611102 Fri Apr 10 14:39:41 -0700 2009 55 36 Spirits 0 4585426 I just returned from a wknd trip to nyc and we hit several restaurants and lounge/bar places and a began to notice a recurring theme on their cocktail menus - St. Germain Elderflower liquer. It was in everything. I had some amazing cocktails, including a pear cosmo at Bar Boulud, the mosquito at The Rose Bar @ Gramercy Park Hotel and red pepper, red pepper at Pegu Club. All were exquisite. I also saw many cocktails made with lillet blanc, a favorite summer treat for me. I know very little about St. Germain and am thinking of buying a bottle. I've read a little on the internet. What do you use it in? Fri Apr 10 14:39:41 -0700 2009 71241 lynnlato 1 4585483 I love it . There is an interesting story re the inventor and his brother who also concocted a new liquer Will try to locate. Last night in Cambridge at Rendezvous I had what bartender Scott calls a " Boutoneirre "(sp) Apple Jack, Sweet Vermouth and St Germaine shaken served up with a twist of orange Wonderful....there is also a Parisian Orchid at Green Street that has vodka St germaine and lemon...another hit Fri Apr 10 14:58:17 -0700 2009 4585426 11784 capeanne 2 5160600 By far this is my faovrite liqueur to date. Fri Nov 06 07:20:23 -0800 2009 4585483 322213 YAYME 1 4586332 We just bought our third bottle... the bottles are gorgeous by the way. At The Wine House when we were there burning a gift certificate they had a product demo girl passing out little St. Germain sorbets. Yes it was great! Would make a lovely snocone too! We'd previously bought a bottle - never having had tasted it - as a gift for the host of a party we went to. So we picked up a bottle at Wine House and tried it. Very nice. Mostly we've had it with champagne - if I recall, I think there's a little recipe booklet around the neck of the bottle and if not there are recipes at their Website. We do need to branch out to other uses, but it's nice and light and unique. Fri Apr 10 21:33:26 -0700 2009 4585426 40486 Cinnamon 1 4586605 St. Germain is next on my list of purchases. Jamie Boudreau writes a blog that I follow, and a while back he did a good piece about St. Germain. If you are interested in spirits, his whole blog is worth following. http://spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com/2007/06/13/st-germain-elderflower-liqueur/ There are some recipes there, and in the comment section as well. I've read that it is also a good add-in for a variation on a pisco sour, or an aviation. Sat Apr 11 04:53:10 -0700 2009 4585426 71633 jerryc123 1 4587417 Made this one last night: L'amour en fuite (Love on the Run) 1.5 Plymouth gin 1.0 Lillet blanc 0.5 St. Germain Shake over ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass given a rinse of Kübler absinthe (pastis, like Henri Bardouin, will do, too). Garnish with a shaving of lemon peel. Very smooth, balanced. http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/ Sat Apr 11 11:49:22 -0700 2009 4585426 10143 MC Slim JB 2 4587628 Weird... I made one of them Thursday night! Good, but even just a wash absinthe seemed to take over the drink (I used lucid) Sat Apr 11 13:37:38 -0700 2009 4587417 150662 white light 3 4587787 Time to bust out the eye-dropper! I really liked the accent that the absinthe added. I think the drink would have lacked depth without it. http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/ Sat Apr 11 14:55:45 -0700 2009 4587628 10143 MC Slim JB 4 4587818 "bust out the eyedropper" - excellent Sat Apr 11 15:11:07 -0700 2009 4587787 40486 Cinnamon 5 4588009 Not really my idea: there's an outstanding high-craft cocktail bar in Boston called Drink that stores all its bitters in uniform bottles with pipette caps. The working areas look like chemistry labs, everything measured with precision. Very cool place. http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/ Sat Apr 11 16:32:33 -0700 2009 4587818 10143 MC Slim JB 6 4588940 try using a spray mister to cover just the surface of a drink with hint of absinthe or bitters, liqueurs, etc. Works better than an eye dropper. Sun Apr 12 07:02:08 -0700 2009 4588009 10732 JMF 2 4588213 Okay, yum. I don't know about the absinthe though. How about a little green chartreuse? Sat Apr 11 18:07:43 -0700 2009 4587417 71241 lynnlato 1 4587721 Just tried this and it's very tasty and very light: shochu (Japanese equivalent but probably better, of soju, a light sake-esque spirit) coconut water St. Germain tiny bit of cane sugar syrup lemongrass stalk to chew on I'll make this again. The coconut water and shochu are both light and delicate enough to not overwhelm the St. Germain. I am also wondering how St. Germain would pair with rosewater or rose syrup in something. Here is a thread on shochu: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/610735?tag=boards;topic-610735 Sat Apr 11 14:22:27 -0700 2009 4585426 40486 Cinnamon 2 4588216 Wow, another one - damn, this sounds good. I love the lemongrass stalk - very nice. Too bad the liquor store isn't open on Sundays! Sat Apr 11 18:08:34 -0700 2009 4587721 71241 lynnlato 1 4589072 Here are two I invented and really enjoy: Special Snowflake - 2 oz gin, 1/2 oz Lillet, 1/2 oz St Germain Sans Serif - 2 oz rye, 1/2 oz Aperol, 1/2 oz St Germain The Special Snowflake was created independently of Jamie Boudreau's L'Amour en Fuite but I'm excited to have had the same basic idea as him! Sun Apr 12 08:13:59 -0700 2009 4585426 22331 dfan 2 4593241 Nice names. Why sans serif? Mon Apr 13 19:49:12 -0700 2009 4589072 40486 Cinnamon 2 4593343 Just tried the Special Snowflake tonight. Very nice. In some sort of way it reminded me of lychee?! Mon Apr 13 20:42:32 -0700 2009 4589072 150662 white light 3 4594367 I would definitely say that St. Germain has a floral and lychee flavor profile. Tue Apr 14 08:56:25 -0700 2009 4593343 124704 Icantread 1 4594571 St. Germaine seems to be enjoying quite a marketing blitz. My favorite way to enjoy it is the simple recipe from the booklet tied to the bottle neck: In a glass filled with ice- 2 shots white wine (or champagne) 1 1/2 shots St. Germaine (I prefer a bit less) 2 shots Sparkling water As another poster said, the bottle is quite exquisite! Tue Apr 14 09:49:39 -0700 2009 4585426 239573 choco_lab38 2 4612722 My wife loves St. Germaine. I just polished off our first bottle this weekend. My favorite cocktail is basically a SG Cosmopolitan: Vodka St. Germaine Grapefruit juice Cranberry Shaken with ice... The St. Germaine really meshes well with Grapefruit juice. The flavors are similar, but the St. Germaine really brings out the best in the juice. THz Mon Apr 20 15:31:58 -0700 2009 4594571 18562 Terahertz 3 4650881 Agreed, it pairs with grapefruit quite well. I think maraschino also plays well with both St Germain and grapefruit; here's a drink I've been working on, pairing grapefruit with bourbon and both liqueurs: 2 ounces pink grapefruit juice 2 ounces bourbon (I've most recently been using Bulliet) 1 tsp St Germain 1 tsp maraschino 2 dashes each, Angostura and Peychauds My notes from last time I worked on it (a few weeks ago) say that it was still a bit flat so if anyone has ideas for making it pop a bit more let me know. I'm intrigued by grapefruit as a drink ingredient but haven't found many recipes that use it really well. Sun May 03 16:33:28 -0700 2009 4612722 65478 davis_sq_pro 4 4651612 Tonight at Hungry Mother, I had a drink with my dessert that was St. Germain, lemon and lime juices, and sparkling wine, rimmed in Peychauds and sugar. Substituting grapefruit juice for the other citrus would work quite nicely, and I don't see why maraschino wouldn't work in there as well. Sun May 03 22:35:18 -0700 2009 4650881 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 4 4652053 off-topic but my favorite use of grapefruit juice in a cocktail: Hemingway Daiquiri juice 1/2 pink grapefruit juice 1/2 lime 2 oz white rum 1/2 oz Maraschino on-topic, one of my fave St Germain uses: St Germain Sidecar 2 oz cognac 1 oz St Germain 1/2 oz lemon juice Mon May 04 06:43:04 -0700 2009 4650881 16728 kenito799 5 5073296 I <3 Sidecars. Stoked to try the St Germain version as soon as my husband comes home with some cognac and the kidlets are asleep. Thu Oct 01 16:37:03 -0700 2009 4652053 13592 isadorasmama 4 4655274 substitute Campari for maraschino? Tue May 05 06:41:27 -0700 2009 4650881 13161 barleywino 5 4655679 Sure, but don't call it a Hemingway Daquiri. That's a very traditional recipe that's stood the test of time, for a reason. Tue May 05 08:52:24 -0700 2009 4655274 243219 craigasaurus 6 4655965 actually i was referring to davis sq pro's question...another option might be a drop of Canton ginger liqueur Tue May 05 10:14:04 -0700 2009 4655679 13161 barleywino 7 4657336 Good idea on the Campari. I'll give it a try next time I have some grapefruit in the house. Tue May 05 16:59:09 -0700 2009 4655965 65478 davis_sq_pro 4 4664258 davis sq pro: Really liked your idea so I adapted your recipe thusly: 2 oz Rittenhouse rye (100 proof) juice 1/2 pink grapefruit 1/2 oz St Germain 2 dashes each Peychaud's and Angostura bitters The increased amount of St Germain makes this sweet enough, and the interplay of bitterness from the two bitters and the grapefruit is really nice. That muscat-floral St Germain effect lurks beneath every sip. Nice strong spicy rye works perfectly as a base spirit. I call it a success--what would you name this? Thu May 07 17:10:20 -0700 2009 4650881 16728 kenito799 5 4667437 Wow, I really need to go buy some grapefruit so I can try this reformulation! I think even a dash of maraschino might be nice to keep around, but I love the stuff more than is probably healthy. As for naming, I'm at a loss. I'll have to drink a few of them first and get into the mode to do some serious brainstorming :-) Fri May 08 17:08:21 -0700 2009 4664258 65478 davis_sq_pro 6 4667547 how about some mirto to give it more depth? Fri May 08 18:05:47 -0700 2009 4667437 13161 barleywino 7 4668646 I'd never heard of "mirto" before and just Googled it. Not too many links; is it relatively available in the US? Sat May 09 09:40:49 -0700 2009 4667547 65478 davis_sq_pro 8 4669174 i haven't found it yet in Boston but have had it several places locally (Eastern Std, Franklin Southie, Umbria, Craigie...)... Sat May 09 13:57:27 -0700 2009 4668646 13161 barleywino 8 4671845 another link in case you haven't seen it already http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/search/label/mirto Sun May 10 18:38:59 -0700 2009 4668646 13161 barleywino 8 4681426 found mirto at Federal WInes Wed May 13 16:25:01 -0700 2009 4668646 13161 barleywino 7 4772704 OK, I finally found a bottle of mirto yesterday, and I have to say that you totally nailed it -- perfect addition to the drink (not to mention, perfect addition to my liquor cabinet; I already love the stuff). Not only does it give the drink a piquant depth, it also enhances the pink color from the grapefruit. Here's my current working version, taking into account Kenito799's suggestions, the mirto, a bit of lemon juice to lighten up the grapefruit's punch, and a few drops of absinthe to provide a tiny dab of extra background depth. This version has enough flavor that I think serving it on the rocks, rather than straining, is the way to go: 2 oz rittenhouse rye 1.75 oz grapefruit juice 0.25 oz lemon juice 0.25 oz st germain 0.25 oz maraschino liqueur 0.25 oz mirto 4 drops absinthe 2 dashes each, peychauds/angostura Shake with crushed ice and pour, with ice, into a double old fashioned glass. Sun Jun 14 18:18:07 -0700 2009 4667547 65478 davis_sq_pro 8 4773315 sounds excellent, glad you found it! now you have to name it! since you're in Davis square (Boston), how about...the Redline? (as in "he redlined the car..." Mon Jun 15 03:31:11 -0700 2009 4772704 13161 barleywino 6 4667774 Here's a name suggestion: There is a drink called a Blinker, made with rye, grapefruit juice and grenadine. Replacing the grenadine with St Germain and bitters, translate Blinker (or Winker) into French and you get the Clignotant...what do you think? see: http://www.cocktailchronicles.com/2006/09/26/blinker/ Fri May 08 19:59:32 -0700 2009 4667437 16728 kenito799 7 4668684 Looks promising... What's the correct phonetic pronunciation? Sat May 09 10:01:02 -0700 2009 4667774 65478 davis_sq_pro 8 4670520 something like "CLEEN-yo-tahng" Sun May 10 07:37:51 -0700 2009 4668684 16728 kenito799 9 4705441 Follow-up cocktail: 2oz gin (I used Seagram's) 1/2 oz St Germain juice 1/2 grapefruit juice 1/2 lime 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters this is a riff on the Hemingway Daiquiri and the Clignotant (see above), it is terrifically refershing and goes down way too easy. What to name it. I like it enough to call it after the place I mixed it first: Bayside, Queens. Therefore I will call it the Bayside. If anyone has seen this simple but effective concoction before, let me know. Thu May 21 20:33:29 -0700 2009 4670520 16728 kenito799 4 4788503 I had a very similar cocktail at Gramercy Tavern called a Ruby Rye. I don't have the exact proportions with me right now, but the bartender did write the recipe down for me. It was made with Rittenhouse rye, Campari, ruby grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and bitters. It was fabulous, but I really like your idea of using the St. Germain instead of the simple syrup. I'll post the exact recipe if you want. St. Germain is my new favorite, but it sure is dangerous! Fri Jun 19 14:46:32 -0700 2009 4650881 12789 pcdarnell 1 4652718 My brother had a St. Germain cocktail in NYC and duplicated it at home. It's called the Grapes of Wrath. His recipe: 3 Kirkland brand vodka 1 St. Germain 1 apple juice 1 sauvignon blanc Shake over ice and pour into cocktail glass. Add 1 or 2 frozen red grapes. Yum! Mon May 04 10:03:25 -0700 2009 4585426 17930 rmperry 1 4654087 What about the Vieux Mot from PDT? 1 1/2 ounces Plymouth gin 1/2 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur 1/4 ounce (1 1/2 teaspoons) simple syrup 3/4 ounce (1 1/2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice Refreshing, and a total crowd pleaser. It's one of my favorites in warm weather. http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-cocktailrec28bnov28,1,1959577.story Mon May 04 16:47:43 -0700 2009 4585426 10936 kathryn 2 4667697 This sounds lovely. Although, I have to say, I thought PDT was the most ridiculous place EVER! Waiting in a phone booth to get into a lounge - HA! Fri May 08 19:28:05 -0700 2009 4654087 71241 lynnlato 1 4677905 I have Elderflower syrup...anyone have any experience using this in place of St. Germain? I know, I know it won't be the same, but maybe something close? Or is elderflower syrup completely different? Tue May 12 15:35:40 -0700 2009 4585426 95577 yamalam 2 4678692 Is it light colored or dark? (If it's dark it may have elderberry in it too, which tastes generally different.) Tue May 12 20:49:53 -0700 2009 4677905 40486 Cinnamon 2 5077915 This is a nice, easy recipe. http://www.chow.com/recipes/11261 If you have the syrup you need to dilute it as indicated on the bottle (at least the directions were on my bottle). Sun Oct 04 07:51:30 -0700 2009 4677905 227406 JohnE O 1 4763664 I make a "spritzer" using St. Germaine that is wonderful and light, great for the warm summer days coming up. 1 jigger St. Germaine Good squeeze of lemon Top if off with seltzer Served over ice in a highball with a slice of lemon for garnish Thu Jun 11 10:54:34 -0700 2009 4585426 67100 DMW 1 4819399 My Favorite is the Dragon Fly... made for me by my favorite bartender Mark at the Abbey Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. The Dragon Fly transformed my whole summer last year! I am guessing here... Over ice shake 1 shot of St Germain A generous splash Orange Liquier like Cointreau... (my addition Blood Orange Liquior) and Prosecco. Pour over crushed ice in a martini class with a spiral of orange rind... The most delightful fresh experience. I am now experimenting with St Germain with Acai... adds the sweet and works very well with the raw pulpyness of Acai.... great potential! Might add a sparkle or blood orange to this! Tue Jun 30 16:04:21 -0700 2009 4585426 40998 sirenanathalie 2 4868577 I made a Basil Mojito with SG last weekend that came out great: Muddle 1/2 lime and Basil 1 jigger Rum 2/3 jigger SG 2/3 jigger Simple Syrup 1 jigger Grapefruit Ice Shake and Serve We all liked it quite a lot, although I am still playing with the simple syrup amount THz. Fri Jul 17 16:33:59 -0700 2009 4819399 18562 Terahertz 2 4877028 Bubbles and ice in a "martini" glass? Blasphemy! Tue Jul 21 08:22:17 -0700 2009 4819399 92744 invinotheresverde 1 4897953 @ 116 Crown in New Haven, CT The Belmont bluecoat american dry gin, st. germain elderflower liqueur, rothman & winter creme de violette, soda - served on the rocks No idea what the ratios were but it was DELICIOUS, particularly after it sat for a bit. Tue Jul 28 14:02:33 -0700 2009 4585426 13592 isadorasmama 2 5074375 Jeebus, that sounds lovely. I've never had creme de violette, but I looked it up and wow, how interesting. The cocktail you described is like and effervescent bouquet of blossoms! Fri Oct 02 07:51:04 -0700 2009 4897953 71241 lynnlato 3 5079727 you need to try it, lynniato. it's everything you'd expect it to taste like only better. :) Mon Oct 05 07:43:11 -0700 2009 5074375 13592 isadorasmama 1 5164741 A buddy recently got me a copy of the Food & Wine Cocktails '09 book, which he sent with a long list of boutique booze for me to procure at GA's much-lower tax rates. The St. Germain cocktail we tried and liked was the "Boris Karloff" credited to Todd Thrasher: 3/4 oz gin 3/4 oz St Germain 1 oz lime juice 1 T confectioner's sugar 1 egg white ice 1 oz chilled club soda Shake the first 5. Add the ice. Shake again. Strain into a collins glass with ice. Top w/ club soda. I was surprised that it was balanced despite the sweet elderflower liqueur and the sugar. I also tried the "Maximilian Affair" (Misty Kalkofen), which has mezcal (sub. tequila since I didn't have any), St Germain, Punt e Mes, and lemon juice. Found it too sweet/floral. I also noticed the Thatcher's organic elderflower liqueur in one shop. Cheaper than St. Germain, and I found one review online (liquorsnobs.com) that thought it was better and less cloying. Didn't try it yet. Sun Nov 08 06:28:18 -0800 2009 4585426 12626 ted