It’s been a few months since the last time I participated in Mixology Monday but I’m thrilled to be back for this raucous online cocktail party!
Thank you Dave at The Barman Cometh for coming up with such a great theme, Flores De Mayo – Floral Cocktails. Because if April showers can’t bring May flowers, at least we can mix up some cocktails that bloom with flavor!
For my addition to the party I decided to tweak the classic Twentieth Century cocktail. Even on its own, the gin, Lillet, lemon and creme de cacao is fantastic; able to raise the eyebrows of those select few who ask me to mix something based on the fact that they “like lemon drops.” In this variation, I kept the gin and lemon intact (I used 12 Bridges gin – one of my favorites!). I benched the Lillet and brought in St. Germain, the elderflower liqueur that has seemed to blossom its way onto every bar shelf imaginable.* This is a great substitution because I really love St. Germain’s floral notes mixed with gin and lemon. For the chocolate role I got all bitter and swapped the creme de cacao for Seattle’s own Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters. I think a more subtle play here was needed so the drink didn’t become too sweet and syrupy. The bitters kept the original chocolate essence unaltered, while adding a little vanilla and spice. Like the original, this combination of flavors may seem odd at the start but I think together they really shine in the glass.
So using relatively new (21st century) ingredients and the fact that girls tend to like flowers and chocolate (it’s just what I’ve heard) here’s my floral cocktail – 21st Century Girl.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 3/4 ounce St. Germain
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 2 dashes of Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
- garnish with a lemon twist
- Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Happy Flores De Mayo!
* My dad told me the other day he was at a reputable waterfront restaurant I will leave unnamed (hint: ____ Hopkins) and noticed the bartender unpacking a new supply of liquor. The bartender was baffled as he pulled out a bottle of St. Germain – forcing my dad to chime in and help explain what it was. So this handpicked elderflower liqueur is so popular it’s reaching bartenders who know nothing about it – awesome!
