I’m incessantly pairing potions with intriguingly perplexing puzzles. I selected something decadent and indulgent to compliment this intensely pesky phone. This cocktail should be sipped slowly for desert, perhaps to relax you after a long day of arguing with the phone company and getting absolutely nowhere. The “Chadburn” is a delectable combination of tawny port, aged rum, pear liqueur and chocolate bitters which is rich and rewarding. It was created by Martin Cate, the proprietor of Smuggler’s Cove, the landmark tiki bar in San Francisco which helped fuel the recent tiki renaissance. The drink is named after the Chadburn telegraph, the onboard nautical communications dial which was utilized in the 19^th century by the ship’s pilot to send messages to the engine room. Its classic and old fashioned look often remains intact even on modern devices which house state of the art communications. It seems a perfect compliment to the old fashioned “SMS” telephone puzzle box – and it’s a much easier solution, one you can stir right up. I’ll be sipping one and toasting my friends across the globe as I continue to “interrogate possible ploys” on this wooden phone. Cheers!

The Chadburn
by Martin Cate (featured in his excellent book, Smuggler’s Cove):

½ oz tawny port

½ oz pear liqueur

2 oz aged rum

6 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Chocolate Mole Bitters

Stir ingredients over ice and strain into a favorite glass.

For more information about the telephone box and to read the full article see:

Boxes and Booze: Long Distance Call