To celebrate this month, and commemorate a wonderful night at Flora with friends, this month's cocktail is the infamous Corpse Reviver #2:
The #2 retains the enigma displayed by its forebear, employing London Dry Gin, Cointreau, Lemon Juice, Lillet Blanc (known at the time as Kina Lillet – also one of the essential components of the original James Bond cocktail, the Vespa), and another frequently misused and misunderstood liquid, Absinthe. True Absinthe was banned in the US starting in 1912, well before the start of Prohibition, and remained so after its repeal. Because of its association with French artists and poets whose overindulgence reportedly drove them mad (Van Gogh’s ear-severing incident was famously blamed on Absinthe intoxication), early Temperance Movement devotees successfully implicated Absinthe in a host of social ills of the day, warning that it would lead to the downfall of society. The presence of the chemical Thujone, an element of the extract of wormwood which is used as a flavoring element in the production of Absinthe, was identified as the likely culprit. Studies discrediting these conclusions have since led to the recent legalization of true Absinthe in the US. Absinthe is a fascinating spirit with an amazing history and some very specific applications and techniques associated with it, so don’t be surprised to find a future column (or two) devoted entirely to the study of it.
3/4 ounce London Dry Gin
3/4 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce Lillet blanc
3/4 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
Rinse absinthe (dash in glass, swirled, then drained)
Combine in a shaker with cracked ice; shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a stemless cherry
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