I have heard a lot of drinks over the years and I thought I have heard them all. One crowded night at ElektroPOP!, amidst a sea of thirsty boys, a young, fashion forward type approaches the bar. I expected him to ask for a bourbon mixed with ginger beer or some other absurdity, but he asserts, “Can I get a Lindsay Lohan?” Hmmmm…I respond in my typical fashion, “What the fuck is that?” You know, aside from the train-wrecked actress. The boy proceeds to tell me, “a red-headed slut with a splash of coke.” Ok. It makes sense. But what the hell! As a customer, would you rather get what you want quickly or play guessing games with the bartender? I did have a nice chuckle at the creativity of the naming of the concoction, but I was also curious. How does that mess taste? It wasn’t half bad. This is just one example of a small facet of the consuming public creating their own names for beverages. Here are a few that had me respond WTF:
The Skinny Bitch – Vodka and Diet Coke
The Tacky Bitch- Jack Daniels and Diet Coke
T-Squared – Tanqueray and Tonic
Rose Kennedy – Vodka and Soda with a splash of Cranberry
That is just the tip of the iceberg. I am sure I have caused this issue for other bartenders in the city. Have you been approached for a “Blueberry Squeeze” or “Pink Drink” or ,even, my newest twist on bourbon The Miss Jack Daniels? So, I guess I am guilty of this as well. Blah, blah, blah. My point to all this is that you need to clue your bartender in on your secret if you want to get the drink you want.
Back to Lindsay Lohan! The boy who enlightened me with the recipe for this drink knows who he is. I want to encourage everyone to be creative. Just remember the actual ingredients when you ask for an uncommon drink. I, like my fellow bartenders, are getting older and the poppers have destroyed our memories. That being said, if you ask for a ‘Rose Kennedy’ and I say, “What’s in it?” Don’t say “I don’t know.” I love giving blank stares! Ok, enough of this! Cowboy Cocksuckers for everyone!! What’s in that?
