Bi, lesbian, femme, butch, Cancer, Libra. What do these labels really tell you about a person? And is your chosen label invalidated when you deviate from its traditional meaning at […]
Cocktail Hour
CINCO DE MAYO
Antojitos and Mojitos
Make mine a tuna and avocado tostada with a side of mezcal
Mexicans have their botanas con bebidas down to an art. Their street-food-inspired snacks and sips range from the elegantly spare slice of jicama tossed with lime juice and sprinkled with […]
COCKTAIL HOUR
Sparks and Smoke in a Glass
A pair of cocktails and a playlist that suit a fireside mood
I know I am not alone in being mesmerized by staring into a fire. A proper fireside sit fills me with contentment. Yet it also creates a kind of yearning. […]
BAR CART
A Margarita for the Month of Moderation
Going sober with an ‘off the charts’ song in your heart
When I was planning my first visit to the Cape, friends gushed about the abundance of theater productions in town. When I asked for clarification on what kind of shows […]
BAR CART
The Woman I’ve Become Loves Her Vermouth on the Rocks
A summer drink that makes the strangest things seem routine
If living in Louisiana has taught me one thing, it’s that when drinking during a global heat wave, it’s best to fill your glass with something low-proof. I found that […]
BAR CART
A Tipple Before Tea Dance
A Southern girl makes up for what’s missing at the Provincetown party
One of the pleasures of my semi-annual trek to Cape Cod is catching up with friends who convene here every year. Some, like me, come from New Orleans; others I’ve […]
BAR CART
Watermelon, Rum, Lime, and Salt Make a Day at the Beach
A cocktail that evokes that first bracing, salty taste of summer
The first time I visited Provincetown, I flew up from my hometown of New Orleans to stay with my good friend Monique. She had extolled the pleasures of Cape Cod […]
COCKTAIL HOUR
The Corpse Reviver: What Better for Easter Brunch?
A citrusy gin cocktail is a post-vigil restorative
In a previous life I went to divinity school. Suffice it to say, at the time it seemed like a good idea. Perhaps because the school I landed at was […]
SALUD
Coquito, Puerto Rico’s ‘Just Don’t Call It Eggnog’
For Navidades, rum, spices, and a little coconut suffonsify
Somewhere along the road, eggnog fell into a ditch. Exalted until the late ’70s, it got tossed out with all those avocado-green appliances. It’s all but disappeared now, save for […]
PROST
A Drink for Getting Cozy, Abroad or at Home
Red wine, spices, and a little more honey than you might think
Europe in summertime is out of reach for most Cape Codders — it’s our busy time, and there’s too much work here to leave the Cape in June. I’ve learned […]
COCKTAIL HOUR
In Defense of a Drink That’s Pretty, Tart, and Juicy
A Cosmo is for when you need to find the ingenue in you
I’ve been shamed by more bartenders than I can count for ordering a Cosmopolitan. Most of the time, it’s been done with a quick but telling glance, though at my […]
COCKTAIL HOUR
A Mouthful of Flowers
The drink for when spring inspiration eludes the cook
I’ve had my nose in the books. I spent this winter dragging the first draft of a food memoir out of the dish pits of my mind. As a counterpoint […]
FROM THE LARDER
Arnaud’s French 75 for 2021’s Twilight
Creating a new ritual with a classic cocktail
I’m partial to rituals to mark the parameters of life, to give contour to my days and punctuate some moments as special, worthy of celebration. They remind me to pause […]
FROM THE LARDER
After Five Years, a Locally Blended Rye Is Ready
Toasty, caramel notes make a cocktail that’s perfect for a stormy night
The rain is coming down hard from a low, leaden sky, and the wind is whistling down Paradise Hollow so fiercely that we fear for the roof. On such a […]
COCKTAIL HOUR
A Margarita That Stirs Memories
Tequila, orange liqueur, and Mexican limes in the Southwest’s perfect proportions
I’ve been thinking lately about the influence of the Southwest of the U.S. on my life. Having grown up in South Texas and spent tons of time in Southern Arizona, […]
