My Go To Cocktail That's Impossible to Mess Up

Hello!

It’s finally sunny in Los Angeles again after a couple of really rainy weeks. I did have a very cozy dinner at Jemma in Hollywood with a very good pal on Monday night. Given the weather, the restaurant was half empty and we were given a giant, plush booth to ourselves and it was a gift to be able to spread out and have a super relaxed meal, phones tossed to the side. I love that Jemma has angel hair on the menu — a deeply under appreciated pasta shape. MaybeI am nostalgic for the capellini pomodoro I would always order at Olive Garden growing up, but I love a large tangle of thin noodles — and Jemma does it well. 

the very good garlic bread and eggplant parmesan at jemma

Nothing about the menu is revolutionary, but they do everything they do well enough. It’s a perfectly pleasant time! A good meal! I would be happy to return! That feels like the standard that most Italian restaurants are held to these days: lovely, but not revolutionary. So many of these have opened in LA recently: Donna, Etra, Spina, 

It always need more “ethnic” restaurants need more to be considered noteworthy or worth going to. If you know me I say this all the time, but I am going to say it here. To me, the sign of real cultural and social progress is the celebration of brown mediocrity — when that totally fine Indian restaurant or Lebanese restaurant or Thai restaurant is packed to the brim, or gets the big investment dollars, that’s when I’ll know society is actually progressing.

Given that I am not a huge drinker and it was a Monday night, I was in the mood for something low in alcohol and I didn’t want something too sweet. This brings me to my go-to back-pocket drink order that is hard for any restaurant to mess up: a vermouth spritz, though calling it a spritz makes it sound like it has several ingredients. It’s simply a vermouth and soda, on the rocks, with a twist (and an olive if possible). I prefer sweeter vermouths, but dry work well, too. It’s important that it is served in a rocks glass or in a wine glass, no other glass will do. And make sure they use club soda and not tonic!! 

It’s a drink that is easy to sip, but you can also have a few without really feeling the effects. It’s also usually not that spendy, given that vermouth is just a fortified wine. It even tastes pretty good with a cheap vermouth, but here are my favorites: 

Muz 
This Spanish vermouth is unfortunately very limited in production but it is my favorite vermouth of all time. Made from a mix of red and white grapes, it has a very low abv (even compared to other vermouths) and has a really lovely citrus notes. It’s ridiculously drinkable, even on its own, but I prefer it cut with soda in a spritz. Many of the cool new wine bars tend to carry this bottle, so definitely be on the look out. 

Lo-Fi Sweet Vermouth 
I love a local California product, and this sweet vermouth is made from Cali-made wines. It has notes of vanilla and rhubarb and also that woodiness from gentian root. It’s very drinkable and giftable, thanks to its charming label. 

Dolin Dry Vermouth 
This is probably the easiest vermouth to find on the list. It is pretty standard for any spot that serves a martini (not my favorite) and is reliable in a spritz. It’s gentle, with a clean citrus/citrus peel taste to it, and perfect for people who don’t love sweet drinks. 

Cocchi Americano Bianco 
One of the bolder options on the list, this vermouth has a lot of flavor. It’s macerated with lots of botanicals including bitter orange peel, juniper coriander, and rose, and goes well in multiple cocktails. It’s very refreshing in a spritz, just make sure when you order it you remember it is pronounced “coke-ee.”

Atxa “Amurrio” Red Vermut
I love this affordable Spanish vermouth that some lovely spice and cherry notes to it. They have it on draft at one of my favorite Spanish restaurants in LA, Otoño, and it has a gentle cola flavor to it when combined with club soda. 

Punt E Mes
This Italian vermouth is a bit more herbal and a bit more bitter than many of the other vermouths on the list, but I love it because it has almost amaro-vibes while still being a vermouth. It’s very dark in color, and definitely needs a twist of citrus, but it’s even good after dinner if you need a digestive aid. 

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Would love to know what your favorite vermouths are (and your go-to two ingredient cocktails), in the comments below.

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