Life Well-Lived Cocktail

One of the Christmas traditions here in the Firewater Lounge is a showing of Alastair Sim’s version of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and, contrary to little Q.’s preferences, we always watch it in black and white. It enhances the atmosphere of the story in film form because, although many people forget it, A Christmas Carol is a ghost story first, a Christmas story second (Of course, this viewing also fits the family horror vibe, given that we have a second Christmas tree- the ‘scary’ tree which is made of bare black wire). I feel that A Christmas Carol can only be a ghost story, since it needs the element of fear as a central theme; without it, there would be no salvation for Scrooge.

So maybe you’re thinking I’m saying that Scrooge is ‘scared-straight,’ an idea borne out most explicitly by the story’s penultimate ‘stave’ when Scrooge is confronted by his own tombstone. While I think this is true on its face, there’s much more fear in the story. But I don’t think it’s genesis is in the four ghosts.

Instead, Scrooge is a mean miser because he’s afraid of everyone, everyday. Afraid to face his own failures in love as a young man. Afraid to face his failure to care for his beloved sister’s child, his only nephew Fred. Afraid to form a close bond to his employee Bob and his family because of those earlier love and family shortcomings. Afraid to part with his own money, because he uses it as a bulwark against social interaction. Money-making is a bloodless, emotionless pursuit and, in Western Civilization, a simultaneously universally-lauded enterprise. A perfect distraction for fearful men.

The ghosts’ job in the tale, then, is to remove Scrooge’s money from the equation and force Scrooge to face the fears he has too long ignored. His salvation is to reclaim his humanness.

The lesson is deep for us all. Don’t use money or anything else as a barrier between you and your family, your friends, your neighbors. The man whose birth we celebrate during this season, says it best- ‘For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’

Bob Cratchit’s gin punch, then, will be the
inspiration for our FWL creation this Christmas. We’ll mix it with Amaro Montenegro (whose original name meant ‘long life’ in Italian) and chai (which also means ‘life’ in Hebrew) and garnish it with stars on top.

Let’s toast to love, heath, and long life- the true human treasures. And, of course, a very Merry Christmas from us to you!


A Life Well-Lived Cocktail

1 ½ ounces London dry gin
¾ ounce Amaro Montenegro
¾ ounce chai syrup

If you do not have chai syrup, prepare some 1:1 syrup by boiling 1 cup of chai and 1 cup of white sugar. Cool before using. To prepare the cocktail, mix all ingredients in a stirring vessel with ice. Gently stir 40 revolutions to maintain the drink’s smooth texture and then pour into coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with two pieces of star anise.