So Josh (a.k.a. @cocktailspirit) did a much more thorough write-up — you should go over and take a look — but I wanted to share the recipe for a cocktail we developed last night at The Cocktail Lab class at Astor Center, led by Jonathan Pogash.  It was mighty tasty.

Pumpkin Pie
1/8 oz. Averna
1 1/2 oz. (ri)1 Rye Whiskey
1/4 oz fresh orange juice
1 barspoon pumpkin puree
1 barspoon maple syrup
1 dash pumpkin pie spice
2 dashes angostura bitters
1 egg white
Dry shake all ingredients first (shake w/ out ice) in a boston shaker.  Then add ice and shake again very well.  Strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

This was actually my second original cocktail.  The first was basically an Aviation Cocktail with the inclusion of muddled concord grapes.

Concord Aviator
6-8 concord grapes
1 barspoon simple syrup
2 ounces London dry gin
½ ounce Maraschino liqueur
½ ounce lemon juice

Muddle the concord grapes and simple syrup in a mixing glass.  Add the remaining ingredients, shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a concord grape.

Photo courtesy of Spirited Cocktails

After staying in Friday night in preparation for the potential 10K on Saturday morning, we made a last-minute call to bail on the run.  A wise choice, in retrospect, as my trip to the gym Saturday morning make me cough something fierce.  Seems to be winding down, though.  The rest of Saturday involved noodles with Matt B., grocery shopping (I seem to have run out of every type of rice at the same time), and relaxing until heading out to Brooklyn for Ethan's birthday shindig. 

Even though I didn't get home dreadfully late, I somehow slept until 12:45 on Sunday — I haven't done that in MONTHS, if not longer!!  I guess my body was trying to tell me something.  When I finally rolled out of bed, I headed down to the New Amsterdam Market and started my day with the gorgeous oysters you see here.  I ran into a million people I knew, including @zacharycohen, @meredithmo, Kara of the Ted & Amy Supper Club, and a few fellow writers from Serious Eats.  The vendors were a sampling of my past food writing:  Rick's Picks, Hudson Valley Fresh, Dickson's, Tom Mylan's the Meat Hook, and of course, the market's organizer.  In addition to the oysters, I ended up with some lamb, milk, ground beef, Smokra, a lobster roll, and some beer/pretzel caramels.  I walked home in an attempt to get some exercise before heading to Henry Public for a cocktail and some marrow bones with Viv and Emilia, then home for Mad Men.  A good weekend, indeed.

As I mentioned a while back, our next Tweetup is slightly more upscale — it's being held at Astor Center, sponsored by Chartreuse, and drinks will be created and served by the lovely ladies of LUPEC NYC.  Tickets (yes, you'll need tickets) are on sale now — hope you can join us on 11/2!  Here are the details from Astor:

This fly-by-night bar is a triple threat: a tasting of Chartreuse and
Chartreuse-inspired cocktails, a fundraiser for LUPEC NYC, and an
opportunity to meet some of the fixtures of the NYC cocktail twitterati!

You MUST purchase tix in advance.  Your
$35 ticket entitles you to two of the drinks created for the event.
Additional tickets will be available on site ($10 a cocktail) should
you want to taste the whole list (you probably will). Snacks will be
served. $5 goes to support the newly formed NYC chapter of LUPEC.

If you're on Twitter, feel free to RSVP here too: http://www.twtvite.com/nuz9ua

Had a good weekend and am finally kicking the plague, although I have a lingering cough.  Dinner at Kanoyama on Friday night, a trip to the schvitz on Saturday, cocktails and karaoke Saturday night, brunch at Prime Meats on Sunday, followed by Where the Wild Things are.  I also finally pulled out the sweaters and scarves, which were definitely needed.

Still on the hunt for this in poster form.  Let me know if you find it!  It first crossed my path at Hearth several years ago.  Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to checking out Marco Canora's Salt to Taste, which is now available.  Also thinking this is the perfect weekend to simmer up some stew, potentially Marcella's lamb and white bean.  Yum. 

Over the course of this weekend, I have committed the following sins and/or engaged in the following sinful behaviors:

– I have openly mocked the gaudy McMansions we passed on our 50-mile bike ride.

– I ate all kinds of pork and shellfish, including oysters at the Stone Street Oyster Fest, Momofuku pork buns, and Flying Pigs Farm bacon (not in one sitting, however).

– Gluttony: late night snacks at Blue Ribbon, several cocktails at the LUPEC NYC Avon breast cancer walk fundraiser at Death & Co.

– Sloth: an entire portion of a day watching a Mad Men marathon.

– Denial: ate a Choinkwich from the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck on Yom Kippur.

And finally, atonement — bought a new scale today.  Happy New Year, all!