I hope that when you look at this cocktail, you hear the beautiful synths of Angelo Badalamenti and I hope you smell those Douglas Firs. I hope that when you look at this cocktail, you see Twin Peaks. Being the son of a cocktail aficionado and overall creative genius has its many perks. I am often running to my mom and asking her to make me custom designed cocktails and I finally found a winner when I asked her to make one based on the return of Twin Peaks.

For anyone who is a fan of the show or knows anything about television, you know that it has returned after a 25 year hiatus. I don’t know about you, but to say I was nervous would be an understatement. However, I relied solely on my deep admiration for and consummate faith in David Lynch. We are now five episodes in and, once again, I find myself totally engrossed in the Twin Peaks universe that I love so much. My expectations have not only been met, they’ve been exceeded.

Now I hate to spoil anything, but at this point if you are not caught up I have no sympathy for you. If you leave out all of the side plots and characters staring at each other for longer than they should, the fundamental plot is that Special Agent Dale Cooper has been released from The Black Lodge and must now confront his doppelgänger who was created by and is now possessed by the infamous demon BOB. Cooper has a doppelgänger because when he went into The Black Lodge at the end of season two to save the woman he loves, he lets fear into his heart. If you are a fan of the show, you’ll remember when Deputy Hawk tells Cooper that “if you confront the Black Lodge with imperfect courage, it will utterly annihilate your soul.” Nevertheless, Cooper has now returned to the human world and is given the task to confront and ultimately vanquish his doppelgänger back to The Black Lodge.

David Lynch’s films often employ the theme of having multiple selves in the world, an idea that I am naturally drawn to. I believe that we confront our own doppelgängers every day of our lives. When I put on my old leather jacket, I have to confront my 16-year-old self with his desire to be Lou Reed, along with the angst and confusion that came with that time in his life. When I walk into my brother’s house and he is making my grandmother’s gravy, I have to confront my 10-year-old self and the way that he would marvel at the way his grandmother could navigate a kitchen, and all the sadness that has come with her no longer being in his life. When I hear Van Morrison’s I’m Not Feelin‘ It Anymore, I have to confront my 4-year-old self and the pure inexplicable joy that he would feel when his mother would dance around with him in her arms in the kitchen, and the nostalgia that comes with the loss of simple childhood moments.

Each one of these versions of ourselves provide us with a sense of balance and perspective in our lives. They constantly orbit us, being drawn closer only in those moments when we feel that we need to call upon them. We must be like Cooper and confront them with love and with all the courage that we can muster. Because at the end of the day, if you put them all together they make us who we are. When all is said and done, they are what makes you, you.

It’s a wonderful thing when your kids can guest blog for you. For today’s cocktail I decided to do a slight variation of a Negroni since it still is Negroni Week, after all. I kept all the ingredients the same except to replace the Campari with Cappelletti, which is a similar apertivo that’s slightly less bitter and can be said to fall somewhere in between Campari and sweet vermouth in taste. This worked perfectly because  I could then introduce the Douglas Fir Eau de Vie from Clear Creek Distillery in Oregon. It was absolutely necessary in a cocktail related to Twin Peaks! And finally, I floated just a bit of a Live Soda tart cherry drinking vinegar on top. Why? Because it’s a bit strange and that’s what works in the world of Twin Peaks! And finally, I hope you recognize the aesthetic in the photo as being reminiscent of The Black Lodge itself with it’s chevron striped carpet and red curtain. Totally creepy! Happy Friday everyone!

The Black Lodge

1 oz Bluecoat gin
1 oz Cappelletti Vino Apertivo
½ oz Punt e Mes
½ oz Dolin Rouge
¼ Douglas Fir Eau de Vie

Add all the ingredients to a cocktail mixing class with ice an stir until very cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Float something strange and red on top like a Kombucha or a drinking vinegar in the spirit of Twin Peaks. Confront your dopplegänger and enjoy!