Cocktail

Last year, while traveling near the Amazon in Peru, I stayed at a delightful river camp north of Iquitos. Wanting a drink somewhat drier than a Pisco Sour, I created  — with the assistance of the bartender  — the "Anaconda." It is simple but proved most refreshing after my daily jungle treks.

In South America, this cocktail is traditionally made with Pisco, a brandy distilled from Muscat or Mission grapes, bitters, and egg white, a classic ingredient in a number of old-fashioned cocktails that gives drinks a foamy head.

Fruit-filled pitchers of sangría appeared at lots of parties in the '60s, and we ran many recipes for it. Macerating the fruit in a sugar syrup first makes this one particularly flavorful.

Nectarine peel adds tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of the plum wine.

This flavor combination results in an aquavit of a beautiful hue.