Splish Splash

Yesterday's cocktail was something monikered The Brainstorm after Albert Einstein, who was born on March 14th. I don't think he had brainstorms, his were more like steady showers that eventually overflowed the pools of his mind.

Anyway it was a pretty simple recipe: Irish whiskey (with the Big Holiday coming), a little sweet vermouth, a little Benedictine. It tasted like a sweet Manhattan. Not bad actually, and the Benedictine lent a nice flavor.

The doses for the vermouth and Benedictine were 1/4 oz each. A fourth of an eighth-cup measurement. You've read my thoughts on anything calling for less than, say, half an ounce. What's the point?

I, of course, being anal retentive and a frustrated mad scientist (as my 5-year-old neighbor said when I asked him if he was a mad scientist, "I"m not a mad scientist; I'm a crazy scientist"), measured it out carefully. But, geez, 1/4 oz is like 1 1/2 teaspoons. More than a dash (who'd want that much bitters in a drink?). Or a squeeze. Why don't they call for a splash ad libitum and be done with it? It doesn't take a rocket scientist (mad or crazy or even old Albert).