The One And Only Cocktail

From built-in bars, to shiny bar carts, to the top of a beautiful chest of drawers, there are so many ways to set up a home bar. Aside from cooking, I am an interior design fanatic and loved, like many of you, pouring over each new issue of Domino Magazine to see all the creative ways people pimp up their liquor - and their apartments and homes, for that matter. Now the torch has been passed to Lonny Magazine to keep the inspiration flowing.

The rule in interior design that I have gleaned from these two publications is, "use what ya got". So my bar is set up in my living room, taking advantage of 2 wall-to-wall-to-ceiling built-in shelves. I'll be honest, most of my friends have built-in bars and I say with great envy that it is such a place to gather and visit over drinks before dinner.  But I don't have one and cannot figure out a space to install one so I will take the silver lining approach and say... my "bar", with bottles and matches and trinkets, is functional and offers a nice way to break up all the shelves of books. And it is approachable so friends feel comfortable helping themselves.

After BC, I don't help myself as often as I used to, but when I do, I take my favorite lemon elixir and add a splash of good vodka. I think {or at least hope} the alkalizing lemon and anti-oxidant pomegranate juice lend some sort of yin to the yang of booze. This refreshing cocktail is one worth trying.

THE one and only cocktail

12 oz sparkling mineral water

1 shot of vodka

juice from 1 medium size lemon {go for Meyer lemons when in season}

a splash of pomegranate juice 

In a glass, mix vodka, lemon juice and pomegranate juice. Add ice and then fill the glass with sparkling water. Give it a gentle stir. 

Serves 1.

Source:  Jill Crusenberry