Layered lusciousness for cool weather …
Here’s one that works wonderfully as the weather turns cooler and we head into winter.
With a brandy base and the added flavors of Charteuse, lemon and simple syrup the effect is complex – with different layers seeming to hit you in succession as it goes down. Sweet at first, it gets less so as the lemon and brandy come to the fore. Holding it all together is the herbal, anise-tinged flavor of the Charteuse.
It’s not something you’d want to gulp for a cool-down on a hot day. This is something you’ll want to sip slowly by the fire on a cool, misty afternoon.
Perfect for right now! We plan to serve these delights as a prelude to Thanksgiving dinner.
Champs Élysées
- 2 oz. brandy (the cheap stuff works fine)
- .5 oz. Chartrueuse
- .5 oz. lemon juice
- .5 oz simple syrup
- Combine ingredients and shake until icy cold. Strain into a cocktail glass.
A word about Chartreuse
Chartreuse is an herbal liqueur made by Carthusian monks at their monastery in the Chartreuse Mountains in France. They’ve been making it since the 1700s, and the recipe is a closely guarded secret. And since only they can make it, the price is idiotically high, so I use it sparingly. It also gave its name to the yellow-green color we call chartreuse. There are now variations on the original, including Yellow Chartreuse, which is sweeter and less alcoholic, but for this cocktail, stick with the original.