Last August in Montreal, while in town for the ASA 2017 Annual Meeting, I had the perfect cocktail, the Janette Bertrand, served at the bar Philemon. To be frank, that cocktail ruined me (in the best of ways) — so much so that I have been in search of the perfect cocktail this side of the border ever since. Finding myself frequently dissatisfied with the sample of potables available in New Haven, or with the ambient room temperature of what could be my favorite neighborhood cocktail bar (116 Crown), my search would eventually lead me to dabble, like a charlatan alchemist, in the art of mixology.
The standout ingredient in the Janette Bertrand is Contratto, a delicious, complex, all-natural bitter that, unlike its close kin Compari, is not gentian-based. Contratto’s bitterness is subtle, a sophisticated, temperate combination of aloe, wormwood, bitter orange peel, cloves, cardamom, nettle, ginger, and other herbs, including, but not dominated by, gentian. I special ordered a bottle from my local liquor store a week ago and have been creating my own recipes with what I have on hand. For tonight, something I’ve named after a key concept in sociology. Each ingredient in The Social Contract is essential to maintaining the delicate synergy of the whole. Mixed as follows, The Social Contract produces a dynamic cocktail that is at once bold yet refreshingly light on the palate. (Feel free to share this recipe. Credit or a link back to this recipe appreciated.)
Ingredients:
1 oz bourbon
1 oz gin
3/4 oz Lillet rose
1/2 oz Contratto
1/4 oz framboise liqueur
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon
1/2 – 3/4 oz freshly squeezed Cara orange
3/4 oz simple syrup (or 1/4 – 1/2 oz honey. I recommend the simple syrup.)
2-3 dashes orange bitters
Garnish w/ cara orange peel (don’t be afraid to include a thin layer of the fruity flesh), sprigs of rosemary, and one sprig of mint.
Directions:
Combine liquids, including honey, in a shaker. Add 4-5 standard ice cubes and shake vigorously.
Place two small mint leaves in the bottom of a whiskey glass. Set orange peel, sprigs of rosemary and one sprig of mint along the interior side of the glass (with sprigs behind the peel as pictured). Fill whiskey glass with ice cubes to secure in place. Pour shaker contents over ice and serve.
*optional
For more cocktail recipes, see the “Mixologist’s Guide to Surviving Graduate School.”
