There it was, obscured among the bons mots and fusty recipes of Charles Mahoney’s Hoffman House Bartender’s Guide: the Celery Cocktail. A holdover from the days when mixed drinks were as likely to be carried on a hunting expedition as they were to be quaffed at a swank bar like New York’s Hoffman House Tavern, this vintage roborant’s active ingredient, celery bitters, has sadly been long lost. But modern imbibers need not be denied their fix. We proudly present a modernized version: a mash-up of celery, fresh lime juice and vodka, topped off with chilled soda. Cool, quaffable and quixotically jade in colour, this is your new hair of the dog. (After all, haven’t we killed enough Caesars?)

Celery Sipper

• 1 ⁄ 2 cup celery, diced
• 1 ⁄ 2 tsp simple syrup
• 1 dash fresh lime juice
• 2 oz ( 60 ml ) vodka
• soda

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the celery, simple syrup and lime juice. Top the shaker up with ice and add vodka, then shake and strain into a highball glass. Top off with cold soda.

Simple Syrup
Combine two cups of white sugar and one cup of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.

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Chris Stearns is one of Canada’s best mixologists. You can sample his wares at Decca 77 in Montreal and reach him at cstearns@enroutemag.net.