For last night's installment of the Whistler's monthly Book Club series, head bartender Paul McGee selected 10 recipes from renowned cocktail expert and historian David Wondrich's latest tome, Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl. While the evening's libations almost without exception registered as delightful, the age-old perils of punch-drinking were nonetheless made manifest by what we understood to be a first (and probably last) for the Logan Square cocktail bar: a Jell-O shot on the menu - and a muscular one even by the standards of the category. Which is certainly not to say we didn't excavate every last crumb of the thing. Dangers indeed. more ›

Perhaps it's a bit perverse, given the recent oscillations of the climate, to post a drink recipe that has the word "cooler" in its name. But it's prime time for apple cider, and why drink it plain when you can drink it spiked? If you liked the Kentucky Holler, you're sure to enjoy the Furnace Creek Cooler. more ›

The holidays mean parties, and (if you're smart) parties mean a punchbowl. As a host, who wants to spend the latter part of the evening rooting around in the pantry trying to figure out how to make a palatable drink from the vodka, peppermint schnapps and diet tonic water that are leftover after the "good stuff" is gone? Not us. No sir, a punchbowl is the way to go. It requires a little setup time, but once it's prepared you can back away and concentrate on mingling. more ›

A party is always a great excuse to get out the punchbowl, and an Oscar party calls for sparking wine. By the end of the evening at least few people will feel like celebrating; and well before the end of the evening the rest of us will feel like drinking. For many years the Weinstein brothers held their Oscar party at the Beverly Hills Trader Vic's. That particular location is not quite the same, alas, but we have a tiki punch recipe straight from the Trader's cookbook that we've made before and loved. We've modified it, boosting its star power. Francis Coppola named his sparkling wine, Sofia Blanc de Blancs, after his daughter. It's light, crisp and refreshing. In other words: perfect for punch. In Chicago it's available at Sam's, Binny's, Cost Plus, and elsewhere. None of the Coppola clan are nominated this year, but surely they'd approve. more ›