I’ve been thinking a lot about Van Gogh recently. This might be because I recently watched the episode of Scandal where the team is mailed a disembodied ear. It also could have to do with the beautiful white van in my neighborhood lined with Van Gogh-esque sunflower curtains. I call it “Van Go”. It’s elusive, and beautiful—much like a white Bengal tiger.

My birthday is coming up next week, and I want to throw a party. Like every good host, I plan on supplying a drink-of-the-night, and it (naturally) should be art themed. I queried Google for the usual suspects:
“Frida Kahlo drinks” -all of them use tequila—NOPE!
"Marina Abramovic drinks” -only water… next
“Jackson Pollock drinks” - spray drink down white shirt… accurate, but unhelpful.

I closed out of my browser disheartened. What was a birthday boy to do? With Van Gogh on my mind and Van Go on my block, I decided to look into make my own cocktail. Three hours and a few trips to the grocery store later, I think I finally have it down. Without further ado, I present to you The Starry Nightcap—

Ingredients (for 2 servings)
1 ½  Lemons
1 Lime
50 ml of Blue Curaçao
75 ml of brandy

The first step is to get a star-shaped ice cube tray. I have two in my freezer, if you would like to borrow one. Clean out any residual ice in the tray, and fill the molds with straight lemon juice—one lemon should be enough.

Next, grab your Blue Curaçao and brandy. Pictured above is the brand I purchased at the local Vietnamese shop down the street, but any supermarket variety should work fine. The brandy is likewise—nothing too fussy or fancy. The last time I drank Blue Curaçao and brandy was part of a mixed drink called “Purple Rain” at my friends’ Prince-themed party. The night ended with the host performing a strip-tease with the refrigerator; I can only imagine what this means for my birthday party.

Anyway! Mix 75 ml of brandy with 50 ml of Blue Curaçao in a pitcher, or a glass with a spout. On top of the mix, whisk in the juice of one lime and half a lemon. This might change the color of the mix to a dark, deep emerald. At this point, mix in more of the Blue Curaçao. With a few short whirls, your mix is done!

Run to your freezers! Get your ice cubes! It’s almost time to drink!

Grab two glasses and pop two or three stars into each. Then, distribute the liquor mix between the two glasses. Or, if you’re like me, pour all the alcohol into one glass, and chug it while whispering the lyrics of “Happy Birthday” to yourself and eating a falafel.

As always, remember to drink responsibly and make wise choices. Be warned that The Starry Nightcap is fairly strong, and it might not be too soon before you're Van Goghing, Van Goghing, Van GONE!