Welcome to the Avocado Cocktail Week! Tonight’s drink is the Russian Bear.
Variations of the “Russian” cocktail have been served since before 1930, when the first was listed in The Savoy Cocktail Book; though they are named after the home country of the primary ingredient: vodka.
The Black Russian – made with the addition of coffee liqueur – is said to have been created by Belgian barman Gustav Tops at the Hotel Metropole in Brussels in 1949 for Perle Mesta, the American ambassador to Luxembourg.
The White Russian, of course, has it’s place in pop-culture history thanks to The Big Lebowski, though the recipe – vodka, Kahlua, and cream – was first published in the Oakland Tribune way back in 1965.
The Russian Bear is the middle child between the Black and White variations, sweetening the alcohol with creme de cacao, cream and sugar.
The Russian Bear:
1 ounce vodka
1 & ½ ounces cream
¼ ounce brown crème de cacao (or chocolate liqueur)
½ teaspoon powdered sugar
Shake over ice cubes in a shaker, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.