cosmonaut

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 heaping bsp Raspberry Preserves (Spencer Trappist)
(3/8 oz Simple Syrup for balance)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.I had mentioned the Cosmonaut that I had spotted in Steve the Bartender's Cocktail Guide, and Andrea picked up a raspberry preserves when she went shopping two Wednesdays ago. Therefore, I turned to Sasha Petraske's Regarding Cocktails where I had first learned of the recipe. This was one of Sasha's creations circa 2004 at Milk & Honey that was named as a jab at the popularity of the Cosmopolitan. Sasha most likely modeled the recipe after the Marmalade Cocktail in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. Overall, the concept felt like an egg-free Clover Club, so I gave it a go. When I built it in the shaker tin, it was awfully tart so I added simple syrup until it was in the ballpark of acceptable for my palate. Similarly, Difford's Guide recommends three spoons of raspberry jam and warns "don't scrimp on the quality or amount of raspberry jam used." In the glass, it launched to the nose with raspberry and juniper-pine aromas. Next, lemon with red berry notes on the sip cruised into gin and tart raspberry flavors on the swallow.