Cocktails with a Curator: Vermeer's "Mistress and Maid"

In this week’s episode of Cocktails with a Curator, Curator Aimee Ng pulls back the curtain on hidden details in Mistress and Maid, the largest of the Frick’s three Vermeer paintings and Henry Clay Frick’s final acquisition for his collection. Take a closer look at the rumpled tablecloth, the lady’s wispy curls, and the dark background to understand how this mysterious work has changed since Vermeer applied paint to canvas in the mid-17th century. For this week’s complementary cocktail, the Genever Brûlée, Aimee has dipped into the bottle of genever she featured in her summer episode on Vermeer’s Officer and Laughing Girl. 

Cocktail Recipe

Genever Brûlée
2 oz genever
1 teaspoon brown sugar
A few dashes of classic bitters
A dash of orange bitters
A splash of sparkling water
Garnished with a caramelized orange slice

Audiences under 21 are encouraged to join with a non-alcoholic drink.

Mocktail

Juice of half an orange
2 dashes orange blossom water
A splash of sparkling water
Garnished with a caramelized orange slice