The Fascinator
No, I’m not talking about those adorable, little hats that everyone wears for special occasions, I’m talking about a cocktail. That’s right, a cocktail. After all, it is Friday and you all know what that means: classic cocktails!
As I said, today’s classic is called a Fascinator, yes, just like the hat. And like the hat, it’s been around for quite some time. While the fascinator that you wear has been around since the 1700’s, this drink has only been around since before Prohibition. (Sorry, I couldn’t find an exact date) It’s very similar to the martini, but where the martini only uses vermouth and gin (or vodka), this drink has a couple extra ingredients. The Fascinator uses absinthe and mint to turn it into a more herbal cocktail. But absinthe and mint aren’t the only differences. This drink also uses French vermouth.
If you’ve never heard of French vermouth, don’t worry, neither had I. As a matter of fact, before I discovered this cocktail, that I had no idea what French vermouth was. I’d heard of Italian or sweet vermouth and of course I knew all about dry vermouth (I have had my share of martinis, after all) but I’d never heard of French. So, I did what I always do, I did some research, and I discovered something surprising. Turns out I’ve been enjoying French vermouth for years. See, French vermouth is another name for dry vermouth. I was thrilled because now I had everything I needed to shake up this drink. What I ended up with, was a slightly sweeter, more herbal version of one of my favorite classic cocktails. A cocktail so good in fact, I can’t wait to make it again.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces gin
- 1-1/2 ounces dry vermouth
- 1/2 teaspoon absinthe
- 3 or 4 mint leaves
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and add ice. Shake until chilled and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.
