50 replies to this topic

[Chris Amirault]

We've got the massive Mint Julep topic here. We've got the Southside covered here. Meanwhile, there are references hereabouts to French Pearls, Rivieras, and more.

Let's get a good collection of mint cocktails before the damned weeds take over our houses due to lack of regular harvesting.

[vice]

From the Savoy:

Dinah Cocktail
Harry's Cocktail
Mr. Manhattan Cocktail (scroll down)


Then there's Toby's Juliet & Romeo, and don't forget your Queens Park Swizzle (and its variations)...

[thirtyoneknots]

Nothing Earth-shattering, but we've been having some good successes with the Greater Antilles, a Mojito made with a spice syrup based off of "Donn's Spices" from Sippin Safari, paired with the 7 yr Flor de Cana.

Hope this doesn't violate the pedestrian drinks ban.

If so, I've always been intrigued by the 'Jewish Absinthe' from Killer Cocktails but have never actually gotten around to trying it. Caveat Imbibor.

[mkayahara]

If you've got some rhubarb taking over the section of the yard that isn't taken over by the mint, you could try the Rhubarb Cocktail #2 from here.

[MikeHartnett]

Not drastically removed from the pedestrian, but good nonetheless.

Queen's Park Swizzle

Oops! Didn't see it above. Sorry, vice.

It's good though.

Edited by MikeHartnett, 04 June 2009 - 06:17 AM.

[RoyalSwagger]

Bacchus Swizzle

Bols Genever 1 1/2 oz
Dry Sherry 1/2 oz
Lemon 1/2 oz
Six Grapes (halved)
Dash A.B.
Tblsp sugar (depending on Sherry)
Seven Mint leaves

Muddle Grapes, Lemon, Sugar, Angostura just to the point of the grapes popping, don't rip em to shreds. Add Mint, lightly bruise. Add Sherry and Genever. Top with crushed ice, swizzle, ice, swizzle. Top with mas ice and lance with a straw.

[Alchemist]

________ Park Swizzle

1 oz Brugal White Rum
1 oz Matusalem Rum
.75 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Demerara Syrup (skinny)
Mint Leaves


3 big dash Peychaud Bitters

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Mint Bouquet & Spank the Mint
Ice: Crushed Ice

In a Collins glass, gently bruise the mint. With muddler, rub oils up and down the side of the glass. Add rum, lime, demerara syrup and bitters. Let macerate for 1 minute. Fill glass .75 of the way with crushed ice. Swizzle. Over fill with more crushed ice. Add bouquet of mint. Serve. Spank mint in front of guest.

*The cocktail should have 3 layers and look like the Italian Flag (Green, Red, White from bottom to top).

This is a a cocktail that turns heads. The problem is if you make one you will be making them all night. The layer of bitters should not be disturbed so the last sip is bitters filtered though mint.


Pimm’s Rangoon

1 oz Pimm’s No. 1
1 oz Gin
.75 oz Ginger Syrup
.75 oz Lime Juice
1 Mint Sprig
3 Cucumber Slices
.5 Strawberry

Top: Soda

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Cucumber, Mint, .5 Strawberry, Candied Ginger & Spank the Mint
Ice: Shard

Muddle all ingredients together. Shake. Strain. Top with soda. Garnish.




Rangoon Fizz

2 oz Tanqueray
.75 oz Ginger Syrup
1 oz Lime Juice
9 drops Angostura Bitters
5 sprigs Mint

Top: Tonic (Q or Fever Tree preferred.)

Glass: Collins
Garnish: Mint Sprigs dew dropped with Angostura.
Ice: Shard

Shake. Strain into Collins glass. Top with tonic, garnish.

Cheers,
Toby

[slkinsey]

There's the Juniperotivo...
2.0 oz : Junipero gin
1.0 oz : fresh lime juice
1.0 oz : simple syrup
0.5 oz : pomegranate molasses
2 sprigs of mint

And Phil had a riff on this called the Arraquiri that more or less subbed the Juniopero out for arrack

[shantytownbrown]

________ Park Swizzle

1  oz Brugal White Rum
1  oz Matusalem Rum
.75  oz Lime Juice
.5  oz Demerara Syrup (skinny)
Mint Leaves


3 big dash Peychaud Bitters

Glass:  Collins
Garnish: Mint Bouquet & Spank the Mint
Ice:  Crushed Ice

In a Collins glass, gently bruise the mint. With muddler, rub oils up and down the side of the glass. Add rum, lime, demerara syrup and bitters. Let macerate for 1 minute. Fill glass .75 of the way with crushed ice. Swizzle. Over fill with more crushed ice. Add bouquet of mint. Serve. Spank mint in front of guest.

*The cocktail should have 3 layers and look like the Italian Flag (Green, Red, White from bottom to top).

This is a a cocktail that turns heads. The problem is if you make one you will be making them all night.  The layer of bitters should not be disturbed so the last sip is bitters filtered though mint.


Pimm’s Rangoon

1 oz Pimm’s No. 1
1 oz Gin
.75  oz Ginger Syrup
.75  oz Lime Juice
1  Mint Sprig
3  Cucumber Slices
.5  Strawberry

Top:  Soda

Glass:  Collins
Garnish: Cucumber, Mint, .5 Strawberry, Candied Ginger & Spank the Mint
Ice:  Shard

Muddle all ingredients together. Shake. Strain. Top with soda.  Garnish.




Rangoon Fizz

2 oz Tanqueray
.75 oz Ginger Syrup
1 oz Lime Juice
9 drops Angostura Bitters
5 sprigs Mint

Top:  Tonic (Q or Fever Tree preferred.)

Glass:  Collins
Garnish: Mint Sprigs dew dropped with Angostura.
Ice:  Shard

Shake. Strain into Collins glass.  Top with tonic, garnish.

Cheers,
Toby

would you ever sub Domaine de Canton Ginger Liquer for the ginger syrup or would it be too "strong" alchohol %-wise

these all sound great as is...tho

[rmillman]

gin, muddled mint and lime, topped with ginger beer (called various things but mighty tasty for a warm/hot summer day).

[lostmyshape]

um... so simple, but it should be mentioned at least: the smash.

1.5 oz booze of your choice (bourbon and rye are great, a tasty white rum is perfect -- love flor de cana white in this)
simple syrup to taste (~tsp, a good gum syrup with demarara is best)
mint
fizzy water

muddle mint with booze and syrup. add ice. top with fizzy water. give the garnish bunch of mint a good wump. sip with short straw.

[KD1191]

would you ever sub Domaine de Canton Ginger Liquer for the ginger syrup or would it be too "strong" alchohol %-wise

these all sound great as is...tho

Can't speak for Toby, but from my own experience with both ingredients the Canton would not even come close to a replacement. Canton doesn't pack nearly the ginger whallop, and it has some artificial notes in addition to the booziness you mention. Recently, the Chicago distiler Koval has produced a ginger liqueur that is less boozy (20%) and tastes much more natural, but it still isn't nearly as spicy as ginger syrup made from fresh juice and sugar.

Edited by KD1191, 09 June 2009 - 02:11 PM.

[Mayhaw Man]

Here you go.

My friend Robert, cocktail nerd that he is, happens to be spot on with this one.

http://www.smallscre...cx_3ywfhuma4091

[BrooksNYC]

French Pearl
Pegu Club, NYC

1 sprig mint (10-12 leaves)
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz simple syrup (1:1, uncooked)
1/4 oz Pernod
2 oz Plymouth Gin

Add all liquids to the shaker, and gently but thoroughly muddle the leaves with the liquid. Add cracked ice, shake, and strain through fine-mesh sieve.

[Wild Bill Turkey]

Hey Brooks!
Sounds like an instant winner to me. Can you think of anything one might use to upgrade the Pernod?

[BrooksNYC]

Cheers, Bill. I've yet to try the French Pearl at home. Loved it at Pegu Club, though. It's a sophisticated cocktail.

I guess you could substitute absinthe for Pernod. (Is Pernod sweeter?) Maybe one of you guys with a well-stocked bar can try both versions and report back.

[thirtyoneknots]

Cheers, Bill. I've yet to try the French Pearl at home. Loved it at Pegu Club, though. It's a sophisticated cocktail.

I guess you could substitute absinthe for Pernod. (Is Pernod sweeter?) Maybe one of you guys with a well-stocked bar can try both versions and report back.

I've seen others warn that this drink was formulated specifically with the sweetness and relative restraint of Pernod in mind, and that subbing Absinthe was not adviseable. That said, would be nice to get some more opinions.

[BrooksNYC]

Appreciate the heads-up. Thanks!

[Chris Amirault]

I've seen others warn that this drink was formulated specifically with the sweetness and relative restraint of Pernod in mind, and that subbing Absinthe was not adviseable. That said, would be nice to get some more opinions.

Exactly my experience. I had the French Pearl at PC a while back and, without the recipe, had to reconstruct it at home. A number of substitutes just didn't work, both for flavor and appearance. Pernod is it, as Audrey's recipe indicates.

[Mike S.]

Perhaps Herbsaint in the French Pearl? I don't really like Pernod and tend not to keep it around.

[Chris Amirault]

Make a French Pearl and you will. As someone who tried Herbsaint subbed in for it, I can tell you that the drink isn't the same.

[KD1191]

Make a French Pearl and you will. As someone who tried Herbsaint subbed in for it, I can tell you that the drink isn't the same.

What about Ricard? If it's all I have, will it do?

[Chris Amirault]

Haven't tried it. Take a crack at it and report back!

[Mike S.]

Make a French Pearl and you will. As someone who tried Herbsaint subbed in for it, I can tell you that the drink isn't the same.

Fair enough!

[KD1191]

Haven't tried it. Take a crack at it and report back!

Sir, you have the patience of a saint. My reply was pretty tongue-in-cheek, given the multiple attempts to deviate from the recipe that were shot down. I just assumed mine would suffer the same fate.

That said, your encouragement led me to whip up a French Pearl with Ricard, and it is perfectly potable. The pastis adds a significant depth beyond what initially strikes my palate as a Southside. The suggestion by thirtyoneknots that absinthe would be inadvisable is undoubtedly correct. It would overpower the delicate balance in this drink. If you want a similar drink with absinthe, I would suggest something like the Oldest Living Confederate Widow.

Edited by KD1191, 22 June 2009 - 05:44 PM.

[Mike S.]

Chris, you are correct: Pernod is clearly the right pastis for the French Pearl. A very good drink and one that I'll pull out now and again. Of course, I'm now the "proud" owner of a practically-full 750ml bottle of Pernod (I was unable to find a 50ml mini) that's highly unlikely to get any other use!

If that's the worst thing that happens to me this week, I'm probably doing ok.

[Steve Sokoloff]

A little different- the Cicada
2 0z. Plymouth Gin
3/4 oz. Absinthe
1/2 oz. Creme deMenthe (white makes the drink a pale celadon color)
4 mint leaves
1 tsp heavy cream

in shaker muddle mint, fill with ice. Add remaining ingredients and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds. strain into up glass and garnish with small mit sprig floated on drink.
It's kind of like a grasshopper but less sweet and more herbal.

Edited by Steve Sokoloff, 04 August 2009 - 08:54 PM.

[Steve Sokoloff]

Chris, you are correct: Pernod is clearly the right pastis for the French Pearl.  A very good drink and one that I'll pull out now and again.  Of course, I'm now the "proud" owner of a practically-full 750ml bottle of Pernod (I was unable to find a 50ml mini) that's highly unlikely to get any other use!

If that's the worst thing that happens to me this week, I'm probably doing ok.

Pernod is a real staple in my kitchen. any time I'm cooking any poached or steamed seafood or light fish, I add it to the liquid(even in most chinese dishes. the anise adds a little sharpness and depth to the flavor. So even if you don't enjoy a little pastis with water sitting around outside, there's plenty to do with it.

[Mike S.]

Good ideas, Steve. I'd forgotten about Pernod's cooking applications. I actually have a recipe for escargot based on a dish served at The Sardine Factory restaurant in Monterey, Calif. that's served with a garlicy cream sauce laced with Pernod. Time to pull that one out again!

Edited by Mike S., 05 August 2009 - 03:22 PM.

[Wild Bill Turkey]

Staying on topic with both the mint and the pastis is the French aperitif called Le Perroquet (parrot). The French have three standard additives they blend with pastis to create three common aperitifs:
Pastis + Orgeat= La Mauresque
Pastis + Grenadine= La Tomate
Pastis + Mint syrup= Le Perroquet
These being commonly ordered, most French bars that serve pastis will also have these syrups. I've never owned mint syrup, so I've never tried it, but the other two are quite good if you like pastis, and of course La Tomate is better if you make your own grenadine. I've been meaning to try making my own mint syrup so I could try the Perroquet, but it won't have the iconic green color (from commercial syrup) that gives the drink its name.

The proportions, from the book "Aperitif" by Georgeanne Brennan:
1oz pastis
1 tablespoon mint syrup
5ozs very cold water