Toast to "Mythmakers" with a recipe from New England Distilling
Mythmakers: The Art of Winslow Homer and Frederic Remington is in its final week, and our friends at New England Distilling have created a craft cocktail to toast the exhibition and celebrate Thanksgiving, no matter what the holiday looks like for you this year. This recipe is inspired by Winslow Homer’s etching Eight Bells and it’s a drink we’re sure the artist would appreciate as well.
Winslow Homer (United States, 1836–1910), Eight Bells, 1887, etching, 23 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches. Museum purchase with support from the Peggy and Harold Osher Acquisition Fund and partial gift of Mr. and Mrs. Vaughan W. Pratt, 2014.3. Image courtesy of Pillar Digital Imaging.
“When we first announced the opening of New England Distilling in 2011, we talked about our intended product line and that it included a New England style rum. This was around the same time that the PMA was finishing the restoration of Winslow Homer's studio in Prouts Neck and as I recall had recently discovered a sizable stash of empty rum bottles under the floor of the studio. Given Homer's apparent affinity for rum and our recent announcement, the PMA thought it might make for a fun collaboration. They got in touch and very generously offered us the use of either the Eight Bells image or Weatherbeaten. We looked over both images with our graphic designer Ken Murphy and both felt that Eight Bells was a great match for our rum. It's a beautiful etching, has the sailors making their observations and the name has a lot of nautical history. Putting that all together, it was perfect for our label. To me, the PMA means community, they've been incredibly generous throughout the years allowing us to use the Eight Bells image, they've been a place for my family to visit, learn, draw, enjoy, and they've been a place for me and my business to meet others in the local business community.” — Ned Wight, New England Distilling
Homer's Old Fashioned
1-1.5 tsp Earl Grey Simple Syrup
2 dashes Vena's Aromatic Bitter
Lemon zest
Stir ingredients together in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into old fashioned glass with or without ice, wring lemon zest over glass, drop it on in there and enjoy!
Earl Grey Simple Syrup (about 1 cup)
Combine 1 cup each water and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. When the sugar is completely dissolved, take pot off of the stove and steep 1 bag of earl grey for 3-5 minutes. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.