Post-breakup cocktail party ideas
April 10, 2021 9:59 PM Subscribe
(CW: uses of humour and alcohol as part of healing from abuse and trauma.)
A dear friend has recently come through a traumatic breakup, wherein her surprise-covert-narcissist partner refused to leave her apartment for a couple of weeks and became suddenly horrific in words and actions (she had the resources to take herself elsewhere and see his behaviour for what it was, thankfully). He's out of the picture now, and as part of healing she's throwing a house party. What is a good thematic cocktail we can make for the occasion?
Starting points:
- Bitter experiences, sour tastes, ice-cold servings, shaken-but-not-deterred etc.
- He is a violinist and busker, and a fair bit younger than she. Textbook narcissistic personality disorder traits and behaviours apply.
- She's a sex psychologist who has seen it all and loves a good close-to-the-bone pun, so for her in this specific context there are no holds barred on poking fun at the trauma/abuse, toxic masculinity, age gaps, awareness/regret, revenge fantasies, projection, gaslighting, bad sex, inappropriate thoughts, etc.
- She likes gin, whisky/bourbon, Campari, bitters, chilli, olives, gherkins, chocolate, berries, mandarins, coffee, bacon . . .
- I was pondering making a matched pair of cocktails, one to farewell the dark past, and one to welcome the dawn of a bright future.
Thanks for your ideas - I will share the recipe for whatever we create!
(We're in a part of Australia where there is good access to a variety of cocktail ingredients and it isn't a public health risk to have a party at the moment)
Starting points:
- Bitter experiences, sour tastes, ice-cold servings, shaken-but-not-deterred etc.
- He is a violinist and busker, and a fair bit younger than she. Textbook narcissistic personality disorder traits and behaviours apply.
- She's a sex psychologist who has seen it all and loves a good close-to-the-bone pun, so for her in this specific context there are no holds barred on poking fun at the trauma/abuse, toxic masculinity, age gaps, awareness/regret, revenge fantasies, projection, gaslighting, bad sex, inappropriate thoughts, etc.
- She likes gin, whisky/bourbon, Campari, bitters, chilli, olives, gherkins, chocolate, berries, mandarins, coffee, bacon . . .
- I was pondering making a matched pair of cocktails, one to farewell the dark past, and one to welcome the dawn of a bright future.
Thanks for your ideas - I will share the recipe for whatever we create!
(We're in a part of Australia where there is good access to a variety of cocktail ingredients and it isn't a public health risk to have a party at the moment)
Bitter and sour makes me think Negroni...a Googling gave me this recipe for the "Broken Negroni", as in "we are broken up and now I'm putting happy bubbles in with my bitterness".
https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/negroni-sbagliato-broken-negroni/
posted by LadyOscar at 10:11 PM on April 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
https://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/negroni-sbagliato-broken-negroni/
posted by LadyOscar at 10:11 PM on April 10, 2021 [3 favorites]
nothing says goodbye like fire! a quick google bright me to the flaming asswipe which sounds hilarious ... and delicious (herbally bitter! i’ll have to try this one.)
posted by tamarack at 10:15 PM on April 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by tamarack at 10:15 PM on April 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Fun!
If you're going for taste, malört or other wormwood followed by chartreuse or lillet? (Good idea, rrrrrrrrrt) I'm skeptical any can be made into cocktails that aren't much less tasty than the stuff itself. Perhaps you could decorate the presentation? Shot-sized paper loving cups and hollowed-out fruits with umbrellas?
If you're going for names, Dark and Stormy or Death in the Afternoon followed by Sex on the Beach or Paradise? There are lots of poorly-named war-themed English language cocktails too for the first part. . .
If you're going for ingredients with old European symbolism, something with rosemary or parsley followed by something with sage or pomegranate? (I'd vote for vodka and soda or gin and soda. . . but, my cocktail tastes are pretty dull.)
posted by eotvos at 11:20 PM on April 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you're going for taste, malört or other wormwood followed by chartreuse or lillet? (Good idea, rrrrrrrrrt) I'm skeptical any can be made into cocktails that aren't much less tasty than the stuff itself. Perhaps you could decorate the presentation? Shot-sized paper loving cups and hollowed-out fruits with umbrellas?
If you're going for names, Dark and Stormy or Death in the Afternoon followed by Sex on the Beach or Paradise? There are lots of poorly-named war-themed English language cocktails too for the first part. . .
If you're going for ingredients with old European symbolism, something with rosemary or parsley followed by something with sage or pomegranate? (I'd vote for vodka and soda or gin and soda. . . but, my cocktail tastes are pretty dull.)
posted by eotvos at 11:20 PM on April 10, 2021 [2 favorites]
Frozen Painkiller sounds fun (also featured appearance from The Last Word)
posted by kschang at 4:32 AM on April 11, 2021
posted by kschang at 4:32 AM on April 11, 2021
I've never made this but it sounds nice, there's nothing obviously wrong with the recipe (proportions are in line with other similar cocktails that I enjoy), and it has smoked sage in it - it's a purifying smudge AND a cocktail!
Smoked Sage Cocktail (bourbon, lemon, ginger-sage syrup, egg white, bitters).
And seconding The Last Word, which is a delicious and classic cocktail with a good symbolic name.
posted by mskyle at 4:54 AM on April 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
Smoked Sage Cocktail (bourbon, lemon, ginger-sage syrup, egg white, bitters).
And seconding The Last Word, which is a delicious and classic cocktail with a good symbolic name.
posted by mskyle at 4:54 AM on April 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
Perhaps a dramatic reading of NEGRONI SEASON, one of my all time favorite tales, with Negroni accompaniment.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 6:56 AM on April 11, 2021 [8 favorites]
posted by Lawn Beaver at 6:56 AM on April 11, 2021 [8 favorites]
In re The Last Word, you can also swap the gin for whiskey and make The Final Say!
posted by sevensnowflakes at 7:55 AM on April 11, 2021
posted by sevensnowflakes at 7:55 AM on April 11, 2021
Lawn Beaver, few Negronis I've drank had the 'disgusting' part -- is that essential for seasonal Negroni? I keep going back to them, so I guess mine have been perennials. The sweetness of Prosecco can balance the tart and alcoholic flavours, but a Sbogliato is extra danger.
The sex-and-death of Bond set right (there's a trail of destruction behind 007 set right by other people and he's so very much not the talent he thinks he is) with classic gin martini?
Gin, simple sugar syrup, lemon juice, lemon peel and sparkling wine make for a tart French 75.
posted by k3ninho at 9:48 AM on April 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
The sex-and-death of Bond set right (there's a trail of destruction behind 007 set right by other people and he's so very much not the talent he thinks he is) with classic gin martini?
Gin, simple sugar syrup, lemon juice, lemon peel and sparkling wine make for a tart French 75.
posted by k3ninho at 9:48 AM on April 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
No, I love a Negroni, I just think that story is hilarious. It’s true that the first time I drank Campari I thought it was a cruel joke involving cough syrup, but I’ve come around to it.
(It’s not the alcoholic in that story I find funny, but god do I empathize with anyone who stayed in a relationship that was comically terrible. We laugh because it’s true! We laugh in order to save ourselves.)
posted by Lawn Beaver at 1:03 PM on April 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
(It’s not the alcoholic in that story I find funny, but god do I empathize with anyone who stayed in a relationship that was comically terrible. We laugh because it’s true! We laugh in order to save ourselves.)
posted by Lawn Beaver at 1:03 PM on April 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
To represent the past, how about a Rusty Anchor? (Link goes to the How to Drink channel on YouTube, which might be a fine inspirational rabbit hole.) The Golden Girls would surely approve.
Failing that, a Suffering Bastard comes in many variations, but this one sounds like it might suit her palate.
For toasting brighter days ahead, I really think nice Champagne or a champagne cocktail is in order. Maybe a French 75? No pun subtext, just a nice bubbly celebratory tipple.
posted by armeowda at 3:41 PM on April 11, 2021
Failing that, a Suffering Bastard comes in many variations, but this one sounds like it might suit her palate.
For toasting brighter days ahead, I really think nice Champagne or a champagne cocktail is in order. Maybe a French 75? No pun subtext, just a nice bubbly celebratory tipple.
posted by armeowda at 3:41 PM on April 11, 2021
For the bright future, how about an Aviation cocktail to represent blue skies ahead? Make sure to use a recipe that includes Crème de Violette for that beautiful color!
posted by peacheater at 4:46 AM on April 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by peacheater at 4:46 AM on April 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
Dude sounds kinda germy, personality-wise, so what about a Penicillin? They're delicious, kind of like an extra-fancy whiskey sour, and you can make them in a batch and just add the Scotch float on top of the individual glasses. They match well with smoky/salty flavors like bacon and olives, too.
posted by Nibbly Fang at 4:19 PM on April 13, 2021
posted by Nibbly Fang at 4:19 PM on April 13, 2021
Response by poster: Here are the recipes! Thanks for the inspiration everyone, but particularly mskyle and peacheater:
SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW (inspired by the smoked sage whisky sour)
a rye memory (2 oz rye)
a sour taste (1/2 oz lemon)
organically discovered flavour (1/2 oz sage+ginger syrup)
a drop of bitterness (almond bitters)
shaken, but not deterred
scoop of man-go sore-boy (floated on top)
with a deep breath of sage enlightenment (charred sage)
and a big fat raspberry
and
A CLASSIC AVIATION
a sky-blue toast to a bouncy landing, followed by an amazing onwards journey
posted by cogat at 2:21 AM on April 16, 2021 [4 favorites]
SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW (inspired by the smoked sage whisky sour)
a rye memory (2 oz rye)
a sour taste (1/2 oz lemon)
organically discovered flavour (1/2 oz sage+ginger syrup)
a drop of bitterness (almond bitters)
shaken, but not deterred
scoop of man-go sore-boy (floated on top)
with a deep breath of sage enlightenment (charred sage)
and a big fat raspberry
and
A CLASSIC AVIATION
a sky-blue toast to a bouncy landing, followed by an amazing onwards journey
posted by cogat at 2:21 AM on April 16, 2021 [4 favorites]
« Older Googling "cult movies" does not help | Are these interactions between our cats something... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 10:10 PM on April 10, 2021 [3 favorites]