The Perfect End-of-Summer Aperitif

I love the resurgence of quality cocktails and the renewed respect for classic and innovative bar drinks. Last year in New Orleans, an appropriately well-lubricated city, I was fortunate enough to spend some time with a number of the great leaders in the world of drinking, particularly Dale Degroff, the reigning King of Cocktails, who made a name for himself at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center in New York and has since been the consultant to countless bars, restaurants, hotels, and exclusive clubs. Here on the local front, our resident bar manager, Matt Gilpin, has just introduced a wonderfully refreshing drink, the Great Gatsby. Even for a gin and rum drinker like me, this vodka concoction is hard to resist:

The Great Gatsby

1 tall highball glass

Ice cubes from filtered water

1 ounce Ketel One vodka

1 ounce Lillet blanc

3 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

Place ice into the highball glass, add vodka, Lillet, and juice and roll into a shaker, then pour back into the glass and serve with an orange slice.