Start Your Weekend With an Icy Obituary
Anise is a dark, dangerous, nihilistic scent. Maybe it’s because I’m used to drinking and seeing others drinking absinthe at a local goth bar, or maybe it’s because absinthe was banned in the US until 2007 (the year I turned 21). but it doesn’t surprise me that this anise-forward libation has a decidedly dark name. (I can’t be the only one who feels this way; the combination of absinthe and sparkling champagne is called “death by day”!)
An obituary cocktail is a variant of a martini that usually contains a little absinthe for flavor. I only say “usually” because I saw how it is done with pastis, which I did today, because this is what I had. (I originally bought a bottle to mourn the departure of our dear former editor-in-chief, Melissa Kirsch, and have hardly dipped in it since.)
It’s – like most of the things in this column – very easy to do, but you really need to shuffle the thing. Without proper cooling and dilution, the obituary looks heavily alcoholic, so stir for at least a minute. To make this morose martini cousin, you will need:
- 2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce absinthe or pastis
- 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass that is completely filled with cracked ice, then stir for about a minute. Strain in a compartment (preferably chilled). Garnish with a strip of lemon zest if you need a side dish, and cloves if you’re feeling youthful and moody.