10/20/2022

Bonnie + Clyde Cocktail: The People Behind the Name | Bank+Vine

At Bank+Vine, we pride ourselves on serving a variety of unique and innovative cocktails. With a trained Sommelier and mixologist managing the bar, it’s safe to say that you won’t find similar drinks anywhere else in the Wyoming Valley. One of our favorite cocktails is our Bonnie + Clyde, which is crafted with Hussong’s Tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, fresh watermelon juice, and simple syrup. Served in a cayenne and paprika rimmed glass, our cocktail is topped with fresh basil. This sweet yet spicy drink is named after quite the infamous duo: Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.

Bonnie + Clyde’s Story

While our cocktail is sweet with a little bit of spice, Bonnie and Clyde were anything but. The pair first met in January 1930, while Bonnie was married to Roy Thornton. Though married, Bonnie had not seen her husband in over a year due to his run-ins with the law; little did she know that she would never see him again. Though the couple was no longer together in the years following 1929, they never divorced and she was even wearing her wedding ring at the time of her death. Like Bonnie’s husband, Clyde was familiar with law enforcement, cracking safes, robbing stores, and stealing cars for years before he met Bonnie.

Shortly after meeting, Bonnie and Clyde’s romance was interrupted by Clyde’s arrest and prison sentence. Bonnie smuggled a gun in, hoping to help her love escape, but he was recaptured. In 1932, he was released and he and Bonnie began their life of crime together.

Throughout the next two years, Bonnie and Clyde were joined by several associates, though not all at the same time, and later became known as the Barrow Gang, with Clyde as their leader. During their string of robberies, burglaries, and auto thefts, they killed a number of innocent victims along with law enforcement officers who tried to apprehend them. In 1933, Clyde’s brother Buck and his wife Blanche joined the gang while hiding out in Joplin, Missouri.

During this time, neighbors reported suspicious activity and the gang was forced to flee as police confronted them. Because they fled so quickly, they left many of their possessions, including an undeveloped roll of film containing photos of Bonnie, Clyde, and other members of the gang, all pointing weapons at one another. One particular photo of Bonnie became infamous – in the photo, she had a cigar hanging from her mouth as she held a pistol at her hip.

The Final Show

After years of crimes, killings, kidnappings, and escapes, Bonnie and Clyde were eventually ambushed by a posse of lawmen in Louisiana on May 23, 1934. The officers hid out in the bushes along Louisiana State Highway 154 and waited for the deadly duo. They began firing at the Ford V8 Clyde was driving, emptying their weapons and shooting off nearly 130 rounds. Of those rounds, 112 made it into the vehicle, which ultimately led to Bonnie and Clyde’s demise.

Bank+Vine

Located in an old bank, we at Bank+Vine thought it was only fitting to name our dangerously delicious cocktail after America’s infamous crime couple. For an experience so good it should be illegal, come to Bank+Vine. Our chefs only use fresh and local ingredients to craft our many dishes. Make your reservation here. We look forward to serving you!

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