Oscars 2014: Cocktails to pair with Best Picture nominations

By Jessica Yadegaran for The Mercury News

"American Hustle"

For director David O. Russell's fictional tale of scams and sting operations, Stephen Shelton and Jimmy Marino of Los Gatos' The Lexington House created the Wallbanger's Hustle, a contemporary version of the Galliano-based Harvey Wallbanger. 

"That was a quintessential cocktail in the '70s, and so fitting for this movie," Marino says. 

Shelton, in particular, felt that the Harvey Wallbanger was a decent drink with an unfortunately bad rap (like some would-be con men). The bar masters reinvented the recipe, breaking down and replacing the flavor profile of Galliano with a combination of Becherovka, a Czech liquor that tastes like "Christmas in liquid form"; St. George's Absinthe Verte for its anise notes; and Licor 43, a Spanish vanilla liquor. 

"We kept the orange juice but cut it down, so this is a boozier, modern take," Marino says. Try it with fish tacos topped with a spicy fruit salsa.

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