Alaskan Bush Pilot

Happy 2021. Let’s have a drink in salute of all those lost in 2020 and to a new beginning in 2021.

I call this drink the Alaska Bush Pilot because it is my twist on a traditional drink called a Paper Plane. I use mandarin orange juice rather than the traditional lemon juice and it is wonderful.

The Alaska Paper Plane packs a punch in the most delicious way. I love Aperol and all of the varieties of Amaro—(Italian for "bitter") an Italian herbal liqueur that is commonly consumed as an after-dinner digestif. This drink brings the two amaros (Aperol is an Amaro) together with bourbon and citrus. It is one part bouron, one part Aperol, one part Amaro (your choice, there are many), and one part mandarin orange juice.

Gather these ingredients and add them to your drink shaker to make two cocktails.

• 2 ounces bourdon

• 2 ounces Aperol

• 2 ounces Amaro - you get to shop the many options, they are all so good

• 2 ounces fresh mandarin orange juice (or lemon juice)

• a few ice cubes

• drink shaker or measuring cup

Place the ice cubes in your drink shaker. Add all the ingredients. Shake well. Pour into two cocktail glasses (leave the ice in the shaker). Cheers your drinking partner while looking them in the eyes. Enjoy.