absinthe

If hosting a large group of people for a huge Halloween bash, definitely serve a punch to drink. However, if you're having a small group of friends over for a pre-going-out dinner, you'll have the time to make everyone a special signature cocktail. Offer them this tantalizing pink-hued concoction — a deathly mix of tequila, lemon juice, and muddled strawberry. There's no sugar in the drink, so it's not sweet, but rather spicy, thanks to the addition of muddled peppercorns. The secret ingredient is absinthe; it provides a subtle anise flavor. To check out the libation's recipe, keep reading.

One of the most admirable writers in my book was an equally prolific drinker: Ernest Hemingway. I love any excuse to channel him whenever I'm out on the town, whether it's with one of his tried-and-true tipples like the Papa Doblé Daiquiri, or a more contemporary drink such the Scarlet Harlot made with apéritifs, which he loved.

But before this weekend, I'd never tried the one cocktail that Hemingway himself invented. It's named Death in the Afternoon, after his famous nonfiction account of traditional Spanish bullfighting.

Appropriately, the classic cocktail contains little more than champagne with a splash of the most legendary bohemian spirit of all, absinthe. The end result? A strong, stiff drink, perfect for the most tormented of writers. Feeling the need for one yourself? Then read more.

A couple of weeks ago I attended a cocktail pairing dinner hosted by Plymouth gin. Since the pairing of cocktails and food is a growing trend, I wasn't surprised when I was invited to another dinner. This time the spirit of choice was Pernod Absinthe and the evening was an exciting cocktail crawl. We started at Comstock Saloon — a highly anticipated new bar that has yet to open! — and moved on to the Fifth Floor. There, bar master Steven Liles served three stellar drinks paired with three amazing courses. After that the night finished at the famed tiki bar Smuggler's Cove.

To take a closer look at the cocktails and see the fabulous vintage cars that drove the group from location to location, check out my images after the break.

• Must make: inside-out grilled cheese sandwich. — Food Wishes
• Learn the proper technique for shaved asparagus pizza. — Slice
• Slate is putting Cook's Illustrated and Food52's recipes to the test. — Slate
• How to make use of leftover pasta pieces. — The Atlantic
• Can Andrew Zimmern eat normal food? — Feast
• Some San Francisco chefs are fed up with diners' special requests.— Grub Street SF
• A brief history of the feud between Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay. — Eater
• Love absinthe? Here's the traditional method for pouring it.— Huffington Post Food
• The right way to dine with dogs. — Chow

Valentine's Day is over, but that doesn't mean the sexytime fun has to cool down. Jimmyjane's Ember candle ($60) is a hot treat for you, your lovah, or the Oscar Wilde aficionado in your life. It burns like any regular candle, releasing scents of fennel, lemon, fig, and wormwood — the key ingredient of la fée verte. But the paraffin-free, lead-free Ember has a trick hiding up its sleeve. As the flame flickers, it melts the candle into spa-grade massage oil. Snuff the wick, drizzle the oil, and get your massage on. Because you know what they say: absinthe makes the heart grow fonder.