With the return of warmer weather comes one of our favorite pastimes; sitting on our duffs drinkin' on the patio. That statement probably paints an unfair picture of what actually goes on (most of the time), so, lest you get the (mostly) wrong opinion of us, I should elaborate. Nearly any warm weekend night you will find us right outside our backdoor enjoying the fresh air, a revolving door of good company, and often times, a tasty libation. And while it is (usually) not some sort of shirtless, cheap beer swilling extravaganza (mind you, I did say usually), we don't often get too fancy with it either. A bottle of wine, a few candles to keep the bugs away, a clean tablecloth, and a yard free of child debris is usually the extent of it. It works for us.

This drink has nothing to do with nights like that. It takes more effort. As you can see from the branch sticking out of it, it is quite fancy. O.k not really, but you do have to cut things up, measure, and muddle them together. Yes, muddle! So, this is probably not your average everyday cocktail. However, should you ever feel compelled to go that extra mile, and create a deliciously refreshing drink that doesn't come in quantities of 6 and 12, we think you should try this one.


**should you desire an alcohol free drink, omit the booze and add 3 oz soda water


Combine gin, vermouth, fennel and orange slices in cocktail shaker.  Muddle ingredients.  Add lemon juice and simple syrup, shake and strain into glass with fresh ice. Garnish with fennel stem ( make sure the fronds do not hang into cocktail ) and 1/2 an orange slice.  Enjoy!