As I mentioned a few days ago, the Hotel Monteleone is hosting a contest to develop a new signature Monteleone Cocktail. I've spent some time the last week or so playing with recipes, and I came up with one that I really like. I tried to think of something that was reminiscent of classic New Orleans cocktails and themes, but also unique. I didn't want it to be too trendy or faddish, lest it go out of style or an ingredient be no longer available, so I tried to stick to fairly standard ingredients with a twist.
Monteleone Cocktail (Sonja's Version)
2 1/2 oz Cognac or Brandy
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Honey
1/4 oz Absinthe
Stir all ingredients without ice first, to dissolve honey and intermix with other ingredients. Add ice, shake well, and strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with flamed orange peel.
Ingredient notes:
- I used very basic brandy, but also tried it with some others and some basic-level cognacs. As long as the brandy is well-balanced and smooth, it seems to work well.
- The honey is very important - it should be fairly standard honey, nothing too fancy or flavorful. I did try a lavender honey, and it was an interesting variation, but I liked standard clover honey best.
- I used our absinthe, but I think it would work with others that are more widely available, as long as it has a traditional flavor profile and is not overwhelmingly bitter.
7 comments:
I was thinking of something along the lines of your entry, but couldn't really come up with the inspiration. I ended up submitting something that, while I like the taste, probably has little chance of winning due to seasonal ingredients.
Muddle 3 or 4 raspberries with 3 or 4 mint leaves/sprigs & a tablespoon of simple syrup in a shaker
add
1 oz Appleton rum
.5 oz Reposado tequila
ice
shake vigourously and strain into chilled glass
add 3 or 4 dashes Underberg bitters
garnish with a mint sprig toothpicked into the cavity of a raspberry.
That sounds really, good, Iain, I'll have to try it out. And who knows what they're looking for in the recipe, guess we'll see when they announce the winner. Cheers!
I tried your Monteleone recipe on Tuesday night when we were making Brandy Daisies. It was very good; the flavor wasn't what I expected, either. It feels appropriate for New Orleans, too. Good luck, and Cheers!
Sonja,
Your cocktail sounds awesome! I think I'll make one tonight!
Hopefully we'll see each other at the Carousel Bar this year so we can sit down for a Monteleone.
Been on the Wormwood Society recently? We miss you!
Thanks Iain, so glad you liked it! And congrats to Brian for winning the contest with your recipe. Way to go!
I am planning to be at Tales, so will look forward to catching up then and trying your drink.
Haven't been on WS lately, I'll have to pop over. Thanks for missing me!
I love your blog, I found it while looking for ideas on Absinthe and food pairings. Have you ever tried Agave Nectar? It's much less viscous than honey, and much easier to mix. It's also sweeter, so you need less...
Thanks for the kind words! I have tried agave nectar, and use it in some cocktails - it's great to mix with. For this recipe in particular, I wanted the honey flavor as an undertone in the drink. You can also use a honey syrup (with some hot water added) if you want honey flavor and don't want to deal with honey's viscosity but want honey flavor.
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