Rye Witch ~ Friday's 5 o'clock Wet Your Whistle Call!

October brings mystery and witchcraft so it seems apropos to have some witchy tidbits served up with our cocktail today.  In the late 1600s, the Puritan settlement of Salem, Massachusetts flew into hysteria when accusations of witchcraft began to appear. One intriguing theory suggests that the community’s rye crop may have been partially to blame. Rye grass is susceptible to a particular fungus which infects the edible portions of the plant and can lead the person that consumed it to display body spasms, convulsions, unconsciousness, hallucinations, and psychosis. These side affects along with the fear and mentality of the times allowed mass hysteria to possibly take the rye poisoning to a completely elevated level; death to a witch instead of death from a plant poisoning. Throughout history many inexplicable, bizarre events may be explained through rye grass fungus poisoning.

Thus enters our cocktail the Rye Witch, courtesy of Jim Meehan that crafty mixologist! Made with Strega, this cocktail will bewitch and comfort you at the same time. Strega is the Italian word for "witch" and evokes legends of witchcraft. Enjoy the Rey Witch but remember that too many of these could lead to poisoning too!

Rye Witch

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Kentucky rye whiskey (such as Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond or Wild Turkey)

3 tablespoons Strega (herbal liqueur, can use Galliano if you can find Strega)

3 tablespoons Amontillado Sherry (such as Lustau or González Byass Del Duque or dry Sherry)

2 tablespoons No-Cook Simple Syrup (see below)

12 dashes orange bitters

12 orange twists

Preparation:

To make our No-Cook Simple Syrup, combine 2 cups each superfine sugar and water in an airtight container. Cover and shake until sugar dissolves. Makes 3 cups.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large pitcher. Add ice; stir for 15–20 seconds. Strain the mixture into 6 chilled coupe glasses. Pinch an orange twist over each drink, then rub around rims of glasses to release oils from peel; discard peel. Garnish each with a fresh twist.