Poire Man's Cobbler (Death & Co. Recipe)

This little bon mot of a drink is a Pear Cobbler (a type of sweetened brandy cocktail on crushed ice). The joke comes from Poire (French for pear), which is used in the garnish and muddled into the spirits. It is one of the better Cobblers out there (keeping in mind that there are some sub-par Port and Sherry Cobblers fit only for consumption on winter holidays and even then in the privacy of your own home.

Peychaud's and Benedictine take this drink in a fun, spicy direction. But apple brandy is the main ingredient that thrusts the pear juice into relief. I don't have Calvados, but Laird's Applejack 86 is more than up to the task.

• 2 oz. Busnel VSOP Calvados (Laird's Applejack 86 used)
• 1/4 ripe Bartlett pear, cubed
• 1/4 oz. Benedictine, 
• 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
• 1 pear slice

Muddle the cubed pear in the shaker, then add the remining liquid ingredients and ice and shake. Strain over crushed ice in an Old Fashioned glass and garnish with the pear slice. 

 

Tintoretto

I was very pleased with this simple drink made with some hard-to-find ingredients. Jacopo Tintoretto was an Italian painter known for a depiction of "The Last Supper." He may have been called Ill Furioso, but this drink is tame.

It is made with Poire Williams (a French pear cognac) and blended Anjou pear. Sparkling wine tops it off and makes it extra boozy.

• 2 oz. Poire Williams
• 1/4 cup Anjou pear pealed and diced
• sparkling wine

Blend pear in a food processor and pour it into a chilled wine glass. Add Poire Williams and sparkling wine and stir.