The Blinker
Rye Whiskey, Grapefruit Juice, Raspberry Syrup
The Blinker first appeared in Patrick Gavin Duffy's The Official Mixer's Manual (1934). "Blinker" was another term for "blinder," such as one might outfit a horse or mule with to keep its eyes on the road. Grenadine was specified in the original recipe, and it's fine, if unremarkable, that way. Raspberry syrup was a common substitute for grenadine, especially in Prohibition-era European and nineteenth-century American recipes. I experimented with it in this recipe--and never looked back.
-Ted Haigh, Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Spirits
Barbara West Cocktail
The sad but certain truth is that some drinks, even very good ones, simply were not well named. The Barbara West (sometimes just called the Barbara, although there was also a Barbara East) hardly rolls off the tongue, though there are worse examples, all guilelessly named (no irony intended). Take the Pansy Blossom or the Fluffy Ruffles, for instance. How about the Weesuer or the Bich's Special? Again, no one was trying to be funny here, any more than they were when they christened the Diarrhea Mixture. Still, they can't have done much for their popularity. Sometimes you get a break. The Barbara West was the same drink as the euphoniously named Creole Cocktail, but with the agreeable addition of bitters. This provides every justification for fervently ordering a Creole with bitters. I won't stop you.
-Ted Haigh, Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails
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