Friday Night Cocktails for Stormy weather

Don’t know why/ain’t no sun up in the sky, Stormy Weather..….

Sang Ella Fitzgerald and many others who covered the old Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler classic Stormy Weather. The point is, what with all the warm holiday resorts closed due to Covid 19, all the cruise ships tied up, and a storm battering southern England, what is the thirsty pleasure seeker to do?

Despair not, gentle reader, for the answer may be here. Here indeed is a list of storm- themed cocktails to get you through the howling winds and battering rains, until once again the sun shines down on us all. Our recipes this week come from the Wikipedia list of cocktails, and that old stalwart The Ultimate Cocktail Book, published by Hamlyn.

Stormy Weather

One for a a classic cocktail glass. Put three cracked cubes of ice in your best shaker and add 1.25 measures dry white gin. 0.25 measure Mandarine Napoleon. 0.25 dry vermouth.0,25 sweet vermouth. Shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Decorate with lemon or orange peel spiral. Got Napoleon through many a stormy night on St Helena, no doubt.

Hurricane

Originated in New Orleans, where they know a thing or two about ’em. And yes, it really will need a hurricane glass. Here’s what wiki say:

served	“On the rocks”; poured over ice
Standard drinkware	hurricane lamp–shaped glass
Commonly used ingredients	One part dark rumOne part white rumHalf part over proofed rumPassion fruit syrupLemon juice
Preparation	Shake ingredients with ice, then pour into the glass and serve over ice.

When we think of New Orleans, we often think of President George W Bush and Hurricane Katrina. Some say that his decision to invade Iraq in 2003 was the start of the decline and fall of the American Empire. Well, it’s a talking point for you as you sip your delicious cocktail.

Damn the Weather

This is what Wiki states:

like many prohibition-era cocktails, the Damn the Weather was conceived as a way to hide the scent and flavor of poor quality homemade spirits, in this case bathtub gin

and here’s their recipe

served	Straight up; without ice
Standard garnish	Slice of orange
Standard drinkware	Cocktail glass
Commonly used ingredients	1 measure gin1/2 measure sweet vermouth1/2 measure orange juice1/4 measure orange curacao or triple sec
Preparation	Shake with ice and strain into a chilled large cocktail glass

The whole point of this one, it does what it says on the tin.

Clear Skies Ahead

Well, it has to blow over some time! We chose this because the umbrella is compulsory. Put 4-5 ice cubes in your shaker. Add 0.5 teaspoon sugar syrup, juice of half a lemon. 0.5 teaspoon grenadine. 1 egg white, two measures of whisky- a nice standard like Famous Grouse or Johnny Walker will do.

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