DOTW: Sweeney’s Cocktail
“The history of the world, my sweet;
Is who gets eaten and who gets to eat.”
— Sweeney Todd
We’re headed to the thyuh-tuh tonight for a performance of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Here’s the short version: Crazy barber kills people, crazy restaurateur bakes them into meat pies, hilarity ensues.
I’ve loved the show since I first heard the music as an impressionable youth. How can you not like a musical with a showstopping number that muses about how different people would taste if you served them wrapped a tender, flaky crust?
While you digest that macabre notion, here’s a little something to wash it down. We’ve tinkered with the recipe a tad, but the name and the basic ingredients are original.
Sweeney’s Cocktail
1 1/2 oz brandy
1/2 oz pineapple juice
1/8 oz Maraschino liqueur (or to taste)
1/4 to 1/8 oz lemon juice
3 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake all ingredients well with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist, if desired.
Comment by Anita
I edited that last sentence badly, and I think it could be read to imply that this is an original creation of ours, which it is not — it’s a drink that we found on CocktailDB (and one or two other sources). We kept the original name and ingredients, adding a splash of lemon to brighten it up, and decreasing the Maraschino, which we found a bit overpowering.
If anyone knows more about this drink than what I found online, I’d love to hear about it. I doubt highly that it’s named after the murderous barber of song and story, but you never know…
Posted on 09.21.07 at 7:38AM
Comment by Jennifer Jeffrey
Oh, how much do I love the photo of the cocktail “garnished” with the straight razor?! Macabre indeed.
You two have fun at the “thyuh-tuh”!
Posted on 09.21.07 at 9:19AM
Comment by Rose
Lucky you – we’re going next week! As for the cocktail, I’ve never heard of it and can find no convincing references online (I’m sure you checked as well). Perhaps it was invented at one of the seeming plethora of establishments called “Sweeney’s.”
Posted on 09.21.07 at 9:59AM
Comment by Jennifer
Sounds delicious! I’m quite jealous that you got to see Sweeney. We saw it in NYC during its Broadway run, and I would have loved to have seen it again. Just think, you could hold up your drink and shout, “At last, my right arm is complete!” Hope you enjoyed the show!
Posted on 09.22.07 at 7:13AM
Comment by Wendy
LOL!!! and I thought I was the only one who used the saying “hilarity ensues!” NICE! 🙂
Posted on 09.22.07 at 10:24AM
Comment by Anita
For those who are interested in the play more than the drink: We had a good time. Sweeney was played by an understudy who didn’t have an amazing voice, nor any chemistry with Missus Lovett, but it certainly was worth what we paid for it.
We also saw it on Broadway last year, and were pleasantly surprised to see that Johanna, Antony, the Beggar Woman and a few others were played by the same actors in both productions. The set and costumes were identical.
The production was good enough that I wish that we could afford to go back — they extended the run through mid-October — to see it with the real Sweeney. But another $160 trip to the theater isn’t really in the budget, and he cheaper seats at ACT are knee-bangingly small, even for us shorties.
Posted on 09.22.07 at 4:20PM
Comment by Tartelette
That is a great cocktail to have on hand for a Halloween get together. The name made me jump…put Mc in front and you have my (married) last name, and when I first met my husband, his apartment was “decorated” with saws and long blades…hmmhmmhmm…concidence?!! I have no other way than to make this one!
Posted on 09.28.07 at 9:21PM
Comment by Kaykat
This sounds divine! I first got hooked onto angostura bitters when downing Pisco Sours in Peru. And life has been better since 🙂
Posted on 09.28.07 at 11:56PM
Pingback by Bake or Break » DMBLGIT October 2007: The Roundup
[…] I loved the originality of Sweeney’s Cocktail from Anita at Married with Dinner. Attend the tale! […]
Posted on 11.11.07 at 8:12PM
Comment by Suganya
Congratulations on winning DMBLGiT!
Posted on 11.12.07 at 11:17AM
Comment by Eva
Well, I’d give these meat pies a miss but I’m definitely in for the cocktail! Very atmospheric picture, congratulations!
Posted on 11.12.07 at 5:08PM
Pingback by A drink a week is all they ask… « Food for the Thoughtless
[…] The writing is amusing and learned, the photography can be drool-worthy at times, and the choices are often inspired. One of my favorites is Sweeney’s Cocktail– a brandy and pineapple concoction with an appropriate amount of (Angostura) bitter and just enough Maraschino liqueur to give it a faintly morbid feel. […]
Posted on 06.01.08 at 3:42PM