joie vert

1 1/2 oz Bombay Gin
1 oz Juniper-Sage Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 1/2 oz Golden Russet Apple Cider
1/4 Apple
1 pinch Sugar
1 dash Bittermens Pepper Cake Bitters

Muddle apple pieces and pinch of sugar. Add rest of ingredients, shake, and strain into a highball glass.

Friday night after a wonderful dinner at Vee Vee, Andrea and I stopped in to the bar at Craigie on Main. One drink that neither one of us have had which caught my eye was the Joie Vert. Tommy was a bit surprised that I chose it since it seemed like a recipe I would not favor, but was pleased to hear that I was trying to explore his cocktail menu's range. I guess it is true that I do not usually favor tall drinks and muddled fruit but stepping outside of one's comfort zone can lead to some good surprises.

Michael stepped in to make this drink for me. The apple he muddled appeared to be a Macintosh varietal and he rendered it down to a fine pulp. The bitters were a special recipe the Glassers (the Bittermens folk) crafted for Craigie that focus on gingerbread sorts of flavors. The other herbal flavors, besides the gin, were the juniper-sage syrup (not sure if it was sugar based or not, with my guess not) which complemented the apples flavor very well along with the Pepper Cake bitter's spices. The end product was rather tart and refreshing. The fine bits of muddled apple did not detract from the drink nor clog the straw like a lot of muddled fruits can do; in fact, they added a fine texture across the tongue.