A French kiss. Photo: LeNell Smothers.

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things -- most recently, the proprietress of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label called Red Hook Rye and been recognized by her home state as an honorary Colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

"How about a French Kiss?" I love to ask my dinner guests.

That usually gets someone's attention. One of the simplest, yet most delicious concoctions one can make to start off a party is a mixture of sweet and dry vermouths called a French Kiss. Vermouth is a classic ingredient in many aperitif cocktails, but many folks don't realize it's actually quite delicious just on its own with a few ice cubes.

If you are ever looking through old cocktail books and see "French" vermouth listed, it means dry vermouth. "Italian" in old books means the sweet version. (My mnemonic secret to help me remember which is which is to think of a "Dry-fel" Tower.)

French Kiss recipe after the jump.

The French Kiss is a great way to prepare your palate for the dinner ahead. If you don't feel sassy enough to ask your guests if they'd like a French Kiss, ask them, "Would you like a pre-prandial libation?" That simply means, "Do you want a drink before dinner?" but sounds so much more sophisticated, doesn't it?

Remember to always use fresh vermouth. Vermouth is a wine based product and will go bad once contact with air is made. You can help your bottle stay fresher by pumping the air out of it with a Vacu Vin and storing it in the fridge. If you don't typically drink a lot of vermouth, start out with a smaller size like 375 ml. I think once you have been turned on by a French Kiss, however, you will not need to preserve those bottles for too long.

Mix equal parts sweet and dry vermouths over ice in any glass that strikes your fancy. I like to add in a twist of lemon peel or perhaps orange peel. Sometimes for a little fruitier touch I'll add a slice of orange or lemon, or even both.

Recipe: A French Kiss.
Makes One.

2 ounces sweet vermouth
2 ounces dry vermouth
Lemon peel

Pour the vermouths over ice in an old fashioned glass or small wineglass. Stir for a few seconds. Twist your peel over the top and drop in.