Catcher in the Rye

Catcher in the Rye by Brooke Arthur

For this edition of Books and Booze we are revisiting a classic of many high school reading lists, that tale of innocence lost by J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye. Holden Caulfield dreams of being a savior to little children who are rushing off a cliff – he will catch them. The title and reference are from a Robert Burns poem, so perhaps drinking a proper Bobby Burns cocktail (scotch and sweet vermouth) might be in order. But before I get all nostalgic and go reread that novel let me introduce you to a different cocktail, which fits the bill even better.

a little light reading

The drink, which features rye whiskey prominently, comes from California bartender Brooke Arthur. Her cocktail was featured in Imbibe magazine back in 2011, and Boston area bartender Frederick Yarm mentions it on his blog more recently. Catchy names often spawn multiple versions of drinks, but I’m typically going to select the one with really good ingredients and balance. The drink calls for Torani Amer, which is a bitter orange syrup meant to reproduce the hard to source French aperitif Amer Picon found in a few classic cocktails such as the Brooklyn. I simply used Amer Picon, which I got in France. It also mentions Abbott’s bitters, which were a brand of medicinal bitters available in the 1920s-50s but now defunct. They have been resurrected from original recipes so can now be purchased again, with suggested flavors of bitter bark, cinnamon, spicy oak and vanilla. I used Bitter truth’s Bogart’s bitters, which are simply delicious with notes of cinnamon spice and chocolate, so any excuse is one I take. Now if you’ll excuse me again, I have some reading to catch up on. Cheers!

employing a few literary devices

Catcher in the Rye by Brooke Arthur

1 ½ oz rye

1 oz Amontillado sherry

½ oz Torani Amer

¼ oz Grand Marnier

1 dash Abbott’s bitters

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass over a large cube.

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