Top Five

“If you go to Atlanta, the first question people ask you is, "What's your business?" In Macon they ask, "Where do you go to church?" In Augusta they ask your grandmother's maiden name. But in Savannah the first question people ask you is "What would you like to drink?”

― John Berendt, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Being a Georgia girl, a Maconite in particular, that quote really resonates with me. Though it rings true of my hometown, I can also say it inspires me to reach for that connection and hospitality that sharing a cocktail can ignite. What would you like to drink? Simple and hospitable, yet at times, stressful. Stressful when the bartender is looking at you with an expectant gaze. The clamor of patrons laughing and drinking all around you fills your head and prevents the clarity of thought. All day has been building to this moment of libation and relief yet here you stand, frozen.

I have been there, more times than I care to admit. For that reason I resolved years ago to develop a little list of standbys. A short list of cocktails I always enjoy and can commit to memory for easy access in a moment of panic. What’s your name? Rachelle. Where are you from? Macon, Georgia. What would you like to drink? A gimlet. It may sound silly, but it works.

So for this Spring’s Top Five, I asked some sirens with the best taste around to share their favorite cocktail recipes with us. Some are classic, others are original, all are delicious. Though there are several spirits featured, gin is clearly dominating. Give them a try, and who knows? Perhaps you will discover a new favorite.