Blast from the Past

Over the weekend, one of my friends hosted a Murder Mystery dinner party.  It was great fun. This particular one was a 1930's Hollywood-style who-done-it, requiring us to come in costume and be prepared to accuse.  Each couple was assigned a course to bring, which greatly reduces the stress on the host for these little get-togethers, which I know I'll appreciate when it's my turn.  

This time around my husband and I elected to bring appetizers, and for fun, I researched era-appropriate foods.  I was amazed to find several sites that had this information, including www.foodtimeline.org.  One the most fun to look at was the copies of actual menus from the era, put online by the LA County Library.  Turns out, in the 1930's, they served a lot of things on toast, and stuffed in celery.

At the last gathering of this group, it was suggested that "it sure would be nice to have a before- dinner cocktail with the hor's devours,"  with all eyes on ME.  Not wanting to disappoint,  I also researched what would be popular drinks for the time period. Drambuie was mentioned a lot, but I really don't like the flavor, so I kept searching.  Bourbon or Whiskey were also popular, neither of which I normally imbibe.  I settled upon a Whiskey Sour, figuring the mix would help temper the burns-as-it-goes-down feeling I associate with Whiskey.  The outcome was actually quite good, and guests were looking for seconds of the cocktail before we adjourned to the table.  They were saddened to find that I'd specifically only brought enough for 1 serving per guest so as not to interfere with the wine selections for the next courses.  I'll know better next time :)

Whiskey Sour

1 serving

2 ounces Whiskey/Bourbon (I used Makers Mark)

1 ounce Simple Syrup

3/4 ounce Fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

Maraschino cherries

Measure all liquid ingredients into a shaker filled with ice.  Shake vigorously, and pour into glass. Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry.

There was a lot of discussion during the cocktail hour about which Bourbon was best.  I picked Makers Mark because reviews I'd read said that it's slightly sweet tone paired will with the sour mix.  Several of the guys swore by Jamison's - which I'll have to try next.  Overall, it wasn't too tart, too sweet, nor too burns-as-it-goes-down, and I was quite happy with the outcome.