Sunshine-filled weekends may be numbered for New Yorkers as Labor Day swiftly approaches, but there are still cocktails to be had at Highway Restaurant and Bar in East Hampton—which, by the way, is open year round. Mark Noonan from NYC’s buzzed-about NoMad Bar is the bartender behind Highway’s cocktail program, which takes inspiration from the East End. Drinks like the Georgica Cooler and Hot on the Highway are obvious nods to the region, while the Captain Cooper gets its name from a lesser known—and highly interesting—Hamptons personality of old.
“The Captain Cooper is inspired by Mercator Cooper, a very famous captain who sailed out of Sag Harbor in the 1800s. He’s credited as being the first sailor to set foot on Antarctica,” says Noonan. “The drink is just as icy and made with fresh local peaches and strawberries in honor of the Captain. This is the perfect way to end the day…the captain’s way.”
Get the recipe for this fruity concoction below.
CAPTAIN COOPER
.75 oz. Pureed peach
1 oz. Strawberries
2 oz. Breckenridge Bourbon
.75 Ginger syrup
Muddle the pureed peach and strawberries in a mixing glass. Add bourbon and ginger syrup. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a strawberry slice.
