0:00
Hey, I'm Jocelyn and this is Sandra and this is Friday Cocktails and today we're making one of my
0:07
absolute favorites. We're making a Manhattan and I just want to talk before we get started
0:13
What is important in a Manhattan, in my opinion, is the cherry. Like that's just what kind of
0:19
finishes the whole thing off and you can buy any kind of maraschino cherries, anything like that
0:25
But my favorite are Amarena. These are Italian. They're a little bit pricey
0:31
You can get them on Amazon. They're not, they're just, the flavor in these is like 10 times what you get in like a regular jar of maraschino cherries
0:42
So I want to talk about that. And I'm going to, you can go ahead and make like a typical one
0:46
And then I'll talk about how I change my Manhattan up. Okay, sounds great. Okay
0:50
Well, I'm here to start by filling my shaker up with ice
0:56
And just on the subject of shakers, I'm actually not going to shake this drink
1:01
I have a really great shaker. I've owned this for 20 years. I've made thousands of cocktails in it
1:07
And I use it for a stirring glass. I use it for a shaker
1:11
It comes with a straining top. So it really is a great all-around tool
1:16
If you are really getting started, look for a good shaker that doesn't leak
1:20
This one's fantastic that way and get a good one, invest in it
1:25
They are not that expensive, but it will last you a lifetime. It's really worth doing your research on that
1:30
And I really I have to point out I really like the ones where the strainer is built into the top instead of having that extra piece that you hold on to and kind of pour over the top This is actually a lot easier
1:42
It's a lot less stuff to keep in your bar cabinet, too
1:46
Right, and there are the spring style ones that Doss Lovers refer to
1:52
They have a purpose, but the reality is you can get started with this
1:56
if you get really sophisticated with your cocktail making in the future, then by all means
2:01
keep investing in your tools. But for now, I think we're good. So we're just going to start with
2:06
the foundation of Manhattan is bourbon. Some people use rye. We don't. That's always a thing
2:14
with these bourbon slash whiskey drinks is that you can kind of go either way. It's all about
2:19
your own personal preference and ours happens to always be bourbon. But if you're a rye person
2:25
go do it. Absolutely. So we're doing two ounces, yeah? Two ounces of bourbon, one ounce of sweet
2:34
vermouth. You cannot substitute dry vermouth here. They're completely different. We have talked about
2:40
that. They're very different. The flavor is not equivocal, so definitely get yourself some sweet
2:48
germude. Now I'm just going to put one ounce. So tasty. I kind of can't wait to taste it
2:56
I think you're going to like it. I know it's, this is truly one of the drinks I love most. Um
3:01
actually I have a family friend. He's like my adopted father-in-law, I guess. I don't know
3:07
how to describe him but and he is 95 years old and he drinks a Manhattan every day So I pretty sure that this is like what keeps him going He had medicinal benefits Yes absolutely medicinal
3:18
But before using, talk with your doctor. Two dashes, I use zero bitters, which once again, don't, don't really need to overdo
3:29
Yeah, don't use, use these, not the shows, not the others for this particular drink
3:34
And two little drops will do. You don't need to feel like it's too light because they go a lot wide
3:41
They do. And I'm just going to stir this up with my ice
3:47
Another thing you should know, some people drink Manhattan straight up with no ice
3:52
Other people drink them over ice. And I know people who do it
3:59
And so no judgment whether you do the ice or not, but generally speaking, a Manhattan traditionally is straight up
4:08
Right. And so we start because it's going to obviously mix the ingredients and it cools the ingredients
4:14
It doesn't give you the same deep chilling and the shaking gives you a lot of extra mixing
4:21
Sometimes you really, really want it. It also gives you more ice. So like, you know, those little bits kind of break off and it kind of waters down the drink
4:29
So that's personally why I'm a stir and strain kind of girl, but if it's too strong for you
4:37
go ahead and put it over ice or you know, however you need to do it
4:41
I'm just going to drop this cherry. Some people like to put it over the top or put it on a pick which you can do The cherry will give it flavor It going to blend some flavor
4:54
into the string as you proceed with it. I think it just looks
4:58
pretty sitting at the bottom. I put it in a coupe. You can put it in
5:02
a traditional cocktail glass. Or a highball glass. You can put it in a highball
5:08
I like it in a coupe, but hey. I'm not going to come to your house and judge you
5:12
if you choose to do something different. I love this. The other thing I love about the cherry is at the end, the cherry, not only is it infusing the drink, but the alcohol is infusing the cherry
5:24
So when you have that at the end, it's just like this great dessert. Yeah, it is
5:29
It's the dessert. I've said that before. I think that the cherry at the end is my dessert
5:33
So we'll see how you did. That's good. Apparently, even the gods are saying
5:44
Um, yeah, it's thunderously good. Um, this is really great. So my difference, um, is that when I put the cherry in, I scoop it out of this jar and
5:57
I get part of a teaspoon, we'll say, of the cherry juice that's in here
6:03
So it just gives it a little more sweetness, which you don't really need the sugary bit
6:09
but I kind of like it. And I'm not a big sugar person. So that's my only difference for the Manhattan is that I just get a little bit of the cherry juice too
6:17
So cheers to another great Friday cocktail. All right. Yeah. We'll see you next week
