You heard it first on the Fool's Paradise with Rex programme on WFMU. Here is your recipe for the official Grade "A" Fancy holiday cocktail for 2023 —

Beyond the Valley of the Ultra Blitzen

Ingredients:

1 oz.    Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco Rum
1 oz.    Cocci Americano Aperitif
1/4 oz. Verino Mastiha Antica liqueur
2 tsp.   cava

Garnish:

red apple

Stir first three liquids over ice; strain into a cocktail glass. Add cava. For garnish, depending on the size of the apple, and your glass, cut a slice or triangular half slice and slide it into glass. (Yes, we sat the garnish on the rim to make it pretty for the photo, but to get the best of both ingestibles, you want the apple to bob in the glass to absorb some of that aromatic broth. They're perfect together.)

Shopping: If you're in NYC all the boozes can be found at Astor Wines & Spirits: the Nicaraguan rum, French aperitif, Greek liqueur, and Spanish cava. Then just a short walk up to the greenmarket for a fresh apple.

Bottle notes: the light, dry rum, the sweet/bitter Cocchi, and Spanish bubbly will probably be familiar territory. The liqueur was new to us and pretty exciting, which is why we worked this year's cocktail around its heady floral and herbal notes. The ingredient mastiha, also called mastic, is made from the resin of a variety of evergreen bush found only on the isle of Chios. It's used in baking, for a natural chewing gum, and is said to have medicinal properties. Lots more online, should you choose that rabbit hole.

 

 

Shake Up the Airwaves

This Saturday, December 23rd

Grade "A" Fancy Shakes Up the Airwaves

That year just plodded by, didn’t it? But it's almost over, so rejoice! It is holiday time, and as tradition dictates, we join your host of hosts, Rex, to celebrate the American Novelty Songbook in peerless Fool's Paradise fashion, spinning more zany holiday-themed novelty records than anyone might think is prudent, all at 45 rounds per minute. Speaking of rounds, have one with us! On Saturday, Grade "A" Fancy's own Chief Mixing Officer will unveil a brand new tipple specially created to mark the occasion, mixed before your very ears! This feature we like to call "Bartender of the Airwaves" is truly a milestone in broadcasting history.

What will this year’s cocktail be? Tune on Saturday from 1 to 3pm ET when the name and recipe will be revealed. In the tri-state area, listen on the mighty WFMU 91.1 FM Jersey City and NYC, and 90.1 and 91.9 in the Hudson Valley. If you find yourself stranded somewhere in the Yukon, or behind a skyscraper, listen in real time at WFMU.org via the miracle of the internet. If you insist on spending the day with family the show will be archived so you'll be able to enjoy the radio hi-jinx at your leisure for years to come.

What will you need to play the home game?

𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 (𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑐𝑒):

· Flor de Caña 4 Extra Seco Rum (dry rum from Nicaragua)
· Cocchi Americano Aperitif
· Verino Antica Mastiha liqueur (available at Astor in NYC or your local Greek

   boozatorium)
· Cava (we’re using Campo Viejo Brut)
· One red apple

Tools and Glassware:

· Mixing tin or glass
· Barspoon
· Strainer
· Small cocktail glass
· Knife

 

Advance Prep:

· Pop some cocktail glasses in the freezer, if you like.
· Wash your apple

 

Make a tray of ice, chill your glasses, and we'll see you Saturday. Well, you'll hear us. You know what we mean, listen in. And check this space after the show for the official recipe.

Impère'd Noël

 

Our Grade "A" Fancy holiday drink for 2022 debuted live on Fool's Paradise featuring Rex on WFMU, and here's the recipe.

Impère'd Noël

For one small drink ~

1 ounce Hendrick's gin
1 ounce Muscat Beaumes de Venise
1/2 ounce cooled Earl Grey tea
1/2 tsp turbinado sugar 1:1 simple syrup
Dash Dr. Adam Elmegirab’s Winter Spiced Bitters
Garnish: cocktail cherry

𝐴𝑑𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑝: Brew the tea, make the syrup, cool both.

𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠: Stir first four ingredients over ice and strain into a small chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry and serve.
 

𝐶𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑥 𝐺𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑟𝑒!

Radio Hijinx This Saturday

 

Christmas Eve-ternoon, Saturday, December 24

Grade "A" Fancy Shakes Up the Airwaves

Yes, children, it's time once again for your host and mine, Rex, to celebrate the American Novelty Songbook in peerless Fool's Paradise style, spinning more zany holiday-themed novelty records than anyone might think is prudent, and all at 45 r.p.m. As tradition dictates, Grade "A" Fancy's own Chief Mixing Officer will unveil a brand new cup of hooch specially created to mark the occasion, mixed before your very ears! This feature we like to call "Bartender of the Airwaves" is truly a milestone in broadcasting history.

What will this year’s cocktail be? Tune on Saturday from 1 to 3pm ET when the name and recipe will be revealed. In the tri-state area, listen on the mighty WFMU 91.1 FM Jersey City and NYC, and 90.1 and 91.9 in the Hudson Valley. If you find yourself stranded somewhere in the Yukon, or behind a skyscraper, listen in real time at WFMU.org via the miracle of the internet. If you insist on spending the day with family the show will be archived so you'll be able to enjoy the radio hi-jinx at your leisure for years to come.

What will you need to play the home game?

𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 (𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘 𝑖𝑡 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑐𝑒):

• Hendricks Gin
• Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - a lightly sweet Muscat wine from the southern Rhône
• Earl Grey tea – you’ll want to pre-brew a cup and cool it, baby
• Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Winter Spiced Bitters
• Turbinado sugar (such as Sugar in the Raw) 1:1 simple syrup
• cocktail cherry for garnish
  

Tools and Glassware:

• Mixing tin or glass
• Strainer
• Barspoon
• Small cocktail glass
  

Advance Prep:

• Brew a cup of Earl Grey tea
  
• Prepare syrup 1:1
  

Make a tray of ice, chill your glasses, and we'll see you Saturday! Well, you'll hear us. You know what we mean, listen in. And check this space after the show for the official recipe.

Ice Station Reindeer

And here it is, folks
Our original 2021 FOOL’S PARADISE HOLIDAY DRINK

ICE STATION REINDEER

Ingredients:

2 oz tequila
1 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz grapefruit juice
1/2 oz Noilly Prat rouge vermouth (or similar quinine-forward sweet red vermouth)
1 barspoon absinthe
1 barspoon agave syrup
1 egg white
a few drops of Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Bitters
tiny pinch of salt

Garnishes:

a few drops of Angostura bitters
grapefruit peel

In advance:

Chill glasses – It’s a big drink, so one 5-6 ounce cocktail glass, or two coupes
Squeeze grapefruit juice
Separate an egg (Reserve the yolk for challah or babka or any other use)

When you're ready to go:

Add all ingredients except garnishes into the mixing glass.
Add ice.
Shake shake shake the drink in a Boston shaker (the two-piece thingy) and strain. A reverse shake is recommended to best fluff up your meringue.

Pour the mixture into your pre-chilled glass or glasses. With a dropper or a small spoon, top the foam with a few decorative drops of Angostura bitters. Squeeze a piece of grapefruit peel over the glass to express the fragrant oils; twist the peel into the drink, and serve.

And to all a good night!