goodbye summer goodbye

Today I pulled out the cold-weather accessories and acknowledged that summer is gone.

To commemorate the unoffical end to summer 2008, I share the recipe for the "Leninade" (as it's known at Pravda NYC and known elsewhere as The Southside). Do not mistake me for a cool kinda gal who regularly orders chic cocktails and knows how to be cool in a bar. But this one was refreshingly fun and will be fondly remembered as a highlight to an otherwise difficult summer.

A special note about the Leninade from our "best bartender in Manhattan" friend DP: "In the summer of 2002, this was the only classic cocktail that I had mastered, and it single handedly paid my rent for a year. In Manhattan. It's that good." His recipe below.

Glassware: Martini

2 oz Citrus Vodka
2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Pinch of fresh mint
Dash of Grenadine for color
Splash of 7-Up

Once done shaking, add the 7-Up. Strain, using a Julip strainer, into martini glass. It should look like lemonade with fresh mint lightly floating atop the surface. No need for garnish.