Dear Mr. Grant

“Hi Guys!”   I’ve recently been doing a rewatch of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Mary Richards has a set of glasses that looked just like this. I absolutely love this style of glass- as I mentioned with my tiny blue one for Smashing The Plates. I was originally hoping to find a full set but when I found this single glass at Philly Aids Thrift, I scooped it up.  And of course I needed to make a drink inspired by the show.  Scotch is her supervisor Lou Grant’s spirit of choice and scotch and sodas seem to be a major recurring drink, so I decided to use that as a base but wasn’t sure where else to go and ended up stalling on the drink for a couple months.  Just recently I watched the episode “A Reliable Source” during which Mary takes a stand against a slanderous news story and leaves the studio to write her resignation letter.  She has trouble writing it because she isn’t sure if she should start with “Dear Mr. Grant” (a sign of respect for her dear friend and colleague) or “Dear Lou” (to express her anger).  Lou shows up at her apartment to change her mind and gives her a bottle of champagne.  She offers him some and he says he doesn't like champagne and only brought it because “you’re not the type of girl a guy brings a bottle of gin to”.  At the very moment I heard this line I was drinking champagne I’d used for a previous drink and I thought why not try replacing the soda from a scotch and soda with champagne. I mixed the two up and it was a nice flavor but I wanted to add something to make it more complex but still sweet, just like Mary Tyler Moore and Mary Richards.  After a couple of failed attempts, I added Grand Marnier and cherry liqueur and the cocktail was perfect.  This drink is both as strong and delightful as Mary herself and after a few of these you’ll be spinning around and throwing your crochet beret in the air.  We’re gonna make it after all!