A dear friend of mine has launched an exciting new venture – The Pharmacie.  It’s a roving, invite-only cocktail party that celebrates cocktail culture with music-drenched, spirit-themed evenings (ie. a bourbon only night or a vodka only evening… you get the idea) filled with fresh herbs from local farmer’s markets and fancy drink accoutrement like brandied cherries.  Read below to see what the LA Times has to say:

The Pharmacie, a series of roving, invite-only cocktail parties (more underground than even the Roger Room?), kicked off last Sunday evening. Each soiree focuses on a different spirit featured in a few cocktails. This time, after an aperitif of Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, a couple of bourbon tinctures were served – a New-Fashioned (bourbon, kumquat and cherry syrups, and bitters) and a Blackberry Julep (bourbon, blackberries and mint) – with one rye sour cocktail thrown into the mix. And that’s the one that slayed me. It’s called the Buster Brown, with rye whiskey, house-made sour mix, a few dashes of bitters and one (or two) of those Luxardo cherries slightly candied with Marasca syrup (which will cost you about $16 a jar – worth it as long as you don’t eat the whole jar at once).

The Pharmacie was willing to part with the recipe. Please see the jump.

– Betty Hallock

Photo: Pornchai Mittongtare / For The Times

Buster Brown

Note: From the Pharmacie. To make simple syrup, combine equal amounts of sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Rittenhouse rye and Fee Bros. whiskey barrel-aged bitters are available at fine liquor stores. Luxardo cherries are available at Silverlake Wine and Bar Keeper in Silver Lake.

Sour mix

5 ounces fresh lemon juice
1 ounce fresh lime juice
6 ounces simple syrup (use less if you like it a little more tangy)

In a small container, combine the lemon juice, lime juice and simple syrup. If not using right away, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a few days (with the sugar, it is more stable than pure juice). Makes enough for four cocktails.

Cocktail assembly (one cocktail)

2 ounces Rittenhouse rye
3 ounces sour mixture
4 dashes Fee Bros. whiskey barrel-aged bitters
2 Luxardo brandied cherries

Pour the rye and sour mixture over ice in a cocktail shaker. Give it a few vigorous shakes, then pour (with ice) into an old-fashioned glass. Add 4 dashes of bitters and stir. Garnish with brandied cherries.