Well, summer’s nearly over. Sigh. But to give summer 2013 a cheerful send-off this coming Labor Day weekend, here’s the recipe for what turned out to be our favorite cocktail of the season. It was inspired by a drink of the same name at New York’s Locanda Verde (but I didn’t get a recipe, so the excellent bartenders there probably wouldn’t want to claim my reverse-engineered version of their delicious drink).
It combines dry gin, green Chartreuse, rosemary simple syrup and fresh lemon juice into something that tastes a lot like the classic Last Word (another favorite of mine), but then lightens it up with a generous dose of sparkling wine –I like to use a bone dry Spanish Cava, but a very dry prosecco would also do nicely. Getting Chartreuse and making rosemary simple syrup require a little effort, but it’s worth it: this balanced, bright, refreshing drink is a true crowd-pleaser. I even adapted it to make a (grown-up’s) punch for a party to celebrate Julia’s birthday last week. (Note: when making a punch, chill it with a block of ice — cubes will melt to fast. You can make a block by freezing a disposable quart container of water the night before.)
Recipe
(for one drink)
2 oz dry gin
1/2 oz green Chartreuse
1/2 oz rosemary simple syrup (see below)
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Cava or prosecco
Combine the gin, Chartreuse, rosemary simple syrup and lemon in a tall glass filled with ice and stir. Top with a generous pour of the cold sparkling wine, stir again and serve garnished with a lemon wheel, rosemary sprig or both.
To make rosemary simple syrup, combine 1 cup of white sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, add two medium sprigs of fresh rosemary and let steep for about two hours. Refrigerate.
