Hurricane at the Crossroads

A hurricane glass can be substituted for the vintage gin and tonic glass.

As the story goes, guitarist Robert Johnson transformed into a blues virtuoso with a shocking mastery of the six-string after a few weeks’ unexplained absence. According to myth, Johnson met the Devil at Highway 49 and Highway 61 in Clarksdale, “the crossroads,” where he sold his soul in exchange for talent. His songs elucidating this haunted hook-up include “Cross Road Blues.”

“I was inspired to create our signature cocktail, The Crossroads, by a conversation I had with the owners who often referenced Robert Johnson while saying that they found themselves at the crossroads about names,” says Dina Bohn, sommelier and general manager of the new Whiskey & Vine in Lafayette. “It has five ounces of alcohol, including whiskey and wine, balanced with fresh satsuma juice and fig syrup we make in-house, served in a Libbey 1924 20-ounce gin and tonic glass.”

Proprietors Steven and Patrick O’Bryan, who also own Bon Temps Grill, opened Whiskey & Vine with a retro jazz-age flair to “fill a niche in Lafayette.” Whiskey & Vine emulates an upscale New Orleans jazz club complete with live blues and jazz acts except on Sundays, when brunch is served.

Located in the former Jolie’s Louisiana Bistro, Whiskey & Vine serves chargrilled oysters and bananas Foster, as well as a few New Orleans-style cocktails, Bohn’s carefully curated wines and some of her creatively crafted original libations.

Whiskey & Vine
507 W. Pinhook road
Lafayette
337-534-0662
wvlounge.com

Home Bar

The Crossroads

Shake 3 ounces Landry Vineyard’s Sweet Dixie Muscadine wine, 1 ounce Southern Comfort, ½ ounce strawberry nectar, ½ ounce fresh squeezed satsuma, ½ ounce fig syrup (8 ounces sugar to 8 ounces hot water and ½ cup fig preserves)and 1 ounce lemon juice with ice and strain over fresh ice in glass. Top with 1 ounce high-proof bourbon float (such as Knob Creek or Jim Beam). Garnish with fresh strawberry and satsuma slice.