Beth Skogen
Werewolves of Pinckney, aaoooooo!
Like it or not, it’s fall. And when Merchant, 121 S. Pinckney St., unveiled its new fall cocktail menu last week, it was full of drinks made with brandy, cognac, bourbon and warming flavors associated with cooler weather – like maple syrup, cinnamon, pistachio and vanilla chai tea. But if you’re not quite ready to don your turtleneck sweater and leg warmers, opt for the bright, citrusy Werewolf Bar Mitzvah.
Named for a song performed by comedian Tracy Morgan during a Halloween-themed episode of NBC sitcom 30 Rock, this drink still hints at summer and will ease the shift to early sunsets and darker days.
Made with Death’s Door Gin, Dolin Genepy des Alpes (an herbal liqueur that adds to the cocktail’s greenish hue), green apple-fennel cordial and lemon juice, this drink is served up without ice. It’s a real sipper in a wolf’s costume. The apple-fennel cordial is made in-house by juicing apples, adding sugar and a tincture made from fennel, a nutty, anise-flavored herb often grown in southern Wisconsin and harvested in the spring and again in late summer and early fall – a time for transitions in our wardrobes as well as our cocktails.
