cheekydrinks: the ninth day of christmas cocktails

our ninth cocktail comes from bitters: a spirited history of a classic cure-all by brad thomas parsons. my best friend gave me this incredibly cool book for my birthday and i've been pouring over the intriguing recipes for weeks now.

the long hello

• 1 1/2 oz clear creek apple brandy
• 1 1/2 oz st. germain
• 2 dashes of fee brothers whiskey barrel-aged bitters or old fashioned aromatic bitters
• chilled champagne or sparkling wine
• freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

combine the apple brandy, elderflower liqueur, and bitters into a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until chilled. strain into chilled coupe glasses or champagne flutes and top off with champagne or sparkling wine. garnish with with grated nutmeg.

cheekydrinks: grapefruit gin & tonic

i love a classic gin & tonic but tonight i added a new twist to an old favorite: grapefruit

grapefruit gin & tonic

• 2 oz of gin (chez cheeky we drink hendrick's)
• tonic water (from a fresh bottle)
• 1-2 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
• grapefruit bitters 
• plenty of cold ice cubes
• highball or old fashioned glass

chill the glass (you may want to fill it with ice, then empty it and refill, as some bartenders do with a martini glass)

fill the glass with whole ice cubes. if you wish, take a wedge of grapefruit and moisten the rim the glass with it

pour the gin over the ice, which should be cold enough that it crackles when the liquor hits it.
add the grapefruit juice and a few dashes of the grapefruit bitters

fill glass almost to the top with tonic

garnish with a small grapefruit wedge if you wish and drink up!