Cocktail

The Backstage bar, a rough and ready little liquor-laced hideaway that calls itself "the best dive bar in the world," is known as the oldest bar in Culver City and celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Across the street from Sony Pictures Studios, it has the distinction of being the watering hole of choice for the notoriously rowdy Munchkins during the filming of "The Wizard of Oz. " It's not a fancy mixology bar, but the drinks are good, strong and low-priced, and head bartender Steve Chen will mix up whatever poison you happen to name, even if he has to make it up. That's how Chen invented a nifty refresher called the AFF, a bestseller at the Backstage and its sister bar Mom's, which recently opened in the old Del's Saloon space on Santa Monica Boulevard and Bundy Drive.

Sometimes a cocktail is as good as a meal. That's certainly the case with a big, bold summer drink called the Horchata Colada. Created by Paul Sofsky for the new Mexican restaurant El Corazon de Costa Mesa at the Triangle in Costa Mesa, the concoction serves up gooey pineapple chunks in a creamy base of smooth coconut rum, tangy lime and spiced horchata rice milk. The rim of the glass is an experiment in layering with crushed pretzels clinging to a sticky layer of sweet caramel sauce.

  PapÃ?Â?Ã?­ Pera cocktail PapÃ?Â?Ã?­ Pera Total time: 12 minutes, plus steeping time for the syrup Servings: 1 Note: Adapted from Alex Day Cinnamon syrup 4 (3 ounces) cinnamon sticks 1 cup water 1 cup sugar Muddle the cinnamon sticks until broken. In a saucepan, combine the cinnamon, water and sugar, and bring just to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, remove from heat and cover. Set aside for at least 3 hours to cool and allow the flavor to develop.

When he died, Michael Jackson had a cocktail of anti-depressant and mood drugs in his system as well as a level of the anesthetic propofol typical of a patient undergoing major surgery. The revelation came during testimony Monday in the lawsuit Jackson's mother and children have filed against AEG, the entertainment giant that was promoting the singer's comeback concert series in London when he died. Dr. Christopher Rogers, the Los Angeles County deputy medical examiner, testified that after toxicology tests found Jackson had used propofol, he consulted with an anesthesiologist.

  Cocktail cubes Total time: 10 minutes, plus freezing time Servings: 20 skewers Note: Adapted from "On a Stick!" by Matt Armendariz. He recommends using cocktail picks for this dish. Our recipes, your kitchen: If you try this or any other recipe from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen, we would like to know about it so we can showcase it on our food blog and occasionally in print. Upload pictures of the finished dish here. About 1/3 cup blackberries About 1/3 cup blueberries About 1/3 cup raspberries About 2 cups fruit juice, flavor of your choice 1. Into each section of an ice cube tray, place assorted berries, then fill with fruit juice.

Persimmon Champagne cocktail Total time: 20 minutes, plus cooling time for the syrup Servings: 1 Note: Adapted from Jason Schiffer, 320 Main. Persimmon syrup 1 ripe Fuyu persimmon, cut into ½-inch cubes 1/2 cup water Fresh grated nutmeg 1 sprig rosemary 1 cup brown sugar In a medium saucepan heated over medium heat, cook the persimmon until the pieces caramelize, 5 to 10 minutes. (The persimmons may stick to the bottom of the pan. Gently scrape them from the pan, and continue to stir to keep them from burning.)

It's awards season and the Golden Globes are right around the corner. On Sunday, the Beverly Hilton will sparkle with stars and become impossible to infiltrate, unless you somehow have a room. But fret not, the hotel's iconic Trader Vic's tiki lounge has shared the recipe for its Scorpion cocktail. So why not mix up a few of these formidably strong libations while you watch the Globes? Consisting of tart lemon juice and sweet orange juice, and spiked liberally with light rum and brandy, the drink will transport you to the Polynesian tropics (where perhaps you'll find Jon Hamm lounging in a loincloth.

Dear SOS: I just had the best cocktail of my life last night at the Tasting Kitchen in Venice. It was called the Braveheart - an off-the-menu scotch drink with ginger and lemon. Any chance you could find out the recipe? Jean Kim Los Angeles Dear Jean: A touch of fresh lemon and ginger juice give a subtle tang to blended scotch in this wonderful concoction, sweetened with just a hint of honey. I'll definitely be making this one again. Tasting Kitchen's Braveheart Total time: 5 minutes Servings: 1 cocktail Note: Adapted from Tasting Kitchen.

A.O.C., the small-plates restaurant concept by Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne, recently moved to a lovely spot on 3rd Street in what was formerly Il Covo. The restaurant has long been known for its impeccable wine list, but it now has a full bar with cocktails by talented barman Christiaan Rollich. Rollich, who could easily be called a bar chef, is devoted to using the freshest farmers market ingredients in his drinks, often heading to the kitchen to weave in ever more culinary aspects to their execution.

If you've never seen a cherimoya before, it may look a little odd at first -- like a large, leathery egg. But slice into the green skin of this tropical fruit and you find that cherimoyas have wonderfully fragrant, almost custard-like flesh. The fruit, known as a "custard apple" in Britain, can be eaten raw or cooked -- simply scoop out the flesh, remove the seeds and use as desired. PHOTOS: Recipes and tips for using cherimoya To choose fresh cherimoyas, look for fruit that is firm and heavy for its size (size doesn't matter -- fruit ranging from small to large can be equally good)

A slew of Gatsby-related garb and gear is roaring into stores and onto websites. Besides the Brooks Bros. collection (see accompanying story), here are just a few other stylish options for the Daisy crazy - or anyone else feeling gung-ho for the new film: DRINKS Moët & Chandon is one of the movie's official partners, delving into its archives to ensure that all the bubbly being poured on the silver screen was from bottles bearing historically accurate...

Former Le Cirque and Citrus chef Rémi Lauvand has landed in downtown L.A. at a sleek new restaurant called Le Ka. For his head mixologist, the acclaimed French chef (who is cooking food from all over the world at Le Ka) has chosen South Carolina native Andrew Parish. Parish is all about expanding the relationship between food and drink, often incorporating the former into the latter. Take for example his hot banana buttered rum, which employs rich butter and mashed bananas in the service of creating a mouth-watering hot cocktail that feels very much like a meal.

The bendy brilliance attained by practicing yoga has become a treasure sought after by many Americans. Hindu monks brought the 5,000-year-old practice to the West in the late 19th century, and by the mid-1980s, yoga was heralded as a way to cultivate strength, mindfulness and calm. And as yoga has gained popularity, newfangled ways of practicing have emerged. Love the ocean? Had a few too many Appletinis last night? Want to be surrounded by "bro" energy? There's a class for you. It seems only natural that people who practice yoga will combine it with other interests.

In honor of Meatless Monday, we're highlighting dishes that celebrate vegetables. During Monday morning's #Weekendeats chat on Twitter, many participants shared photos and recipes of their veggie dishes, with a couple of pictures of libations thrown in. Here are the highlights: Shulie Madnick from the blog FoodWanderings.com shared a recipe she got from Bon Appetit magazine for cauliflower steaks with capers, anchovy and raisins , which she...

No matter what time you're reading this, it's happy hour somewhere. Two spring books are charming guides to the art of cocktails and the origins of intoxicating elixirs. In "The Drunken Botanist: The Plants that Create The World's Great Drinks" (Algonquin, $20) Amy Stewart, author of the bestselling "Wicked Plants," introduces us to the building blocks of booze while showing us how to make our own. She's also written the introduction to "Shake 'Em Up: A Practical Handbook of Polite Drinking" (Tin House Books, $17)

"Game of Thrones" Season Three premieres Sunday. Have you planned the viewing party yet? We're here to help with some cocktails inspired by the series. Try The Winterfell. It's a beer-based cocktail, rounded out with apple  brandy, maple syrup and a touch of amaretto. Perfect for colder weather, even if you're not pondering guarding The Wall. Or go for Mother of Dragons. It may not look like much at first -- the scent of elderflower dominates --  but this concoction packs a punch.