PINK LADY’S ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH: THE MAIDEN’S BLUSH

VALENTINE’S DAY is a Hallmark holiday at its finest. Nevertheless we LUPEC ladies love love and can never resist an opportunity to raise a glass to its celebration. We will drape ourselves in pink and red, present our loved ones with construction paper hearts, and sip pink drinks – such as the aptly titled Maiden’s Blush this February 14th. The Maiden’s Blush is most commonly credited to Harry Craddock’s 193O tome, The Savoy Cocktail Book. The earliest reference we have seen to the drink actually comes from a French title, Bariana, published in 1886, which also happens to be the first French book devoted to the fine art of mixing cocktails. The recipe pops up in many other drinks books and there is a great deal of variance to these differing iterations: some call for curaçao and grenadine, others call for Absinthe and raspberry syrup. Trying your hand at a few variations is the way to ensure you arrive at a delicious drink tailored to your taste. Valentine’s Day can be a challenging day for the seasoned bon vivant, as many of our favorite haunts will be inevitably overrun with couples obligated to go out to dinner. Stay close to the bar, though, and you should be fine as you treat yourself to this empinkened delight.

1½ ounces of Old Tom gin
¾ ounce of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of raspberry syrup
½ teaspoon Absinthe
½ teaspoon powdered sugar
shake ingredients with ice.
strain into a chilled vintage cocktail glass.