marconi wireless no. 2

2 1/4 Clear Creek Eau de Pome
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Punt e Mes

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass.

On Wednesday, I met Andrea in the South End after her hair appointment and our plan was to finally visit Coppa. We had delayed a trip over there due to the crowds and to the long walk from the subway that seemed daunting in the winter months. Alas, with this weather, the walk was rather pleasant, and with a short wait, we had a pair of seats at the bar. One of the interesting aspects of Coppa's bar is that the establishment has a limited cordial and liqueur and not a full liquor license. Therefore, certain verboten spirits were represented symbolically in syrups, infusions, or other substitutions. What makes this aspect succeed so well is head bartender Corey Bunnewith's classical training at the Culinary Institute of America which gives him some extra tools and ideas with which to work. It seemed like Andrea was more drawn to Corey's chef-tender concoctions like her first drink, a Tangerine Batida, which was a combination of tangerine, dulce de leche, toasted pignole, and xanthum gum-thickened Cabana Cachaca.
For my first drink, I asked bartender Ian to make me the Marconi Wireless No. 2 off of their cocktail menu. Corey described the drink as a combination of the original Marconi Wireless and a Green Point. Corey commented that people were a little taken aback by his green (instead of yellow) Chartreuse-containing Green Point, but I reassured him that I have seen and had it both ways. What I found more odd than his inclusion of Green Chartreuse in this chimera was the absence of orange bitters which is one of the major flavors to me in the Marconi Wireless as well as an ingredient in my preferred Green Point recipe. Since Corey could not use applejack or Calvados due to the licensing, he utilized an apple eau de vie instead.

The interplay of green Chartreuse and Punt e Mes in this drink was rather interesting. The combination donated an almost Fernet Branca-like hint, and the Punt e Mes seemed to mellow out the sharper notes in the Chartreuse. The apple flavor was a bit more subtle and appeared more on the swallow than on the sip like a Calvados would.