The Cocktail Bar, Part IV

Photo by Tom Blachford.

In the final installment of our cocktail series, we'll talk about arguably the most fun bottles of all: the non-essentials for your favorite cocktails!

Let's start with the crèmes: cassis, menthe, cacao, framboise, pêche, violette and plenty others. If you adore your Kir Royales (and really, who doesn't?), make sure to pick up a bottle of crème de cassis. If you love the Aviation cocktail, you'll want a bottle of violette. And if grasshoppers sound delicious on a Friday night, don't forget the crème de menthe!

Luxardo is a classic cocktail ingredient; a maraschino liquor, it adds a cherry-almond flavor and a dash of cocktail pedigree. Be sure to pick up the bottle wrapped in straw-it's the best tasting, and looks terrific on your shelf! Similarly, kirsch, a cherry brandy, can be a good addition to your cocktail cabinet.

Chartreuse, both green and yellow, is a French liquor made by Carthusian monks in the Grande Chartreuse monastery; 130 herbal extracts combine to make something truly delicious, and impossible to describe. While there are inexpensive versions of this cocktail gem, Chartreuse VEP is worth the high price tag. And you can take comfort in the fact that you'll probably never need to replace the bottle.

Poire Williams, or pear brandy, makes the list for the wonderful autumnal cocktails you can whip up. Even just a dash of champagne and a bit of pear puree makes for a sensational cocktail, if you like all things pear.

Canton, a ginger liquor, and St. Germain, an elderflower spirit, are both popular. I will confess to never having tried either, but if you love your elderflower cocktails or bucks, pick up a bottle of these singular spirits!

So which ones do you chose? Start by taking stock of your favorite drinks; what ingredients do they feature that you don't already have? This is just a small list of a few of my picks to really round out your bar, but remember to pick up the things you like to sip on best! The truth is that even the essentials aren't bottles you simply must have; if you hate tequila, don't bother buying it! You won't miss what you don't drink, and your guests will understand that this is your home, not a full-service cocktail bar.

Cheers, darling!