The Godfather

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The Godfather is . . . as simple to make as Fredo was simple-minded. (Admit it: you thought I was going to say "a cocktail you can't refuse

It has just two ingredients: Scotch (preferably blended), and Amaretto, an almond-flavored cordial.
You just need the requisite booze, a mixing glass, a Hawthorne strainer, a Rocks glass, some ice, and a spoon.
Here goes:
Fill the mixing glass 2/3 full with ice.
Add:
2 oz. Scotch
1/4 oz. Amaretto
Briefly stir with a spoon until the booze is well blended and chilled, but not long enough that the ice has time to start diluting the drink...
...which is why, ideally, you should have already taken this step:
Add ice to a Rocks glass, preferably a single, relatively large ice cube (or sphere, as shown in the pic). A larger size slows the rate of dilution.
Strain the booze into the Rocks glass.
And that's it. As quick as shooting Paulie in the back of the head.
You don't need a garnish (in fact, with a Rocks glass you really should never use a garnish); I just added some orange for color. And you can experiment with going a bit heavier on the Amaretto (the recipe I had to memorize in bartending school called for 1 1/4 oz. Scotch and 3/4 oz. Amaretto). Or try single malt Scotch instead of blended: anything that doesn't depart too much from the basic recipe. For instance, you might substitute Vodka for Scotch, but then you'd be making a Godmother. (Sprinkle some pixie dust and you'd have a Fairy Godmother, I suppose.)
I liked the original recipe just fine. Adding more Amaretto gave it too much sweetness, as far as my palate was concerned.
Someday--and that day may never come--I'm going to ask you to make a Godfather. But don't feel you have to wait until I do.

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