Stinger

Rabbit Is Rich, John Updike, 1981

1 oz. brandy or cognac

½ oz crème de menthe

¼ oz. simple syrup (optional)

Chill a rocks glass in the freezer.

Place all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and dry shake for 10 to 15 seconds.

Add ice and shake until chilled.

Strain into the chilled rocks glass and enjoy.

Revitalized by food and their talk, they decide after all to sit with Stingers and watch the dancing a while, under the stars that on this night seem to Harry jewels of a clock that moves with maddening slowness.

Rabbit Is Rich is the third of Updike’s Rabbit Angstrom books, set two decades after the first book. In this story, Rabbit and Janice are living comfortably, having inherited her father’s car dealership and being in a much better financial position. But Rabbit remains unsatisfied about his life choices, and the Stinger is one of his consolations.

The Stinger is traditionally a two-ingredient cocktail, probably dating from the early 1890s. It is composed simply of brandy or cognac and crème de menthe. Some recipes call for simple syrup as well, but these two, most often served with ice, offer enough satisfaction, especially if you use a quality brandy.