Wedlock

I’m celebrating my wedding anniversary, the annual reminder of this journey through life with my friend and partner of many decades. I’ve tried to honor this occasion with special, apropos selections here over the years, but none are likely as perfect as this one. The puzzle maker Perry McDaniel understands a lot -  about the fine art of precision crafting in wood, about what makes for a great puzzle, and most certainly about the subject at hand, a successful marriage. He has also given me a wonderful anniversary present, in the form of this story about his magnificent puzzle box, which I now share with you.

“The Age old tradition of marriage is often about as smooth as corn liquor. Yes, it's intoxicating, but can be a little rough around the edges. Though, with a twist here, a few ups and downs, some time and plenty of patient effort the essence of a good marriage (and a good corn liquor) is easy to discover.

And so it was in late 2018 when I was approached by fellow puzzle enthusiast Steve Miller to design and produce a ring box for his wedding I decided to build a box that captured some of the characteristics and the essence of marriage. The box was to include 2 small cavities for the rings and the remainder was up to me. With my penchant for producing dessert themed puzzle boxes, I modeled the look after the traditional British wedding cake, a dark fruit cake with a layer of marizipan followed by a white icing.

courtesy of Perry McDaniel

Puzzled Guy Patisserie went to work in the shop to produce “Wedlock” in early 2019, but more interesting than the design and production of the box was the story of how it was used in the actual wedding ceremony. Steve made a big deal about the ring box at a gathering which included many of his puzzle friends the night before the wedding so all were aware of the intended use. At the wedding on the next day the Best Woman brought the ring box to the front of the chapel to provide the rings. Unfortunately, puzzle boxes were not her forte. Under pressure to produce the rings and unable to open the box during the ceremony she suddenly tossed the box on the floor and stomped on it smashing it to bits. She then reached down, scooped up the rings and rushed them to the waiting couple.

The puzzle community in attendance were aghast. Of course it was all a rouse made possible by the stunt double that I made containing only scrap pieces from the real puzzle and no mechanisms at all. The rings were carefully palmed by the Best Woman and produced after rummaging through the ruins of the box on the floor.

While that first iteration of Wedlock was intended as a one off, I knew the design had more love to give so I chose IPP40 in Israel 2020 for the public debut of Wedlock. The design was tweaked to pay homage to the more traditional bride and groom cakes of the US. Wedlock combines the two (just like a wedding), a vanilla cake with both white and dark chocolate icing. Yummy! Production started in Feb of 2020 but after producing the structure and all of the sliders for 100 boxes, Covid made its ugly appearance and IPP was postponed. I lost my love for the project, bagged, tagged and boxed everything up then stored it away. 3 years later, when it was announced that the Puzzle Party in Jerusalem was really going to take place I had to find those boxes, dust them off and try to remember where I left off.

courtesy of Perry McDaniel

By mid June the cake was made for all boxes and the icing was going on the cake. And by early July I was adding the sizzle which comes in the form or hand crafted icing drizzle. The drizzle was one of the most time consuming components of the cake. It starts by double face taping a pattern to a piece of dark or light wood. I then scroll saw away the perimeter as close to the pattern as possible. The resulting pieces go to the router table to trim away the excess to the pattern with a bearing guided roundover bit.

The next step makes my fingers hurt. I add a small piece of adhesive backed sandpaper to my index finger and sand the roundovers and top of each piece with first 180 and then 220 grit. The resulting sanded pieces are removed from the pattern and cut in half. The lower end of the drizzle now needs a roundover on the cut edge then that too is sanded. Now I can glue them on the box and finesse any alignment issues between the upper and lower parts. Mind numbing work I tell you. But like I said, the drizzle is the sizzle, fo shizzle my nizzle. The lacquer finally goes on, boxes are signed and numbered and the special message discovered in sequence in the 4 compartments is added in.

But the single best part of my passion for dessert puzzles is the delight I see in the faces of the many collectors who come to my booth. Five long years after the original design, Wedlock finally found a home with collectors from around the world. The gathering in Jerusalem was spectacular as was the Wedlock puzzle party display. Just as you might find at your best friend’s wedding. Lots of pre-cut slices of wedding cake for all to share at the reception table and a sign that reads:

As a bookend to the story, the last copy of Wedlock was gifted to a young couple tying the knot May 24, 2024.”

Here’s a toast to Wedlock, with similarly bespoke paired potions from San Francisco bartender and spirits writer Erik Ellestad. Erik embarked on his cocktail journey almost twenty years ago with an ambitious project, to make and make his way through every drink in the classic prohibition era Savoy Cocktail Book compiled by bar legend Harry Craddock. I’m also a fan of that book, which served as the inspiration for my own series of homage cocktails. Erik documented his journey, “Julie and Julia” style, on his blog Savoy Stomp.

Erik was approached for a 2010 issue of Imbibe magazine to provide some drinks and he sent these recipes for two unnamed cocktails, “one I preferred and one my wife preferred. I think they picked the name.”  Imbibe chose to publish the genever version, calling it a “delicately nuanced sipper” and dubbing it the “Matrimony”. Erike shared the more complete version of the story with me, which is far more satisfying. You definitely can’t have a successful marriage by yourself! These are clearly his and hers versions of the same cocktail, although like any two people, they are indivudally fascinating and completely different. The base spirits speak to each personality, while the choice of vermouths reflect the balancing forces inside us all that are specific to our main identity. The sweetener, in this case a walnut liqueur, ties the pairs together with a commitment they will always share. Cheers!

Matrimony Cocktails by Erik Ellestad

1 ½ oz Bols genever

¾ oz dry vermouth (Noilly Pratt)

¾ oz nocino

Stir, strain, lemon peel

1 ½ oz rye heavy bourbon (eg Bulleit)

¾ oz Punt e Mes

¾ oz nocino

Stir, strain, lemon peel

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