21 July 2024
Welcome friends. Last year I met some friends for a roof-top dinner and the Paper Plane was on the cocktail list. I had recently seen a video about it, so I decided to try it. I bought some Amaro and started making it soon after. It became my favorite summer cocktail. A few weeks ago, I was hanging out with a friend on her rooftop deck, and it made me want to share this recipe.
I first heard about the drink from Anders Erickson, who posted a video with the recipe on youTube. I've made minor modifications with the meyer lemon and garnish. I like the recipes that he posts, and I like when he provides the history of the drink. Check him out if you are looking for cocktail inspiration.
Most of these ingredients are things that I already had. I like an Aperol spritz, so I've kept Aperol in my fidge for a few years. I always have lemons in my kitchen, but I prefer the way meyer lemon tastes in this drink. I usually have a bottle of bourbon. I like Buffalo Trace, here, because it has notes of vanilla, honey, and oak. I loved discovering Amaro Nonino, but I can't really describe what it tastes like. I didn't really know about Amaro before I started using it.
I'm one of those people who likes the optimal glass for the drink. When I started making this frequently, I ordered some Nick and Nora glasses. Half of the glasses where broken when the box arrived. I don't have a good track record keeping delicate glassware unbroken, and I realized that I didn't like the shape of the glass. I decided to return them and look for another glass.
Over the Spring, I visited friends in California, and the cocktail that I ordered came in a coupe glass. As I sipped my drink, I realized that I really liked the shape of the glass. It made the drink feel special. I decided that if I was going to add a glass to my barware, it should be a coupe. I found these at Sur la Table from bormioli rocco, but they don't show up anymore when I search their website.
You can shake or stir this drink, but I always make it by stirring. Just take care that it doesn't become too diluted.
6 min. prep time
serves 1
juice the lemon and strain the juice from the seeds and pulp into a glass mixer or shaker.
add the bourbon, Amaro, Aperol, and ice.
stir about a minute to chill, or shake for about 30 seconds to chill.
pour thru a strainer into a glass and garnish with an orange wedge.