Wes’ sisters came over on Saturday to see the new house, and since it was such a beautiful day cocktails on the veranda were de rigueur. I made a few from Dale DeGroff’s excellent book The Craft of the Cocktail, including Dale’s own creation The Milennium Cocktail, plus this excellent drink I tried more or less at random. It’s a creation of the legendary Colin Field, master bartender at the Hemingway Bar, in the Ritz Hotel in Paris. It’s most excellent.

The Paris Cocktail

1 ounce gin (French, of course; we used Citadelle)
1 ounce dry vermouth (French, bien sur; Noilly Prat Original)
1 ounce crème de cassis
Lemon peel

Combine the liquors in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice.
Shake and strain into a cocktail glass; flame the lemon peel
over the drink and garnish.