Time for a Drink: Presbyterian
Let's start the weekend right—with a cocktail recipe from Paul Clarke (The Cocktail Chronicles). Need more than one? That kinda week, eh? Here you go. Cheers!
Why a Presbyterian? I can’t say for sure. Perhaps it’s a reference to the nationality of the base spirit, and a nod to the Church of Scotland. Then again, the wholesome appearance of this drink makes it suitable for covert imbibing at church picnics; for all anybody knows, you’re relaxing in the shade with a tall glass of iced tea.
Whatever the provenance of its name, the Presbyterian is pretty much made to be enjoyed outdoors, preferably with a picnic blanket in sight and with a few blue puffs of smoke blowing off the barbecue. Incredibly easy to prepare, the Presbyterian also lends itself to the pitcher treatment: simply do a little math before the guests arrive, and pour everything together as everyone’s starting to mill around the backyard (or deck, or fire escape, as the case may be). Then settle back with a plate of potato salad and whatever’s smoky and sizzling, and watch the sun go down on a long holiday weekend. Just remember to plan more days like this in the summer to come.
Presbyterian
Ingredients
2 ounces blended scotch whisky
Chilled ginger ale
Chilled club soda*
Procedure
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add scotch, and fill with equal parts ginger ale and club soda.
* What if the club soda runs out? The Presbyterian is forgiving—it’s okay to just use ginger ale. And if the ginger ale runs out first? Just switch things around; by that point, the Presbyterian wants its name back and you're drinking a scotch and soda, but I won't tell if you won't.
About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.
View other entries from Cocktail Concoctions.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
6 Comments:
I guess a drink like this was predestined to come along.
onespicymama at 6:08PM on 05/23/08
I've been drinking scotch (or bourbon) with ginger ale approximately forever, but I never knew it was so charmingly named.
butterface at 9:20PM on 05/23/08
@onespicymama: are you attempting humor? :-)
susanova at 3:48PM on 05/27/08
i had a couple of these at coco500 (aka jen from top chef 4's restaurant) the other week. they go down nice and easy.
youthlarge at 5:48PM on 05/27/08
Made these last weekend - delicious!
ppohio at 2:33PM on 05/29/08
A bartender's secret to these is to add a dash or two of Angostura Bitters ... the bitters rounds out the drink a bit and unifies the base ingredients.
MNSnowman at 3:03PM on 06/13/09