So a while back (I may have even blogged it, who knows?) I decided that if I had a signature drink it would be called the Snarky Little Tart. Aside from figuring the ‘little’ demanded a shot glass (maybe a double) and the tart would require some sort of ‘Pucker’ ingredient (I was thinking cherry for the red factor, though that didn’t really appeal to me taste-wise) I really haven’t spent much time determining the particulars.
Until tonight, that is…
See, back when I made the final liquor-store run before the Movie Party I was strolling the liqueurs when I found DeKuyper’s Pomegranate. Not a ‘Pucker’, but definitely red and pleasant sounding enough to pick up a bottle to play with. (Plus I remembered the Pomegranate martini that Books order that night at Tantra was incredibly good, so one way or another it wouldn’t go to waste.) Considering my love for gin & tonics I wondered if gin would go well with the Pom’ and what else, if anything, would be needed to end up with a drink that could be my signature.
Since it’s late and I’m working on editing while listening to Food Network I decided to give this a whirl. I started with a cordial glass (basically a flared double shot glass) and the Pom liqueur. A quick sip to make sure it was good on its own (oh, my, yes) and then a dash of gin (Gordon’s London Dry for the curious, I just eyeballed it to be about equal with the Pom). Sip-taste? So far, so good. I decided it was a little cloying straight, so added some club soda to thin it out a bit. Improvement. Of course, it was warm, so I headed into the kitchen to grab an ice-cube.
That’s when inspiration struck.
Berylq is a cordialler of no small talent and while I truly swoon at her cinnamon cordial, her vanilla runs a very close second to favorite. I happened to have some in the fridge and decided to top off the cocktail. Perfection. The vanilla cordial totally enriched the taste of the mix and I do believe I have my drink.
Granted, it still needs some refining. Part of me wants to insist on a martini glass presentation (stirred, not shaken) but the purest in me admits that such a thing would not be entirely appropriate. I’m going to leave that to my mood, honestly, but keep the single ice-cube. In fact, future versions will /start/ with the ice-cube (preferably one of the perfectly square ones: most people still get the impression that I’m this straight-laced, icy conservative when they first meet me), followed by the gin (there’s just something about seeing a good swirl of legs with a strong gin, not to mention the crack of the ice when the alcohol pours over it), then the vanilla (this is no plain vanilla, it’s got spice to it), and nearly topped off by the Pom (dressing it like my favorite red sweater). Topping it off with a spash of club soda (effervescence, anyone?) and a swirl of the ice-cube, this cocktail is not one to downed in one shot. Sip slowly, friends, as snark is sharp but goes down easy. When finished, use the ice cube to the best of your imagination.
That’s good…