by Al Butler
A few weeks ago while out and about with my wife I had a delightful libation at an Italian restaurant in Freeport Maine. The bar had a menu of specialty drinks which really caught my “Cocktilian” (new word) eye and I felt safe in trying something a bit different. From the various and somewhat unique ingredients listed beside each house cocktail I could tell right away that the bartenders took special care with their craft, so in my mind, it was time to try something new.
The drink I chose was what we at Booze & Board Games are calling “A Cranky Grandma”. We had to rename it because I was bit knackered at the restaurant and could not remember the original. Anyway, our friend and sometime player Brandon Keller came up with this name and I feel it fits pretty well with the ingredients and nature of the drink. Why Cranky Grandma? well I suppose because this is something your old granny might drink on a bad day, or maybe the lemon (sour) Elderflower (name is old) and none too sweet combination makes one think of "Granny on a Rampage".
So, without much further ado we present “A Cranky Grandma”.
Ingredients:
1.5-2.0 oz. Quality Gin (Hendricks or Bombay Sapphire)
¼- ½ oz. Elderflower Liqueur (handpicked flowers are used to make this)
½ oz. of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Tonic water
Lemon wheel, wedge, or twist for Garnish
Method:
Fill a Collin’s glass with Ice, and then add your Gin. Now squeeze in your lemon juice, you can pre-squeeze a bunch of lemons ahead of time in preparation, or you can simply take a half of a medium lemon and squeeze it right into the glass. Top off with the Tonic water, and lastly add the Elderflower Liqueur. Give it a quick stir, attach your garnish and you are all set to go.
This is a simple and fast drink to mix up, but you should always add the Elderflower Liqueur last. The density of the Liqueur insures that it will drop to the bottom, in so doing the light herbal highlights of the Elderflower will blend better with the other components more so than simply stirring. Remember Tonic water flattens quickly when stirred so; gently with the bar spoon if you please.
Some of you are saying that this is nothing more than a fancy gin and tonic, or lemon Gin Rickey, and you are not far off. However the addition of Elderflower changes the dynamic of this drink in a subtle way. Elder flowers are handpicked by small French Peasant children who are beaten regularly if they do not meet their quotas. Their quick and delicate hands gently carry the flowers to their betters who in turn distill these wonderful herbs into liqueur. Only the best of the flowers are used, and woe betide any waif who dares bruise a single petal of the harvest. Child enslavement aside; Elderflower liqueur adds a light floral flavor to the drink and enhances the botanicals in the spirit thus creating a nuanced experience.
I for one really like this cocktail as it is quick, but tasteful. It reminds me of warm summer afternoons looking out over green fields neathe a blue sky. Of children joyfully singing a harvest song whilst they labor for my benefit, punctuated by a wee cry of fear every now and again as some urchin displeases the overseer. Hmmm the beauty of it all.
Cheers
AL
 |
| Cranky Grandma with a lemon twist. |
A few weeks ago while out and about with my wife I had a delightful libation at an Italian restaurant in Freeport Maine. The bar had a menu of specialty drinks which really caught my “Cocktilian” (new word) eye and I felt safe in trying something a bit different. From the various and somewhat unique ingredients listed beside each house cocktail I could tell right away that the bartenders took special care with their craft, so in my mind, it was time to try something new.
The drink I chose was what we at Booze & Board Games are calling “A Cranky Grandma”. We had to rename it because I was bit knackered at the restaurant and could not remember the original. Anyway, our friend and sometime player Brandon Keller came up with this name and I feel it fits pretty well with the ingredients and nature of the drink. Why Cranky Grandma? well I suppose because this is something your old granny might drink on a bad day, or maybe the lemon (sour) Elderflower (name is old) and none too sweet combination makes one think of "Granny on a Rampage".
So, without much further ado we present “A Cranky Grandma”.
Ingredients:
1.5-2.0 oz. Quality Gin (Hendricks or Bombay Sapphire)
¼- ½ oz. Elderflower Liqueur (handpicked flowers are used to make this)
½ oz. of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Tonic water
Lemon wheel, wedge, or twist for Garnish
Method:
Fill a Collin’s glass with Ice, and then add your Gin. Now squeeze in your lemon juice, you can pre-squeeze a bunch of lemons ahead of time in preparation, or you can simply take a half of a medium lemon and squeeze it right into the glass. Top off with the Tonic water, and lastly add the Elderflower Liqueur. Give it a quick stir, attach your garnish and you are all set to go.
 |
| Elderflower Liqueur. |
This is a simple and fast drink to mix up, but you should always add the Elderflower Liqueur last. The density of the Liqueur insures that it will drop to the bottom, in so doing the light herbal highlights of the Elderflower will blend better with the other components more so than simply stirring. Remember Tonic water flattens quickly when stirred so; gently with the bar spoon if you please.
Some of you are saying that this is nothing more than a fancy gin and tonic, or lemon Gin Rickey, and you are not far off. However the addition of Elderflower changes the dynamic of this drink in a subtle way. Elder flowers are handpicked by small French Peasant children who are beaten regularly if they do not meet their quotas. Their quick and delicate hands gently carry the flowers to their betters who in turn distill these wonderful herbs into liqueur. Only the best of the flowers are used, and woe betide any waif who dares bruise a single petal of the harvest. Child enslavement aside; Elderflower liqueur adds a light floral flavor to the drink and enhances the botanicals in the spirit thus creating a nuanced experience.
 |
| How cute..now BACK TO WORK! |
I for one really like this cocktail as it is quick, but tasteful. It reminds me of warm summer afternoons looking out over green fields neathe a blue sky. Of children joyfully singing a harvest song whilst they labor for my benefit, punctuated by a wee cry of fear every now and again as some urchin displeases the overseer. Hmmm the beauty of it all.
Cheers
AL
No comments:
Post a Comment
We always appreciate comments and feed back so feel free to make your opinion heard here. Please remember to try and stay on topic and not to be too awfully abusive in your critics.