It was late when we decided what topic to cover, too late for me to run to the store for ingredients, particularly when I realized there was already a Godfather cocktail. I had the scotch, but not the amaretto. No mind, I had Luxardo Maraschino, which is not a cherry spirit, but instead a nutty one.
It’s not as sweet as amaretto, though, so I wasn’t sure how it would hold up in the Godfather. Measurements vary from 1:1 scotch to amaretto to 1.5:1 and 2.75:0.5. One and one half ounces of scotch to a half ounce of amaretto seemed like the most common ratio, so I went with that. Stir and drop in one large ice cube.
It was tasty, but something was missing. Taking a sip, I decided to try a splash of simple syrup made with turbinado sugar. We had a winner, but it wasn’t quite what I was looking for at that point in the evening as I pressed play on “The Godfather.” I was beyond the creme brulee portion of my evening and, having just had a glass of lemonade, wanted something a little less rich and more refreshing.
I sipped and thought and then I had it: it needed the brightness and acidity of some citrus, so I went to the fridge. There, amongst a handful of siblings past their prime, was one viable Meyer lemon. I started with a small squeeze and tasted. It needed another small squeeze. Then, a bit more. By the time I was done, I’d added the entire lemon, though it should be noted that “viable” did not mean a lemon in its prime. Fresher would require less, but given that a key aspect of cocktails is being inventive, this is not a hard and fast rule. Instead, start small and add until you have a drink you’re ready to sip while you go on a cinematic journey. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but when making a cocktail for such a classic film, it becomes the godfather of invention.
Necessity Is the Godfather of Invention:
1.5 oz Scotch
1/5 oz Luxardo Maraschino
Splash of turbinado simple syrup
Fresh lemon to taste
One large ice cube
Sit back, hit play, and enjoy.
Image By Stuart Webster from Southampton, England – Godfather, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22160976