cherry blossom brocade

The theme for this month's Mixology Monday (MxMo LXXIV) was picked by Andrea of the Gin Hound blog. The theme she chose was "Cherries," and with the that fruit beginning to ripen in certain regions of the world, it is quite fitting. And even if it is not ripening, Andrea provided for plenty of other ways to incorporate the ingredient into cocktails. Andrea elaborated on her theme by describing, "Singapore Gin Sling, Blood and Sand, and the Aviation wouldn't be the same without them... But cherries in cocktails are also horribly abused, few things taste worse than artificial cherry aroma, and the description of how most maraschino cherries are made can make you sick to your stomach. So it's my pleasure as the host of Mixology Monday... to challenge you to honor the humble cherry. However you choose to do that, is entirely up to you. You could use Maraschino Liqueur, Cherry Heering, Kirchwasser, Belgian Kriek Beer, cherry wine, or any spectacular infusions invented by you in a cocktail. Or make your own maraschino cherries for a spectacular garnish."

I was originally searching for an interesting classic kirsch-containing recipe in my library that I have not made before, but I got a bit frustrated. Instead, I opted for something newer, namely something from Kate Simon's Absinthe Cocktails. The drink I spotted there was from Chris Hannah of New Orlean's French 75 Bar. His Cherry Blossom Brocade was dubbed after a fabric pattern frequently used in corsets, and the recipe's structure reminded me of Remember the Maine with Genever and grapefruit juice in place of the Bourbon and sweet vermouth, respectively.

Cherry Blossom Brocade
• 1 1/2 oz Bols Genever
• 1 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice (Pink)
• 1/2 oz Cherry Heering
• 1/4 oz Absinthe Verte (La Muse Verte)
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass or coupe. Garnish with a stemmed cherry (omitted).

Once mixed, the Cherry Blossom Brocade offered a cherry and absinthe aroma. A malty sip shared grapefruit and cherry flavors, and the swallow showcased the absinthe and Genever botanicals.
So thank you to Andrea of Gin Hound for picking the theme and running this month's show, and thanks to the rest of the Mixology Monday participants for keeping the spirit of the event alive!