“Ratched”
+ a Kombucha-Vodka Highball Cocktail

Words by

Cory Ohlendorf

Photography by

Courtesy

Published

September 18, 2020

I’ll be honest, I’m not sure if Ratched, Netflix’s prequel to the classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest will be great—or even all that good. The reviews of the showe have been a bit spotty. Entertainment Weekly says the series, set in postwar California, is definitely good looking (nurses wear bright turquoise and a dangerous inmate gets stashed in a converted wine cellar), but it ultimately goes off the deep end.

Fans of Ryan Murphy productions will no doubt recognize the familiar, all-star cast headlined by Sarah Paulson playing the sadistic nurse and femme fatale. According to Rolling Stone, there are some good Hitchcockian vibes but overall, "the show is a bunch of disparate influences thrown together." But I'm a sucker for old cars and good costumes. Plus, it will no doubt offer a wild escape from our current reality, so I'll definitely give it a try this weekend.

Your Pairing:

What do you pair with a psychological series that takes place in a mental institution? Something medicinal, right? Well, this cocktail does your body good because it's made with kombucha. The fermented tea beverage is a beloved elixir that helps maintain a healthy digestive tract and liver. So Bon Appétit suggests adding some booze to it and whipping up a potent vodka highball. You can use any ginger-flavored kombucha, but they recommend G.T.'s, which happens to be one of my personal favorites.

Make it »

The Smart Way
to Start Your Day

The Daily Valet. is your cheat sheet to what's happening, what's cool and what's making headlines. It's your secret to being the most interesting man in the room.