Q & A: The Brandy Alexander
[Monday night, 6/19.—ed.]
Q: What is a Brandy Alexander?
A: A Brandy Alexander is a mixed drink that, a few years ago at a bar, was suggested to you as an interesting selection by a college friend who had just completed a bartending course. Since you did not actually order a Brandy Alexander at the time, it remains an unknown drink that sounds unusual and sophisticated.
Q: Where can you obtain a Brandy Alexander?
A: Any friend’s wedding that features an open bar can supply one.
Q: How is a Brandy Alexander made?
A: First, the bartender will laugh at you a bit and ask “Really?” When you confirm your request, he will shake his head and concoct something that appears to be largely made out of cream, then slide it over to you saying “One milkshake” in a kind of bemused and disparaging tone of voice.
Q: How does one best enjoy a Brandy Alexander?
A: Traditionally it is consumed within about forty seconds and without making eye contact with anybody nearby. You may spend this time pretending to study pictures of the bride’s family. The empty glass, laced with a frothy remainder which does in fact look rather milkshake-like, may be discreetly deposited on an out-of-the-way table surface. You are then free to rejoin your dinner companions, noting that you did not in fact feel like ordering anything at the bar after all.
Q: If drinking a Brandy Alexander leaves your curiosity satisfied, are there any other drinks you should consider trying next time?
A: I would recommend sticking with gin and tonic, or possibly vodka and cranberry juice. You pretty much know what you’re getting that way.
Q: What is a Brandy Alexander?
A: A Brandy Alexander is a mixed drink that, a few years ago at a bar, was suggested to you as an interesting selection by a college friend who had just completed a bartending course. Since you did not actually order a Brandy Alexander at the time, it remains an unknown drink that sounds unusual and sophisticated.
Q: Where can you obtain a Brandy Alexander?
A: Any friend’s wedding that features an open bar can supply one.
Q: How is a Brandy Alexander made?
A: First, the bartender will laugh at you a bit and ask “Really?” When you confirm your request, he will shake his head and concoct something that appears to be largely made out of cream, then slide it over to you saying “One milkshake” in a kind of bemused and disparaging tone of voice.
Q: How does one best enjoy a Brandy Alexander?
A: Traditionally it is consumed within about forty seconds and without making eye contact with anybody nearby. You may spend this time pretending to study pictures of the bride’s family. The empty glass, laced with a frothy remainder which does in fact look rather milkshake-like, may be discreetly deposited on an out-of-the-way table surface. You are then free to rejoin your dinner companions, noting that you did not in fact feel like ordering anything at the bar after all.
Q: If drinking a Brandy Alexander leaves your curiosity satisfied, are there any other drinks you should consider trying next time?
A: I would recommend sticking with gin and tonic, or possibly vodka and cranberry juice. You pretty much know what you’re getting that way.
5 Comments:
Jack, If you want to order a brandy drink without looking like a fool, go for a sidecar. It's brandy and Cointreau (and something else, I think).
For me though, its Hendrick's on the rocks!
I wouldn't actually expect a whole lot of wedding-equipped bars to have Hendrick's gin though. (Maybe Plymouth? (Probably just Bombay...)
Seriously... all tonic in this country is made with high fructose corn syrup, so get a better quality gin and forgo the tonic water, unless you can find a tonic water made with sugar, not corn syrup.
Sidecar . . . okay.
I'm also surprised to learn about corn syrup in tonic water. There can't be very much, can there?
Gin on the rocks, regardless of the brand, sounds a bit severe to me.
for example...
http://www.polarbev.com/products_mixers_tonic.html
there are some specialty tonic waters out there that don't have corn syrup...
http://www.stirrings.com/sodastonic.php
Oh, and also, Hendrick's is the only gin that I drink just on rocks, otherwise a martini is a better choice (Plymouth makes for an excellent martini).
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