Sweltering summer months are just around the corner, and there are few flavors that scream “refreshment” like the sweet and tangy shades of citrus. Most classic summer beverages — like lemonade, limeade, or iced teas brightened with a generous squeeze of lemon — incorporate citrus in some way, and let’s not forget the intense satisfaction of spending a scorching afternoon sipping margaritas by the pool. Or the TV. Or the bucketful.
Sometimes a bar mistake can be a beautiful thing A little imagination and a willingness to experiment can transform a potential disaster into a culinary triumph. Need proof? How about famous “oops” moments such as chocolate-chip cookies, ice-cream cones, and the microwave? And plenty of classic cocktails were purportedly created when bartenders ran out of specific ingredients and made heat-of-the-moment substitutions. The mark of a seasoned beverage professional is the ability to think creatively and use slip-ups to his or her advantage. Risky, sure, but sometimes downright fantastic. A faulty soda machine was the inspiration for the Broken Machine ($10.50) at the Beehive (541 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.423.0069). Legend has it that a server went to fill a glass with Coke and got nothing but syrup out of the fountain. Quick-thinking bartenders added the syrup to dark rum, topped it with ginger beer, and voilà — enter a twist on a classic that kicks it up with spicy panache. It’s a great gateway cocktail for people who love rum and Cokes and Dark and Stormys but are looking for a change.
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