Its no secret for anyone browsing cocktail menus from New York to Chicago to Vancouver that 2010 has been the year Elderflower went all Justin Bieber on the minds of the mixologist. Elderflower cordial (and in some cases its frizzy cousin Elderflower presse) has been popping up just about everywhere this summer. Back in August while working the Skyy Vodka Cocktails of TIFF launch, I took notice when the cordial featured prominently in the cocktails designed by The Martini Club for the festival. The Berry Baruchel (despite its gangly namesake) was by the far the best of the bunch.
It was in September however that I realized just how big things had gotten for the little cordial that could.
The season had just kicked off over in England on a new English Premier League campaign. I had spent the past several months rekindling an old flame with the seductive siren you may know as rum. And of course I was still had the sweet elderflower buzzing around my brain. It was a perfect storm that led to the creation of The Luis. Named after legendary football icon Luis Figo, I debut'd this rum cocktail on a pre kareoake deck party at my place and it was a smashing success (that is til my best mate proceeded to take the smashing a tad literally...but that will happen).
Proud as a poppa I strolled into work soon after to brag of my storied new concoction when I learned that completely independent of this creation, One's Chef De Cuisine had come up with his own Elderflower cocktail, ALSO named after one of his favorite footballers. And with all the grace of an elephant, The Luis vs. The Lampard was announced, along with the decided arrival of Elderflower cordial .
For those unfamiliar with the elderflower cordial, its basically simple syrup infused with the flowers of the elderberry. Its roots trace back to Victorian England and while generally widely available in Northwestern Europe, its use, availability and popularity is for the most part a new phenomenon this side of the pond. While commercially invisible here a few years ago, demand has domestic commercial production of elderflower cordial in full swing & its now hitting the shelves of shops such as Loblaws & Ikea (crazy Swedes). Aside from its direct use, I also see its impact further on the North American cocktail menu. While infusing spirits has been old hat for some time now it seems that the little Elderflower cordial has got the wheels turning and suddenly one cant help but notice infused syrups creeping up all over the place (ie. Lemongrass Syrup, which now made in house at One features in 2 of our fall cocktails).
Back to battle of elderflowered footballers it must be pointed out that at the best of times Chef & I were seemingly born to do battle. A Leeds man and a United man are eternal combatants and now armed with our proud new recipes the duel was inevitable. With the new fall cocktail menu being designed for this past week, the stage was set. I greased the wheel a tad by feedng his sous chefs delicious Luis' the night before the tasting. In the end however I gave the Lampard the green light (though only due to seasonal considerations......being that his infusion of lavender & rosemary sang "autumn" more than the summery splash of the Luis).
In the end 3 One mixologists & our chef all designed elderflower based cocktails for the new menu. We selected 2, kept 1 for next summer & retooled another with a more herbacious answer to its floral inception (this would be the Lemongrass Fizz featuring an enticing blend of lemongrass syrup, Zubrowka Bisongrass Vodka & champagne).
Ladies, gentlemen, the elderflower has entered the building.
Heres some recipes you can try at home
-The Berry Baruchel (from the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival Skyy Bar Guide)
1.5 oz Skyy vodka
0.25 oz Lemon Juice
0.33 oz Elderflower Cordial
2 oz. Blueberry juice.
Stir in a shaker over ice until cold. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with 2 tsp. of wild blueberries.
-The Luis
2,5 oz. Bacardi White Rum
3 oz. Soda
1 oz. Lime Juice
0.5 oz Elderflower Cordial
Pour over rocks in a collins glass and garnish with chopped zest of half of one lime.
-The Lampard
2.5 oz. Brokers Gin infused with lavender & rosemary
0.5 oz Elderflower cordial
3 oz. soda
1 oz. lemon juice
Pour over rocks in a collins glass and garnish with a rosemary sprig.
-The Pekoe Martini (from One's Fall 2010 Cocktail menu)
4 oz. of Ketel One Vodka infused with Black Tea & Elderflower cordial
Stir in a shaker full of ice until cold. Pour into a martini glass & garnish with an orange slice across the surface of the martini
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