The Alicia - Naming a Drink After Yourself or Your Wife

Shortly after we got married, we become bored (briefly) with Cosmos on Fridays. So one Friday, John – heady with thinking he knew something about inventing cocktails after reading a New York Times article on the topic – started to play with booze and booze accoutrements. Basically, all he knew was that he needed a base alcohol, a complimentary liquor, and something that is neither.

This is a common formula, used in drinks like cosmos (vodka, Cointreau, and cranberry juice) and margaritas (tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice).  If you want to make a girly weaker effeminate more refreshing drink, you can trade the complimentary liquor for something else that is neither. This is the formula used in a tequila sunrise (tequila, orange juice, and grenadine) and a daiquiri (rum, lime juice, and gomme syrup).

Anyway, John looked at what we had and took out the vodka, amaretto, and Sprite. Using the same ratio that we use for a Cosmo (2 parts alcohol to 1 part liquor to 1 part something else) and adding a freshly squeezed lemon in place of the lime, he created the Alicia.

Here’s how we make it:

Vodka, 4 shots
Amaretto, 2 shots
Sprite
½ Lemon

Pour the vodka and amaretto into a shaker with ice. Squeeze the ½ lemon into the shaker. Shake well. Pour equally into two frosted martini glasses. Top off with Sprite and garnish with a lemon slice.

Alicia: I don’t exactly recall when John created this drink, but it has become one of my favorites. The blend of amaretto and sprite give it a refreshing sweetness, while the vodka and fresh lemon juice give it a slightly bitter edge. Cheers!

John: I love the color of this drink. It looks like a homemade cola and has a similar bittery, citrusy bite to it. It also reminds me of one of my beloved brown boozes – bourbon, scotch, and whiskey. Word to the wise: Beware the temptation of using bottled lemon juice. Much like the lime in a Cosmo, a freshly squeezed lemon is important. You want the natural bitterness that it brings, because the Sprite and amaretto will be too sweet without it. In a chilled glass, it’s a fantastic summer drink. Given that my wife is also a pretty fantastic summer drink, naming it after her seemed fitting.

Here’s a visual demonstration: