65th Street Cocktail. Oil on panel, 8"x 8".
It's official: Mixology With a Twist is underway! 65th Street Cocktail is the first illustration for a new book with all new recipes from talented Northwest bartenders. This recipe comes from Curtis Day, bar manager for Casper Fry here in Spokane, and it's a tasty one.
I've got about seven recipes collected so far, and already I've noticed some trends. First, while the vintage cocktails were heavy on the gin, the new cocktails all contain bourbon or rye whiskey. (I'll have to make a point of requesting some different liquors going forward.) Also, the old recipes were fairly simple. But modern bartenders love obscure ingredients: small batch craft bitters, hard-to-find liqueurs, and house-made syrups. Oh, and lots of giant ice cubes!
For the new book's paintings, I'm trying to capture the feel of the places where the drinks were invented. This has meant finding and creating new backdrops and bringing in new props (two of my favorite things!) I've made faux "old brick" walls, bought Edison bulbs, and even ordered a pack of flocked wallpaper samples. I'm so excited to start putting together this book! I'm hoping for around thirty recipes in all, and a release date in November, so I've got my work cut out for me….
After the jump: Fun with $27 brick paneling (before-and-after faux brick paint jobs).
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