Despite the two week interval I'm afraid I'm still stuck on a hard liquor theme.  So this week, a delicious bourbon whiskey infusion, plus a cocktail to use it in.  (Actually, the 1794 is usually made with rye whiskey, but not in this household as we don't have any.)

This ‘recipe’ comes from Scott Beattie, the talented barman at the Cyrus restaurant bar in Healdsburg, California, who is reputed to be the best ‘mixologist’ in America.  After we’d worked our way through most of his cocktail menu, he happily divulged his bourbon-infusing secrets…

This cocktail is in the Manhattan family, but much more elusive.  It seems there are only two places sophisticated enough to serve it in San Francisco, not counting our kitchen - the top notch restaurant Range and the über-cool speakeasy style bar Bourbon & Branch.  For a truly amazing cocktail experience, try it with vanilla and citrus infused bourbon instead of rye.

This recipe is for Tracy and David, who helped us enjoy a few last weekend at Tim's 21st(ish) birthday party in their super-stylish Eichler house in Orange County.  It is the result of many a long night of intensive research conducted at some of California's most sophisticated bars, just for you.