Okay, folks. Summer has landed here in Music City. With both feet. After a lovely spring and a slow start to summer, we have finally hit the days of 90+ temps and 90+ humidity. Feh!
So what to do? Drink like the French.
The French know how to live – the food, the fashion, the attitude, are all delicious – even in hot weather. And their drinks go way beyond good wine. Thus, this month’s cocktail, the Juillet (French for July – get it?) I got from a wonderful book, Aperitif by Rebekah Peppler.
Gently alcoholic, the Juillet is soft, semi-sweet, and subtle. And, as with all things French, complex. The base – sweet and dry vermouth with a touch of St. Germain – combines with a splash of bubbly to create a multi-layered flavor that goes down oh-so-smoothly. Perfect for a hot afternoon, wishing you were somewhere other than Nashville – like at a café in Provence.
Juillet
1 ounce dry vermouth
1 ounce sweet vermouth
.25 ounce St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1 ounce dry sparkling wine – or perhaps a bit more
Combine the first three ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to get very, very cold. Strain into a cocktail glass – a coupe is ideal – and top with the bubbly. Toss in a lemon peel to make it pretty.
Sip and travel to France in a daydream!