Green Room

This cocktail refers back to the theater term for the room backstage where lesser actors mingle. The stars I assume have their private rooms. The Green Room isn't a green cocktail, just like the green room wasn't painted green. The drink, however, isn't extremely potent--which might be handy if you are about to go on stage with any hope of remembering your lines. It is in fact one of the drier vermouth cocktails that gets a little boost from brandy.

Here again is the early 80s vintage Christian Brothers brandy I found, lending oak notes and grape scent to an already orange-laden cocktail. Triple sec and the orange twist keep the orange notes light and sweet, as orange bitters don't. This is a classy old-school drink all around and I've heard that it is making a comeback.

• 2 oz, dry vermouth (a French vermouth like Noilly Prat or Dolin is recommended)
• 1 oz. brandy (vintage Christian Brothers used but cognac is acceptable)
• several dashes triple sec
• orange twist

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the orange twist. 

Waterbury Cocktail

I found this bottle of Christian Brothers Brandy that dates back to the early eighties at the latest. My mother-in-law says it is from a trip her parents took to California, so it could be even earlier. Anyway, this bottle is from an older time where even inexpensive products from distilleries were quite good when compared to today's standards.

This is because tastes were different back then. The flagship brandy of Christian Brothers was oakier and closer to whiskey, which I'm sure was its main competitor. Now the Christian Brothers VSOP is so much closer to cognac.

Now for the cocktail. Waterbury is grand, elegant egg foam cocktail that hits all the right notes. There's lime juice, but it's not overly sour. In addition to the oakiness of the vintage brandy, I also used a nice grenadine that's made with real pomegranate juice and cane sugar. It didn't change the color of the drink to an obnoxious pink like Rose's does, but the beige of this Waterbury Cocktail is classic like the Brandy.

• 2 oz. brandy (vintage Christian Brothers used)
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. grenadine
• 1 tsp sugar syrup
• 1 egg white

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill, then strain out ice and re-shake to add foam. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass (wine glass pictured).