The Once Upon a Time - Without a Twist

Brown drinks are less appetizing to some people. I have a drink in my book which is dark grey--almost black! Not visually appealing, but very good on the palate. You can't judge a drink by its color, though the clarity of a good, clean martini suggests the quality of its purity--a very sleek taste, suitable for fine distinctions and a clear head.

A good cocktail is an icebreaker. If you're uptight or wound-up from work, a good cocktail can loosen your tie, and limber up your tongue. So the story goes.

Here's a variation on a Southern mix, but without a twist. Sticking a wedge of fruit on the edge of a glass may look cute, but it's sometimes inconvenient, or superfluous; it can get in the way of the drinking. I usually squeeze it and drop it in, or put it off to one side. Don't get me wrong, a wedge of orange or lemon, steeped in a pink gin, say, can be better than candy. But in this case, it's unnecessary. So--no twist. Just the straight stuff.

By proportion, of course--

3 Parts dark Caribbean rum

1 Part Aperol

1 part Cynar aperitif

1 part sweet lime (squeezed fresh)

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Shaken lightly and served up (no garnish).

Here in California we've been getting more unseasonable rain than most weather-casters can recall. Time to check the record book. Is it the result of global warming, or of some other sinister force? Let's ponder it over a drink.