Friday, September 19, 2014

Drink of the Week: The Spotlight Cocktail

Photo: Stuart Mullenberg
With more pears coming into season by the day, we’re starting to add their juicy goodness to our cocktail glasses. But even if you don’t have a fresh pear on hand, you can still take advantage of the fruit’s fall flavor by reaching for a pear brandy and making today’s Drink of the Week—The Spotlight cocktail from Bay Area bartender Jeff Lyon. Combining creamy pear brandy with dry sherry and a ginger liqueur, it’s sweet and savory and supremely delicious proportions. And for more pear cocktails we love, check out our Sept/Oct issue, on newsstands now.

The Spotlight
2 oz. Manzanilla sherry
1/2 oz. pear brandy
1/2 oz. ginger liqueur
2 dashes celery bitters
Tools: mixing glass, barspoon, strainer
Glass: rocks
Garnish: thin slice of fresh pear

Combine ingredients with ice and stir to chill. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube and garnish.

Jeff Lyon, Third Rail, San Francisco