Gary Regan’s fortnightly column “The Cocktailian” is particularly apt in this edition, as the Professor mixes us a cocktail based on Irish whiskey and named after one of Ireland’s greatest writers. Wes and I have been enjoying this one for a while now, having gotten the recipe from an account of one of Gary’s Cocktails in the Country seminars. Gary calls for Black Bush, and I’m fond of Jameson 12 or John Power’s.

I’ll have this one on Thursday to toast my forthcoming trip to Ireland (and to help drown out the little voices that’ll be saying, “So, how the hell do ya t’ink you’re going to pay for this, ya mad feckin’ eejit?”)

The James Joyce Cocktail
1-1/2 ounces Irish whiskey.
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth.
3/4 ounce Cointreau.
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice.

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
We like a stemless cherry garnish as well.

Apparently this drink was created by mistake, when making an Oriental someone reached for Irish whiskey instead of rye. “Mistakes are the portals of discovery,” wrote James Joyce. Little did he know how well this can apply to cocktails, as the most popular drink at the wonderful little tiki bar in Silver Lake is called Tiki Ti is called “Ray’s Mistake”…