We’re back in Texas again after a few weeks of setting sail
via the Southern Cross and the high seas.
It’s good to be on dry land again!
You might think things are cooling off a bit as fall quickly approaches,
but it’s still hot here in Texas! Let’s
ignore the weather and explore some local “cool” anyway. Last year around this time, following on the
heels of the International Puzzle Party, Houstonians Robert Sandfield and
Kathleen Malcolmson hosted their annual fall party, where I created the “Puzzle
Box No. 2” cocktail and wrote about Malcolmson’s beautiful Japanese style box
of the same name. Also known as the “16
move puzzle box”, it features gorgeous contrasting waves of wood and a tricky
locking pin device added to the more traditional sliding panel movements. Robert Sandfield and his brother Norman are
also well known for their “dovetail” puzzle designs which feature “impossible”
dovetail joints at all edges, making the construction appear all but
impossible. To create these wooden illusions
requires woodworking master precision, and luckily the Sandfields have been
able to collaborate with Kathleen Malcolmson and Perry McDaniel, two incredible Texan woodworking artists, over the years.
ReBanded Dovetail by Robert Sandfield and Kathleen Malcolmson |
As another tribute to my puzzling neighbors and just in time for this year's gathering, I present a few
more of their beautiful creations. The
Sandfield’s ReBanded Dovetail was their IPP 32 exchange puzzle in 2012. Designed by Robert and Kathleen and crafted
by Kathleen from light baltic birch plywood, walnut and lacewood, these little
boxes feature a double dovetail on the ends and are wrapped tightly with double
bands of shimmering lacewood. They are a
follow-up to the original Banded Dovetail box exchanged at IPP 29. Robert felt that the original version, which
Kathleen ironically mentions was harder to make, was a little easier to solve than he
wanted (which reportedly meant that some people were able to solve it too quickly!).
Lovely lacewood lends luster |
So of course he designed this version, which
has a completely new mechanism and adds a few extra steps. Like the original, there is a coin hidden
inside to discover. I’m taking a bit of
puzzle box liberty to call this a “box” but it does have a storage compartment
inside for the coin, which counts in my book.
The ReBanded Dovetail is an expertly crafted little beauty and really
fun to explore. Like all of Robert’s
designs, it disguises its secrets well, plays with your assumptions and makes
you discover each step in turn.
A triple layer-cake ... but how!?! |
The Three-Layer-Double-Dovetail (TLDD) was Robert Sandfield’s
exchange puzzle in 2014. This small box
was a collaboration by all three friends – Sandfield, McDaniel and
Malcolmson. It exemplifies the
impossible dovetail concept – all four sides have a dovetail joint (how is that
possible?!?). The TLDD takes things a
bit further by contrasting lovely dark Honduran Mohagony with light Primavera
wood to create a triple layered effect.
When the box is opened you can inspect that middle layer, and truly
marvel at Kathleen’s remarkable craftsmanship.
There’s even a gift waiting for you in the tiny space inside – Robert
doesn’t like people to leave empty handed.
It’s another wonderful work of art from this group of talented Texans!
Last year’s “Puzzle Box No 2” cocktail made mention of
another drink called the “Dovetail”, but mostly owed its existence to the New
York Sour, a favorite classic. With all
these impossible dovetailed details on display this year, I thought we should
revisit the Dovetail cocktail for its own merit. A modern drink created at the Bradstreet
Craftshouse in Minneapolis, the Dovetail combines orange liqueur (originally
with Grand Marnier), grapefruit and lemon juices, and orange bitters. Grapefruit are coming into season here in
Texas as well, where the Rio Star are the reddest, sweetest variety in the
world, so it dovetails nicely.
The Dovetail adapted from Bradstreet Craftshouse |
I’m more partial
to a less sweet cocktail, so used Pierre Ferrand’s Dry Curacao (rather than the
sweeter Grand Marnier), a modern recreation of the “old style” of French
curacao found in the 19th century and made in the “ancient method”. This involves using a base spirit of grape
brandy, and a subtle technique known as mise en value (“enhancing”) in which unnoticed background
flavors are used to bring out the main flavor (in this case, orange). These mystery ingredients, such as sun-dried
walnut skins, grilled almonds, and prunes, are aged in cognac before being
added to the mix to create the orange “essence”. The flavor is just right and fantastic when
trying to experience how classic old cocktails might have tasted in their
hey-day. Perhaps I like this orange liqueur even more due to the description of
this process by Alexandre Gabriel, the owner of Pierre Ferrand: "You don't
taste the puzzle, but the orange in its whole." Here’s a Texas toast to these delightful
dovetails. Cheers ya’ll!
These delights dovetail nicely! |
Dovetail (adapted from Bradstreet Craftshouse):
2 oz orange liqueur (such as Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao)
1 1/2 oz fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
3 generous dashes of orange bitters
grapefruit twist garnish
Shake ingredients together over ice and staring into a favorite glass. Express grapefruit and garnish.
For Kathleen Malcolmson's 16-move puzzle box see:
For another talented Texan see:
For more cocktails with orange curacao see;
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