Last week, we started and ended the week with a night of cocktails and dinner with friends. Monday night we had dinner with our next door neighbors; we’ve been in our house for 5 years and this was the first time we had them over! We’ve chatted over the fence or in the yard for years but never sat down for dinner. It was a lovely way to spend a Monday evening and to start the week. Friday, we had our standard cocktails and pizza; this time it included our dear friend, Noelle. The evening had a little complication–Skip had a swollen elbow that made shaping the dough a challenge. That meant that I learned how to shape the dough and make the pizzas this time, minus tossing the dough in the air like he usually does. Skip was a very good teacher and was super helpful with the tricky parts of getting the pizza in and out the crazy hot oven, though I did manage to burn a finger on the 550 degree pizza stone. I don’t recommend touching a pizza stone that’s been in a 550 degree oven for an hour…it hurts and your skin doesn’t stick around. But, all in all the evening was a success; the pizza was delicious, the cocktails were tasty, and the company was delightful! Friday nights are really the best.

I also played the bartender that night and decided to make an oldie–and I mean 1916-kind of old–but a goodie: The Last Word. This cocktail comes from the Detroit Athletic Club in the early 1900s. The cocktail disappeared from cocktail menus in the mid-1900s and was reintroduced to the cocktail scene by a Seattle bartender, Murray Stenson, at the Zig Zag Cafe. It comprises equal parts gin, maraschino, green chartreuse, and lime juice. The Last Word is a balanced mix of sweet, tart, and savory–easy to make and easy to drink.

For my cocktail, I used Scratch gin and garnished with some home-brandied Bing cherries. It was a tasty start to the weekend.

The Last Word
Tools & Extras: Boston shaker, cocktail strainer, coupe glass

3/4 oz. Gin
3/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
3/4 oz. Green chartreuse
3/4 oz. Fresh-squeezed lime juice
Lime twist and/or maraschino cherry for garnish

Details:

• Combine the gin, maraschino, green chartreuse, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker; fill with ice and shake vigorously for 10-20 seconds.
• Strain cocktail into a chilled coupe glass, add the garnish.