Puzzle Box Sour
Puzzle designer Robert Sandfield is known for his devious dovetail designs, which at first glance appear to be impossible to separate. Robert also lives in Houston, so to toast my puzzling neighbor I have crafted a cocktail which dovetails nicely with his favorite design detail and his partner Kathleen’s picturesque puzzle box. The “Puzzle Box Sour” cocktail incorporates elements of two other cocktails, the “Dove Tail” and the “New York Sour”. The Dove Tail, a modern cocktail which originates from Bradstreet Craftshouse in Minneapolis, combines Grand Marnier, grapefruit, lemon and orange bitters. The New York Sour is a classic cocktail dating back to the later 1800’s. It is a fancier version of the whiskey sour, a drink whose virtues I have extolled on a number of occasions before. The New York Sour, which was invented in Chicago, of course, adds a vibrant layer of red wine over the top of the drink, resulting in a gorgeous light and dark layered effect. It reminds me of a certain puzzle box.
The Puzzle Box Sour cocktail, with a cache of puzzle exchange offerings in the background
The Puzzle Box Sour cocktail takes elements from each of these drinks and adds a little taste of Texas to boot, in the form of Texas Rio Star grapefruits. These grapefruits are a stunning, vibrant ruby red in color and offer the most delicious flavor of any grapefruit I have ever tried. They are a true state treasure. The "prototype" cocktail we created at Robert Sandfield's home also used Garrison Brothers, an award winning Texas bourbon, but it's flavors are too unique and overpower the balance of the drink. I recommend using a milder mixing bourbon, such as Buffalo Trace or W. L. Weller instead. The only twisting you'll need for this puzzle lies in tilting the glass to your lips, and you’ll find the solution with each sip. As for how many moves it will take to get to bottom of this “Puzzle”, I would recommend you take a studied approach. Cheers!
A pair of pretty Puzzle Boxes
The Puzzle Box Sour Cocktail:
2 oz bourbon (a milder bourbon will work best)
1 oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
½ oz simple syrup
2 dashes orange bitters
½ oz red wine float
Shake the bourbon, juices, simple syrup and bitters together with ice. Strain into a glass and float the wine on top by pouring it gently over the back of a spoon held against the inside of the glass.