Enjoy game night with retro cocktails

From the time I could count and roll dice, I joined my parents and much-older brother at the kitchen table to play board games, dominoes or cards. We’d have snacks and ice cream floats. On a cold winter afternoon, Mom would percolate a pot of coffee — even as a 5-year-old, I was allowed a generous splash in my milk.

Every year for Christmas, I’d ask for a new board game, and I have fond memories of playing Chinese checkers, Clue, Operation and Monopoly.

Board games were not only entertaining; they were ways to learn and practice social skills — communicating, waiting your turn, problem-solving, strategizing and being a gracious loser.

These days, board game cafes are popping up all over the country as adults of all ages who spend most of their time sitting in front of computer screens and smartphones yearn for face-to-face interaction.

The long nights of autumn are a great time for game night. But instead of serving root beer floats or coffee, serve fun adult beverages. Thanks to the craft-cocktail movement, many almost-forgotten classic drinks are also making a comeback. The following recipes are three classics to include in your mixologist repertoire.

PEGU CLUB

2 ounces gin (Plymouth)

1 ounce orange curacao (Pierre Ferrand)

¼ ounce fresh lime juice

1 to 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Lime wedge, to garnish

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. To garnish, slice lime along the rind, halfway through the wedge, separating the skin from the fruit. Hang it on the rim of the glass.

Cocktail history: This is the signature drink of the Pegu Club, a famous Victorian-style gentlemen’s club in British colonial Burma (presently Myanmar). The drink became famous in the United States during Prohibition and served in underground speakeasies where libations could oftentimes be enjoyed regardless of gender, economic status or race.

RUSTY NAIL

2 ounces Scotch (Famous Grouse)

½ ounce Drambuie

Lemon twist, for garnish

Pour ingredients into a rocks glass over ice, stir and garnish with a lemon twist in the glass.

Cocktail history: This drink dates back to Manhattan’s 21 Club in the 1960s. It was a favorite of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop).

AMARETTO SOUR

2 ounces Amaretto

1 ounce apple brandy (Laird’s Applejack or Calvados)

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon simple syrup or maple syrup

¾ ounce egg white

Half lemon slice and cherry, for garnish

Dry shake ingredients. Then shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass with one large cube of ice. Garnish with the lemon slice wrapped around the cherry and threaded on a cocktail pick.

Cocktail history: A centuries-old sweet Italian liquor made with apricot pits and/or almonds, amaretto wasn’t imported to the United States until the 1960s. It quickly caught on.

From the book: "The New Cocktail Hour: The Essential Guide to Hand-Crafted Drinks" by Andre Darlington and Tenaya Darlington; 296 pages, $22. Published by Running Press, 2016.

What you get: This book contains 230 vintage and modern cocktail recipes, along with suggested food pairings; suggestions for putting together a bar, hosting parties and seasonal gardening garnishes.

In their own words: "The craft cocktail movement has restored the cocktail as an American rite … Our goal is to make it accessible." — Andre Darlington and Tenaya Darlington

NEXT WEEK: Cranberry relish


ABOUT THIS FEATURE

New cookbooks flood the market every week. This feature will help you make sense of what’s new and what’s worth trying out. Email your questions and ideas to connie.post@coxinc.com

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