Petite Fleur
So the short Easter break draws to a close. I haven’t had much time off at all as I’ve been trying to catch up with some papers and other stuff. I was in the department over the weekend and on Monday and have only really had yesterday and today completely off. We’re back teaching on Monday.
However, things haven’t turned out too badly as we’ve got very nice weather right now and it’s set fair for the weekend. I’ve spent most of today in the garden and got quite a lot of preparation done, although my hands are now covered in scratches. It’s still quite warm approaching 7pm so I’ve decided to sit outside and have myself a cocktail before dinner.
I have a complete set of cocktail-making gear: measures, stirrers, shakers, and ice-crusher as well as the various tools needed for making the trimmings, such as a canulating knife. I also have a reasonably complete range of glasses appropriate for various drinks. My taste in cocktails is, however, fairly limited. Not being partial to Gin eliminates quite a few and I’d rather drink a good Malt on its own than have cocktails with cheaper whisky in them. However, I do have several books of cocktail recipes and, now and again, I pick recipes to try out.
My favourite pre-dinner cocktail, especially in summer, is called a Petite Fleur. It’s a great aperitif, with a refreshing sharpness to prime the palate. It’s also very easy to make:
1 Measure White Rum
1 Measure Triple Sec (or Cointreau)
1 Measure Grapefruit Juice (preferably fresh)
Shake the ingredients well together with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Decorate with a twist of orange peel.
Mentioning this cocktail also gives me the excuse to include the tune of the same name that was a big hit originally for the great Sidney Bechet (and then later on over here in the UK for Monty Sunshine, erstwhile clarinettist of Chris Barber’s band). Here’s the wonderful original version, with Bechet on soprano saxophone, which is the perfect accompaniment to a spot of self-indulgence. Enjoy!
In the Dark 
April 9, 2010 at 8:01 pm
This combination of trad jazz and cocktails reminds me of a happy evening in New Orleans, after a conference, indulging in both. The players weren’t as good as the wonderful Bechet, though.
White rum is fit only for cocktails. Dark rum isn’t versatile enough, so I keep golden rum as a compromise. It goes weil in cocktails and is great with tonic water and ice.
Try gin with the juice from a tin of lychees. If you don’t like that mix, you really don’t like gin.
Anton
April 9, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Anton
Have you read Bechet’s biography Treat it Gentle ? He dictated it as he lay dying of cancer in hospital, and it’s totally fascinating. I have it in an old paperback edition that you’re welcome to borrow if you haven’t read it before.
Peter