First We Take Manhattan

In case you haven't noticed, I have an affinity for classic cocktails (some may substitute "affinity" for a more, ahem ... clinical word), the martini first and foremost.

Next on the list is the Manhattan. Like its namesake, this cocktail combines elegance and mayhem, the latter resulting from over-indulgence in this heavy hitter. But it's so good it's tough to drink just one.

Recipe. The two main ingredients are bourbon and sweet vermouth. As with the martini, the ratio of these two is all. The classic recipe is two parts bourbon, one part sweet (red) vermouth. I prefer four to one. You'll also want to add a dash or two of Angostura bitters to take an edge off the sweetness.

Bourbon. I have been using 100-proof Knob Creek and it's been doing a bang up job. It's tasty and smooth. I tried making one with Eagle Rare and it didn't have the same bite.

Garnish. A cherry or orange zest. Two possible problems ordering at a bar: the cherry is likely to be maraschino, which some people have an aversion to (not me), and only fancy pants NYC bars make orange zests.

I like to sip a Manhattan sip while watching Mad Men -- and rule of the house is that you must have a drink when the boys and girls of Sterling Cooper are on. But learn from my mistake: watch one episode at a time. I watched three on DVD and by the third I found myself in the middle of a drinking game. I think I lost.