Triple Sec | 500 Movie Drinks and Cocktails

What can be written about Ms. Parker, a brilliantly gifted, caustically witty, non-conformist satirist, that hasn’t been said better by others, and most readers will presumably know her anyway, so let us narrow it down to the subject matter of this blog: film and drink.

Ms. Parker’s move to Hollywood in the mid-1930s triggered her second career as a screenwriter, with films such as ”A Star is Born” (1937) and an original screenplay for Hitchcock’s”Saboteur” (1942), and lasted until being blacklisted by the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee), her 1.000+ page FBI file must make good reading.

Although Esquire and The New Yorker have listed Whiskey Sour, Martinis or Manhattans as Ms. Parker’s favourite drinks, there is also a cocktail named after her worth mentioning: The Dorothy Parker.

1½ Citrus Vodka
½ Triple Sec
¼ Chambord Liqueur
½ freshly squeezed lemon juice
champagne (or sparkling wine) to top off

Shake all ingredients except champagne, strain into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass and top off with champagne.

Some Dorothy Parker quotes to set the mood:

“This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force.”
(in reference to Benito Mussolini’s ”The Cardinal’s Mistress”.)

“Tell him I was too f**king busy– or vice versa.”

“I wish I could drink like a lady
I can take one or two at the most
Three and I’m under the table
Four and I’m under the host”_
(Dorothy Parker)

Trivia I: If you have ever caught an episode of ”Gilmore Girls” (2000-2007) then you might have noticed the Dorothy Parker tribute by the show’s creator Ms. Amy Sherman-Palladino by way of the production company’s name: “Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions”.

Besides **Sylvia Plath’**s **“The Unabridged Journals”**, Rory‘s reading list included *“Complete Stories”* and *“The Portable Dorothy Parker”*

Trivia II: The New York Distilling Company named one of their two flagship gins after her: The Dorothy Parker Gin [1] which has spawned a number of cocktails in her honour, see http://vinepair.com/wine-blog/9-inventive-gin-cocktails-inspired-by-the-legendary-dorothy-parker/ .

[1] New York Distilling Company – http://www.nydistilling.com/spirits/

Although all are inspired by the 1960 Hitchcock classic “Psycho”, this is one of the many cocktails which means different things to different people:

1) The Classic Psycho

1 oz pineapple juice
1 oz orange juice
½ oz Bacardi white rum
¼ oz Grenadine syrup
¼ oz Galliano Herbal Liqueur

Mix well in a shaker, strain into a cocktail or low-ball glass and garnish with a pineapple chunk, orange slice and maraschino cherry.

2) The Icewine-Psycho

“I was inspired by the movie’s sweet and sour moments, as Mr. Bates seems to be a sweet charming man but is actually quite spooky and dangerous.” Karin Stanley, co-owner of New York cocktail lounge Dutch Kills.