Shake with ice, drain, and serve in a martini glass, coupe, or lowball, with or without ice. Garnish with orange peel and/or cocktail cherry.

Regarding the bitters:

In Mrs. Bright’s research, she discovered that the original Vieux Carré recipe called for two shakes of Peychaud’s bitters, and two shakes of Angostura bitters. Mr. Whittlesby, of course, preferred his Monteleone’s Bitters—which are no longer available, likely due to the negative publicity surrounding the poisoning of said bitters. A suitable substitute for the Monteleone’s Bitters would be the more widely available Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters.

However, Mrs. Bright’s personal preference is three to four shakes of cardamom bitters (quite possibly due to her friendship with Dr. Bhatt, and his penchant for chai tea), as she finds it adds a unique, spicy, and warm element to the cocktail.

TEASER

Turn the page for a sneak peek at Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge

MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER

COLLEEN CAMBRIDGE

From fine Bordeaux and freshly baked baguettes to the friendly chatter of the green market, postwar Paris is indulging its appetite for food, and life, once more, as Tabitha Knight, a young American woman, makes friends with chef-in training Julia Child—and finds herself immersed in a murder most unsavory . . .

As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn’t just the City of Light; it’s the city of history, romance, stunning architecture . . . and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who’s fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.

Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia’s studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha’s sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia’s building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she’d met only the night before, at a party given by Julia’s sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too—a knife from Julia’s kitchen.

Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha’s handwriting, was found in the dead woman’s pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight, to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen, to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison . . . or worse.