Battle of Long Island

The first major battle, and largest, of the American Revolution didn’t go so well for Colonial forces. Fought on Aug. 27, 1776, in the strategic port city of New York, it pitted Gen. George Washington — who’d marched his army there from Boston — against Maj. Gen. William Howe. In this battle, the Brit showed himself to be a more competent tactician.

Outnumbered by 2 to 1, Washington’s troops were easy prey for the British army. The redcoat’s early-morning attack on Aug. 27 proved victorious, driving Washington’s troops from Brooklyn and forcing them to evacuate New York. Washington retreated to Delaware to rebuild the Continental Army, and the city remained under British occupation for the remainder of the war.

PG tested

No one can say for sure who invented this classic, highly alcoholic cocktail. Robert “Rosebud” Butt maintains he created the drink in 1972 for a contest, when he was tending bar at the Oak Beach Inn on Long Island, N.Y. Others say it’s the handiwork of a bootlegger named “Old Man Bishop” who operated from Long Island, Tenn., during Prohibition in the 1920s. Or maybe we can thank a fictional character: A recipe for a LIIT first appeared in print in 1962 in “Betty Crocker’s New Picture Cook Book.”

Serve the cocktail in a highball or hurricane glass, topped with a splash of cola for color. Garnish with a lemon slice. ¾ ounce gin ¾ ounce white rum ¾ ounce silver tequila ¾ ounce vodka ¾ ounce triple sec ½ ounce simple syrup ½ ounce lemon juice Cola 1 lemon wedge, for garnish Fill a highball or hurricane glass with ice and add all the ingredients except the cola. Top with a splash of cola and stir briefly. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Makes 1 cocktail.