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Elixir Vegetal de la Grande-Chartreuse


Jmahl

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I have come into possession of a 10cl bottle of Elixir Vegetal de la Grande-Chartreuse

gallery_38003_2183_3324.jpg

Its 71%, how do you use the stuff?

Jmahl

The Philip Mahl Community teaching kitchen is now open. Check it out. "Philip Mahl Memorial Kitchen" on Facebook. Website coming soon.

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I was given an identical bottle a few years ago, so I wrote to them and asked what it was and how it's different from the regular "Chartruese", and got this reply:

"We thank you very much indeed for your interest in Chartreuse.

"The Elixir Végétal was created in 1737 as a medicine and an "Elixir of long life" - it was very strong (71%) and was supposed to cure every known illness ! It gave birth to the Green Chartreuse (55%) in 1764, and to the Yellow Chartreuse (40%) in 1838.

The Elixir Végétal is still being made nowadays, and we are celebrating this year its 400 th anniversary (the secret recipe was given to the Chartreuse monks in 1605) - with a climax in 2005.

For more information, have a look at our web site (history pages) : http://www.chartreuse.fr/pa_history3_uk.htm

Warmly from France,"

You would sip it after a meal, straight-up, in a little cordial glass. I don't think there's anything else you could do with it. Well, I guess you could use it in a cocktail.

Overheard at the Zabar’s prepared food counter in the 1970’s:

Woman (noticing a large bowl of cut fruit): “How much is the fruit salad?”

Counterman: “Three-ninety-eight a pound.”

Woman (incredulous, and loud): “THREE-NINETY EIGHT A POUND ????”

Counterman: “Who’s going to sit and cut fruit all day, lady… YOU?”

Newly updated: my online food photo extravaganza; cook-in/eat-out and photos from the 70's

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According to the product page

Use : a few drops on a lump of sugar, straight, or in a little sugared water, as an infusion.

We usually soak a sugar cube in the elixir and serve in a tumbler with a splash of iced water, very nice.

I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis

~Alleged last words of Humphery Bogart.

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I like to sip it neat (in small doses)!!

We opened the little bottle tonight. Ctgm You were right on. This is magic stuff.

Jmahl

The Philip Mahl Community teaching kitchen is now open. Check it out. "Philip Mahl Memorial Kitchen" on Facebook. Website coming soon.

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  • 1 year later...

I just scored a bottle of this from a friend who went to France for a wedding, and can't wait to try it out.

Traveler's tip: if you're planning to bring a bottle back, be prepared to deal with airport security. She had a lot of connecting flights to get home, and the shape of that canister with a bottle of liquid within looks VERY suspicious on the airport X-Ray.

"Martinis should always be stirred, not shaken, so that the molecules lie sensuously one on top of the other." - W. Somerset Maugham

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Sounds like something that might work as a bitters to me. Maybe try a twist on the Sazerac?

I believe that this small bottle has a lot to do with the cockail culture that we see today (especially the "come back" of the classics).

It's the oldest "bitters" available on the market i presume.

The way to consume it, as suggested by the monks, is over a sugar cube.

Looks very like the process of the sazerac or the old fashion to me.

I used it in cocktails quite a few times, and I like it better on a sugar cube that i flame and I use an absinthe spoon to serve it.

Flaming Sazerac or Old Fashioned anyone?

Cheers,

Mick

Cheers

www.BarNowOn.com

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I must admit I have put a dash or two in both the regular green and (why not? I asked myself and got no convincing argument for the con) the green VEP. I have also been known to put Peychaud's in the green, regular to tough it up. It is really pretty Pousse of red and green that is like kissing a french christmas tree. Or french kissing a green tree, depends.

Toby

ETA: Stuff

Edited by Alchemist (log)

A DUSTY SHAKER LEADS TO A THIRSTY LIFE

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