My toast to the Scribe box needs a little explanation. If you have experienced the Architecto box, you will no doubt have noticed the immersive, fantastical world it pulls you into as you explore the streets and city ways. Christophe is a big fan of Hayao Miyazaki, and had in mind the classic Ghibli movie Castle in the Sky when he designed Architecto, along with many other influences including Escher’s Relativity. He and I traded some correspondence about our mutual love for Miyazaki’s movies, and my Scribe box came with a little surprise inside, with reference to another Ghibli movie, Kiki’s Delivery Service. Christophe apologized that he was not able to send the parcel via witch and broomstick, this time, but there’s always next time!

I’m sending this little gift of a cocktail creation back to Christophe in exchange, based on another classic Ghibli movie, Porco Rosso. The movie centers around an ex World War I Italian fighter pilot, who chases air pirates across the Adriatic in his signature red jet. Naturally, he has been cursed with a pig’s face. (“I’d rather be a pig than a fascist.”) The cocktail for Porco Rosso had to be bright red, like his jet plane, and the fact that the Campari which lends this hue is also Italian is serendipitously perfect. The drink is a Boulevardier, a Negroni with whiskey instead of gin. I used a phenomenal rye from “Whistle Pig” distillery in Vermont, which completes the story of this red pig. Here’s to the scribes, be their stories written in ink, wood, or wine. Cheers!

The Red Pig

1 oz Whistle Pig rye

1 oz Campari (or other Italian red bitter)

1 oz sweet vermouth

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a swift glass over a clear cube. Porco Rosso garnish, optional.

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