Kiss me. Kiss me as if it were the last time.
Casablanca
Rom-com’s are a staple on my TV all year round, but they get a place of honor every year around Valentine’s Day. Whether I’m curling up on the couch with my crush up close, or my dog, Oliver at my feet, a classic love story is the key to any successful romance inspired move night.
Most people’s move night snack of choice is a bucket of popcorn or a bag of pretzels, but if you know me, you can probably guess what I’ll be keeping close at hand.
In my house, no bout of binge-watching is complete without a round (or three) of custom cocktails!
For your viewing and sipping pleasure, I’ve lined up ten timeless tales of amour hand-in-hand with tipples I’ve paired alongside. These cinematic stories showcase the complexities of love, and coming up with cocktails was no less complicated: but alas, nothing good is ever easy.
So get ready to enjoy and imbibe for a truly technicolor V-day or any day in front of the TV with these romantic films and the drinks they inspire!
She had come back into his life like a sudden flame, blazing and streaming into his heart.
The Notebook
The Notebook is a steamy romance set in balmy summertime Charleston. The famous heat of this summer location is immortalized in the classic story of a fiery fling turned forever love. For a true taste of this South Carolinan tale, we’ll need to get into some serious monkey business: a Shoulder Monkey cocktail, that is!
Developed by Charleston’s own Darling Oyster Bar and featuring sweet sage and grilled pineapple, this drink should help beat the heat and your heart!
Of all the gin joints, in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.
Casablanca
If there’s ever been a cinematic love letter to libations, it’s Casablanca. This, one of the most intoxicating love stories ever told, takes place inside a bar that serves as shelter from the storm that was World War II.
Many drinks are featured and feasted upon during the film, but one that has truly stood the test of time is the Laszlo Daiquiri. Spiced rum and fresh lemon brings out all the zest of the sensational story unfolding on your screen!
Rome. By all means, Rome!
Roman Holiday
No other cocktail ingredient conjures Italy to the mind and mouth quite like Campari. Iconic since its invention in 1860, any recipe that includes this appertif is one my Nonna would approve of.
What better partner for Roman Holiday than the Italian getaway in a glass: the Negroni Sbagliatio? Sweet Prosecco takes the place of gin and pairs with the bitter Campari like a match made in heaven – for Rome!
A rigor passed over him, blood rose into his cheeks, his forehead, and there was a steady thumping in his ears. It was first love.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
From New Orleans comes a tale about love, loss, and life like no other. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a thrilling and unique story of unconventional love. The defining obstacle of this story is time, how little of it we have and the ways we struggle to make the most of it. For those reasons, I sought out a New Orleans invention that takes over 10 minutes of shaking . . . lots of time indeed, but like true love, a Ramos Gin Fizz is always worth the wait.
We lead out lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.
Memoirs of a Geisha
Sometimes you can’t judge a book by its cover, but other times you should. In Memoirs of a Geisha, we learn that sometimes beautiful facades belong to the most truly exquisite souls. In keeping with this theme, I settled on a cocktail that looks just as good as it tastes: the Sake Grapefruit.
Sake is a traditionally Japanese alcohol derived from fermented rice with endless pairing possibilities. In this recipe, it is partnered with refreshing grapefruit juice, gin, and ginger, resulting in a pretty pink hue perfect for love!
He smelt of the sun, as if it had seeped deep into his skin, and I found myself inhaling silently, as if he were something delicious.
Me Before You
Why is it that so many of our favorite love stories are like thorned roses? The phrase “beauty is pain” must have seen Me Before You . . . or as I call it, Me Sobbing in Bed. Yeah, that’s one doozy, so it’s only fair that I select a boozy option invented in the story’s setting, London, that implies all the pricklier parts of love.
Like any English cocktail worth its salt, the Bramble‘s base is dry gin, but its secret weapon is sweet blackberry liqueur, creating a cocktail color-match for Clark’s famous red dress!
I wrote our story. A story about a time. A story about a place. A story about the people. But above all things, a story about love. A love that will live forever.
Moulin Rouge
Regarded as one of the most raucous romance films ever made, Moulin Rouge isn’t for the faint of heart. A truly tragic tale set in 1899’s Paris, this film features a score of original arrangements and an unforgettable portrayal of the Bohemian revolution.
It also highlights the heyday of one killer cocktail ingredient: absinthe! Dubbed the “Green Fairy,” this potent spirit has been the centuries-long source of legend for its ability to cause ecstatic hallucinations.
In this drink, the Corpse Reviver No. 2, absinthe is only used as an aromatic rinse (so you won’t be visited by any fiery fantasies). It can even be consumed to remedy a hangover!
Mexico? Hell Jack, you know me. About all the traveling I’ve ever done is around a coffee looking for a handle!
Brokeback Mountain
When two macho cowboys combine forces at a secluded mountain top, the power of their ensuing love changes the course of their straight-laced lives forever. Brokeback will break your heart, but it’s worth the watch if you have enough booze to take the edge off!
Numb the pain of your inevitable distress with a drink strong enough for the task: a Cinnamon Whiskey Coffee Cocktail. Cold brew will keep your eyes peeled to the screen while cinnamon whiskey quells your sadness and your thirst!
Nathaniel: It’s an apple martini, miss.
Giselle: Apple mar-. . . . Oooh! It looks yummy.
Robert: Yeah, be careful. It’s poisonous.
Giselle: You’re joking.
Robert: Yeah. They’ll creep on you though.
Enchanted
This fairytale romance is fun for the whole family, but its cocktail pairing is best kept to the royal elders only! Enchanted is a true comedy of errors featuring a magical soundtrack and setting in New York City. This concrete jungle is a daunting labyrinth for woodland princess Giselle and leads her to her very first sip of love, and libations! When she gets a taste of the irresistible Appletini, we can see this princess potential for cocktail enthusiasm on the horizon.
Who needs affection when I have blind hatred?
10 Things I Hate About You
One of the few happy-endings to grace this list, 10 Things I Hate About Your is the Taming of the Shrew adaptation the world never knew it needed until we heard Heath Ledge croon, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.”
The film features a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, but defies all expectations by launching the legacy-laden careers of its three stars: Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and of course, Heath Ledger himself.
Cinema Sips nailed it with their aptly named Prickly Pair Margarita. Referencing the romantic rivalry of the main characters, this cocktail’s tastes of tequila and prickly pear preserves will put you in the mood for love!
SR
February 17, 2022My favorite is the cinnamon whiskey coffee cocktail!
Stacy Kopper
February 20, 2022The Bramble looks yummy! Had to laugh out loud over the quote from 10 Things I Hate About You.