The Journalist

"I didn't have a lot to say about this one because it was actually good."

- Rachel, contrasting this week's cocktail with last week's one.

After last week’s foray into fruity and fizzy territory with the Luscious Lois Lane, I was looking for something more complex and sophisticated this week so that I could give Lois the cocktail I thought she actually deserved. I returned to The New York Bartender’s Guide, this time armed with a real cocktail shaker and some rudimentary knowledge of how to use it, and chose to make the Journalist.

This week’s cocktail features 4 parts gin, a teaspoon each of dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, triple sec, and fresh lime juice, and a dash of Angostura bitters. Shake with crushed ice (remembering to hold the lid firmly on the shaker so you don’t give yourself an unintentional boozy shower), and pour into chilled cocktail glasses. This really is like a souped-up Martini, so break out the appropriate glassware if you have it! An ideal garnish would be a twist of lime peel.

My verdict: Superman may not drink and fly, but there’s no reason Lois can’t have one of these! It’s nice and dry, like her wit, and the other ingredients take the bite out of the gin while still highlighting it as the feature story. It’s worth getting a decent gin since, unlike in some cocktails, you will be tasting it. I chose one from a Colorado distillery and was happy with my selection.