Hugo Rickey

The Rickey is a classic D.C. cocktail. It's made with gin or whiskey, lime juice, and soda. Hugo is also my cat's name, which is why he is present in the Hugo series of drinks. This Rickey has the characteristic red color of grenadine that functions also as a sweetener.

• 1 1/2 oz. gin
• 3/4 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. grenadine
• 1/2 lime shell left over from juicing

Build the drink in a stirring glass full of ice. Stir all ingredients except lime shell. Place lime shell in a chilled highball glass and pour contents of stirring glass into the highball glass.

Tuxedo

• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• 1 oz. gin (Old Tom)
• 1/2 tsp maraschino liqueur
• dash of absinthe
• 3 dashes orange bitters.

Stir all ingredients except absinthe and bitters in a shaker. Strain into a cocktail glass and add dashes of bitter and absinthe. Garnish with a lemon twist and cherry.

This is surprisingly interesting and refreshing. I like how it tastes like a mash up of my favorite skittles flavors and makes your cheeks pucker. Because of the name I photographed it with Hugo, my tux cat.