Cocktails of the Resistance: The Fourteenth

A toast to the promise that being born here means you belong here.

The 14th Amendment, in part, says:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”

This single sentence, ratified in 1868, is the legal foundation for birthright citizenship in the United States.

With that in mind, and now with this fundamental right in danger, here’s our cocktail this week

THE FOURTEENTH

• 2 oz bourbon

• ½ oz fresh lime juice

• ½ oz orgeat (almond syrup)

• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a mint sprig and cherry.

Bourbon grounds this drink in American soil – there is no spirit more American than bourbon whiskey. Orgeat adds the immigrant influence that defines our nation. Variations of orgeat syrup are used all over the world – from Europe, to the Middle East and Africa. A bit of lime gives it a sharp edge – just a small reminder that rights aren’t self-enforcing. And finally, a dash of bitters for the long, bitter (and continuing) fight to make the 14th Amendment real for everyone.

So a toast to birthright citizenship. A toast to belonging.