garlic1 tbsp peppercorns, cracked beneath a pan or with a mortar and pestle1/4 cup tomato paste5-10 thyme sprigs5-10 stems parsley optional
InstructionsRoast the turkey pieces (you should have 5–6 pounds/2–3 kilos) in a hot oven, 425°F/218°C at least, till it looks delicious. Scatter the onion, carrot, and celery in the same pan, and take them out when you take out the turkey. Don't let the veg burn. (You can cut the meat off the bones for dinner if you wish; but the meat will add lots of flavor to the stock.)Put the turkey bones in a big pot and cover them completely with water, 3–4 quarts/liters, and put the pot over high heat. Turn your oven to 180°–200°F/80°–90°C. When the water comes to a simmer, put the pot in the oven for 8 hours or overnight.Add the remaining ingredients (if you don’t have enough room, remove the turkey bones—they will have cooked out by now). Bring to a simmer, then reduce the temperature to low and cook for another hour or so. Strain into a clean pot. Cool, then refrigerate.Reserve any fat that’s congealed on top for the roux on Thanksgiving day. Reduce the stock to 1 1/2 to 2 quarts/liters if it's not already at that level.

Friday Cocktail Hour: The Old Pal

I casted about for not one but two cocktails to make this Friday, owing to the fact that election week so disoriented us that we scarcely knew what day it was and I forgot record The Friday Cocktail Hour. And what with the ridiculousness carrying on at the end of this week, I figured we could use a couple of stiff ones.

I’d always wanted to try an Old Pal, a rye whiskey based cocktail credited to Harry MacElhone, in the 1920s at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, and is in the Boulevardier/Negroni family, using dry vermouth instead of the sweet, along with Campari, all in equal parts.

Wanting a second cocktail similar but using a different spirit, I came across a Cardinale, which simply used gin instead of whiskey. Perfect, I thought. I love the various cocktails that come from swapping one spirit for another.
And so I made the Old Pal, a splendid drink, using the awesome Michter’s rye. I then. proceeded to complete the Cardinale, and, well, no. It was all wrong. Having never tried it before I didn’t quite know what to do, though, what with the wife recording and all, so I carried on as if it were a perfectly fine cocktail.

Let me tell you folks, it is not. There is something just not right about this conglomeration of ingredients and I can only recommend you replace the dry vermouth in your Cardinale for sweet vermouth to create a splendid Negroni.
The poem today, in honor of Veteran’s Day this week, 11/11, and the WWI Armistice signed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, ending the greatest destruction of human lives the world had ever seen. It is “Flanders Fields,” by John McCrea who wrote it in 1915.

The world is much with us, still, this week, and I wish you all happy and healthy and safe cocktail hour!
(Music in the video, btw, is “The Jazz Piano” from bensound.com)

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The Old Pal


A rye whiskey cocktail

Course CocktailCuisine AmericanKeyword Campari, dry vermouth, old pal cocktail, rye



Servings 1




Ingredients1 ounce rye whiskey1 ounce dry vermouth1 ounce Campari1 lemon twist
InstructionsCombine the fluids ingredients in a glass. Add ice. Stir to chill. Strain into a chilled coup. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Friday Cocktail Hour: The Hot Toddy

Video by Michael!

Owing to technical difficulties, I was only able to post this to my Instagram account yesterday (please follow and check there first for the video).

It’s gotten so chilly my wife Ann asked me to find the recipe for the best hot toddy she’d ever had, which happened to be at the restaurant Prune, created by chef-owner Gabrielle Hamilton. Hamilton, not only a great chef but also an amazing writer, gamely provided it. (Read her harrowing and beautiful NYTimes magazine essay about closing the restaurant when the pandemic hit.)

A hot toddy can be as simple as your basic sour: 2 parts spirit, 1 part each citrus and simple syrup, heated. From that base idea any kind of riffing is possible, spirit, citrus, sweeteners and spices. Gabrielle’s is a perfect example the genre. What makes hers especially appealing is the heavy use of lemon juice, nearly as much lemon as whiskey. A pinch of cayenne gives it a kick. To balance the acid, she adds plenty of honey. Water to taste (in effect you’re creating a honey simple syrup) mellows it all out.

It’s also a terrific batch cocktail to make for distanced outdoor gatherings. Make a big batch and serve it in warm mugs using a thermos (I actually clean out the thermos of my coffee maker—works great to keep it all hot).

This is a fabulous fall/winter cocktail, made here on my West 12th Street fire escape in New York City. For this cocktail hour, two very short poems.

Happy cocktail day everyone!

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Gabrielle Hamilton’s Hot Toddy


A whiskey, lemon, honey cocktail from the NYC restaurant Prune

Course CocktailCuisine AmericanKeyword hot toddy, Whiskey, whiskey cocktail

Prep Time 5 minutes

Servings 1




Ingredients2-3/4 ounces Jim Beam (or bourbon of your choice)juice from one lemon (about 2 ounces)2-1/2 tbsp honeypinch cayennewater to taste (start with 2 tablespoons)lemon wheel for garnish
InstructionsCombine all the ingredients but the lemon wheel in a pan and bring just to a simmer. Pour into a heated mug, and garnish with the lemon wheel