Creme Yvette

[eje]

Now that the Cooper Creme Yvette is available again, I thought I might start some discussion.

How are people enjoying it? New Inventions with the product?

Aside from a couple Pousse Cafes and the Ping Pong, what's good with Creme Yvette?

[eje]

I was looking through the Cocktail Kingdom reprint of Hugo Ensslin for Savoy recipes and happened to notice his take on the Blue Moon.

Blue Moon Cocktail

2/3 Gin

1/3 French Vermouth

1 dash Orange Bitters

1 dash Creme Yvette

Stir well in a mixing glass with cracked ice, strain and top off with Claret.

Uh, what? NY in 1917 and there's no Lemon in this? Top off with Claret?

Huh, well, actually it sounds kind of good, but it is certainly not a sour, not even a New York Sour.

What's the earliest Blue Moon Cocktail recipe?

Edited January 6, 2011 by eje (log)

[sbumgarner]

Death and Co. had a drink on their previous menu called the Bella Luna, basically a Rob Cooper Aviation: (proportions from memory, but I'm pretty sure this is correct)

1.5 oz Plymouth

.75 oz lemon

.5 Creme Yvette

.5 St. Germain

.25 simple

Yes, another drink with St. Germain but it plays nicely with the Yvette, a really good cocktail. Beyond Blue Moon/Aviation variants I haven't seen it used in much, would definitely be interested to see what others are doing with it. Would think the vanilla characteristics would work well with agricole rhums in swizzles and other tiki-style drinks but haven't tried anything myself.

[Chris Amirault]

Most of the stuff I see in my books seems sickly sweet: lots of cream, egg white, Maraschino, who knows what. At work, though, it's the new St. Germain; a few drops, prosecco over the top, lemon twist, and Bob's your uncle.

[Yojimbo]

How would people rate the Creme Yvette vs. Rothman and Winter's version, or even the cheaper Parfait D'Amour?

This is another liqueur, like St. Germain, that I dearly wish would become available in smaller (i.e. less pricey) bottles, so the cost of Aviations wouldn't be so high.

[eje]

They're pretty different liqueurs.

The Rothman & Winter Violet is pretty single notedly Violet and not particularly sweet. Unless you really like Violet, it needs to be deployed with some care, as its intense violet flavor can easily overwhelm the other elements of a drink.

The Cooper Creme Yvette has some Violet, but also elements of berry fruits and Citrus. I don't have a lot of experience mixing with it. Having a hard time justifying buying another bottle of Violet liqueur for the house. I probably already have more than I will use in this lifetime.

Parfait Amour (depending on the brand) is Citrus with some Violet notes, but ultimately most people compare the flavor of the Brizard Parfait Amour to something like Grape Jelly Beans or another artificially flavored fruit candy. It also needs to be deployed with care in cocktails.

Yeah, I agree, I wish they all would be available in smaller bottles.

Edited February 5, 2011 by eje (log)

[Mjx]

The Creme Yvette website lists several cocktail recipes, although all but three of them seem as though they'd be rather sweet.

[EvergreenDan]

I just saw St Germain in cute 50ml nips which are mini versions of the 750. Nips for off-beat ingredients would be awesome. Took a change on Cardamaro. Winner. Took a chance on Parfait Amour. Not so much.

[ethan bentley]

Hope it's OK to post this link but it seems to answer your question quite neatly:

http://summerfruitcup.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/cremeyvette/

My personal favourite is probably a variation on the Aviation, subbing the Violette for Yvette and the Gin for Rye. It's called a New York Flyer.

Also the Lavender Lady - 20ml Dry Gin, 10ml Calvados, 10ml Cointreau, 5ml Lemon Gin, 5ml Creme Yvette SHAKE

Then there are the classic layered drinks

[haresfur]

Hope it's OK to post this link but it seems to answer your question quite neatly:

http://summerfruitcup.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/cremeyvette/

My personal favourite is probably a variation on the Aviation, subbing the Violette for Yvette and the Gin for Rye. It's called a New York Flyer.

Also the Lavender Lady - 20ml Dry Gin, 10ml Calvados, 10ml Cointreau, 5ml Lemon Gin, 5ml Creme Yvette SHAKE

Then there are the classic layered drinks

Welcome to eGullet Ethan. Nice writeup an photos on your website.

[EvergreenDan]

Yes, welcome, Ethan. You'll find eGullet welcoming of on-point links. That's one pretty pousse-café.

[ethan bentley]

Thanks for the kind comments and welcome folks, a great forum you've got here.

[eje]

Nice job with the Pousse Cafe and welcome!

[sbumgarner]

I really like the Yvette but I don't go to it often when making drinks. In an effort to prevent passing my current bottle down to my grandchildren, I've been experimenting with it more recently. This one works for me:

 

1.75 oz Genever

.25 oz Mezcal (something on the smokier side, I used Los Amantes)

.75 oz lemon

.5 oz Creme Yvette

.25 oz Maraschino

 

Shake, strain into an ice filled Collins glass, top with club soda and a dash or two of Angostura.

 

It's on the drier side, but the Yvette comes through despite the presence of stronger ingredients like mezcal and maraschino.

Edited April 3, 2014 by sbumgarner (log)