Clyde and the Cocktail

I messaged Clyde Hutchinson the other day, only to find that he is in town. Here in Tel Aviv. I was so excited that I drove down to say hello. I was rewarded by a parking space (a rare find in Tel Aviv). It was a tight fit, but parkers cannot be choosers.

I met Clyde at Yulia, our favorite haunt by the sea. The proprietor, Micha Sol, was delighted to see us.

We talked about life, parents, Ireland and the Jews. We even had a FB live interview seen by millions:

But as it turns out, Clyde is on a quest. A quest for a cocktail that will bring Ireland and Israel together. A cocktail that will be an expression of peace and friendship. And not tasting too bad.

The Irish contribution was easy enough: Irish whiskey. But what would the condiment to complement the Irish component? Falafel? Tehina? Arak?

Zaatar! That quintessential oregano-like spice of Israel that is an expression of peace, coexistence, and brotherhood. But would it blend?

The result is forever recorded in this video.

In the meantime, I’m calling it “The Clyde”. If you have a better idea, post it in the Padlet here. Who knows, you may win a free cocktail!

Clyde was delighted. Micha was as happy as I’ve ever seen him. After all, how many times is an international cocktail invented at your own restaurant?

But we still had to pay the bill.