May Theater Cocktails

Our Theater Mixologist, John Middleton, designs drinks based on a few current productions ---- Learn To Be Latina Mixed Blood Theatre April 20 - May 13 From Mixed Blood: "The aspiring Hanan is hot, but FAD Records thinks she’s unmarketable because she’s Lebanese. But if the budding diva can learn to think, sound, and act like the next J.Lo, FAD reasons she can 'keep the West and forget the rest.'" Lebanon has been producing wine for at least 5,000 years. And the mojito has been producing minty hangovers for at least five. Here's a Lebanese-inspired variation on the mojito. Mojitonon 2 oz white rum A good squeeze of lemon juice 1 oz mint syrup (directions below) 4 oz sparkling wine such as Prosecco. (You can search for a sparkling Lebanese wine, but I haven't found one yet.) Mint leaves for garnish To make mint syrup: dissolve one cup of sugar in one and a half cups of water over medium heat and let come to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add a fist full of mint leaves. Let cool and strain into a jar. This will keep in your refrigerator for at least a month. Mix the rum, lemon juice and mint syrup in a tall glass with a few ice cubes. Top up with the sparkling wine and garnish with mint leaves. ---- Doubt Park Square Theatre April 20 - May 13 From Park Square: "The formidable Sister Aloysius does not approve of the charismatic Father Flynn, or the favor he shows one of her students. In fact, she considers charging the priest with her unproven allegations. Their battle for truth and personal integrity will leave you with questions to ponder long after the curtain goes down." I'm pretty sure there have been a lot of Catholics in France. Here's a Frenchy cocktail that will inspire doubt among your friends with sophisticated palates. You make it with cheap ingredients, but tell them you used very expensive cognac and Grand Marnier. The Confessional 4 oz cheap brandy 1 oz cheap orange liqueur or triple sec Lemon juice Mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for sixty seconds. Strain into a martini glass (straight up) or over ice into a cocktail glass. ---- Vasa Lisa Ten Thousand Things May 4-27 From Ten Thousand Things: "Based on Russian folk tales, Kira Obolensky's world premiere play traces the journey of a young woman who ventures into a dangerous woods to confront Baba Yaga the witch." The Russian people know a lot about suffering. And it shows in their drinking. A very popular summer beverage is "kvass," a beer relative made by mashing up stale rye bread and letting it ferment. It's cloudy, weird and depressing. Kvass Up With You Make an appetizer of smoked trout or salmon on rye bread with a little horseradish cream (sour cream, horseradish, and lemon juice), thinly sliced cucumber and a sprig of dill. Enjoy this with a nice beer. Skip the kvass.