Introduction The first time I had a French Martini, it was a total fluke. I was out with friends at one of those dimly lit cocktail lounges that […]

Introduction The first Irish Coffee I ever had was in a tiny cabin in the woods during a weekend getaway that didn’t go at all as planned. It […]

Introduction Let’s be honest—Sex on the Beach might have the most eye-roll-inducing name in the cocktail world, but if you’ve ever had one (a drink, to be clear), […]

Introduction The first time I had a Hurricane, I was standing in the sticky, jazz-soaked chaos of Bourbon Street, clutching a plastic cup and trying not to lose […]

Introduction The Sidecar was one of those cocktails I’d heard about long before I actually tried it. It sounded elegant, maybe even a little mysterious—something from a smoky […]

Introduction The first sangria I ever made was for a last-minute summer potluck. It was one of those chaotic, “just bring something” kind of gatherings, and I didn’t […]

Introduction The first time I tried a Gimlet, I didn’t know what I was getting into. It was at this tiny, candlelit bar in San Francisco—one of those […]

Introduction The Tom Collins was the first “real” cocktail I ever made at home. I had just moved into my first post-college apartment—a glorified studio with creaky floors, […]

Introduction The first Bellini I ever had was on a bright, hazy morning in Venice. I’d wandered into a quiet piazza just after sunrise, the kind of sleepy […]