The Morning Paper: A Happy Medium For My Palate
by Joey Robles-Zepeda, Beverage Manager, Long Road Distillers
The Morning Paper finds its roots in the Paper Plane cocktail, which was created by Sam Ross as a unique cocktail for the opening of “The Violet Hour” in 2008. The name for the Paper Plane was inspired by a song by M.I.A, which was popular in the summer of 2008.
My inspiration for the Morning Paper came from my daily commute to work via bus where I started to notice a pile of newspapers accumulating in front of the same house along the route. Each day I wondered if the “morning paper” would finally be brought in, and each day I was pleasantly surprised to see the pile growing.
As an avid drinker of both the Whiskey Sour and the Last Word cocktails, the modern classic Paper Plane finds a happy medium between bitter, boozy, and sour all in one, making it one of my preferred summer cocktails to beat the heat.
A classic Paper Plane consists of bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol, and lemon juice. With the Morning Paper, by replacing the Amaro Nonino with Amaro Pazzo, I was able to introduce an element of bittersweet coffee notes while retaining the richness of the classic drink. The substitution of our Orange Liqueur for Aperol was necessary to retain the citrus pop of the original cocktail, while fortifying the booziness of the cocktail without overpowering the overall flavor.
The combination of Amaro Pazzo and Orange Liqueur provides a balance of citrus, sweetness, and bitterness in the drink itself. Bourbon provides a rich bite throughout every sip of the drink.
The Morning Paper is garnished with a trimmed orange peel, squeezed over the drink and the rim of the glass to impart an aromatic note of citrus for the drink. It also provides a summer color accompaniment to the bright yellow hue of the drink itself.
While there is no particular “best way” to enjoy the Morning Paper, if you’re enjoying it at the Distillery, it pairs particularly well with our Shrimp and Grits or our Fish and Chips, adding a nice citrus and bitter pop with every bite. The drink also pairs nicely with a hearty meal, making it especially popular on our Thursday Burger Night where people can pair this sour + boozy treat with one of our specialty burgers.
To me, this drink tastes best when it can be enjoyed out on a sunny deck with a cool breeze–just be careful on how quickly this one can sneak up on you!
Morning Paper Recipe
- 1 oz Long Road Straight Bourbon
- 0.5 oz Long Road Orange Liqueur
- 0.5 oz Long Road Amaro Pazzo
- 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz simple syrup
Combine all ingredients into a tin shaker and shake with ice for 12-15 seconds. Strain with a Hawthorne strainer over a large ice cube and garnish with a trimmed orange peel.
Cheers!