There’s nothing like a sour in the summer. That one-two-three combo of spirit, citrus and sweet is a classic for two reasons: 1.) You simply can’t go wrong with a three-ingredient cocktail and 2.) it has innumerable permutations. You could make a sour every day for an entire year and not have the same drink twice.
And as Green Room bartender Deborah Lee knows, it’s also a great base for introducing whimsical flavors skewed to your mood.
Deborah Lee lets film inspire her cocktail creations at the Green Room, like this, the Orient Express. (Photo credit: Madison Fender)
“I wanted a fresh summer drink with some Eastern flavors,” says Lee of the Orient Express, a drink she tinkered with, keeping the season in mind. While all her drinks tend to be named for the Sag Harbor Cinema’s theatrical showings, and their titles the impetus for myriad drink names, this time the cocktail was the muse for its moniker.
“It fit the mood of the cocktail,” says Lee. “I try and tie in the ingredients to the name as much as possible.”
Orient Express
Ingredients
- 2 dashes cardamom bitters
- 2 oz Ketel One vodka
- 1/2 oz Canton Ginger liqueur
- 1/2 oz Fruitful Lychee
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Strain into a coupe or cocktail glass. Cheers!
