Story and Recipe by Craig Seaman | Photography by Randy Krause Schmidt
By now, we have surely had some glimpse of a “fake spring” where we have walked outside and felt the relief of perfectly gorgeous weather, the kind that immediately brings a smile to your face. Often in New Orleans, a wet and chilly winter has shifted to spring and then we get another cold snap and are stripped of our ready-for-spring joy. But the real spring is just around the corner, and it won’t last long, so enjoy every minute of it. Creeping up behind spring is an unrelenting summer heat that seems to last far too long every year. So, when that perfect spring weather does arrive, make sure you sit outside on your porch with a cocktail in hand, basking in its glory before it’s over. For me, this season begs for not only a cocktail but a particular spirit: gin.
Seeing the initial wave of flowers begin to bloom here in the Crescent City makes me smile just like the change in the weather. Typically, before the limey green of new foliage on our trees, we see the first pop of color with Japanese magnolias. As a lover of gardens and someone trying to turn their thumb greener, those fuzzy little buds are some of my favorite flowers, bursting open in whites, pinks, and purples seemingly before they should, with the tree limbs still bare for the most part. Within months, we are inundated with a variety of flowers and new growth, and with the scenery change comes a switch from my slower, darker, richer drinking choices to something a bit lighter, more herbal, and sometimes even floral. Instead of Vieux Carrés and Scotch neat, I reach for drinks lengthened with soda, maybe a touch of absinthe, and I most definitely begin to play with gin, my first love in the spirit world.
As a bartender, many of us get asked the same questions over again. One that we hear relentlessly is, “Can you just make me something refreshing?” Many a bartender has answered, “Sure,” turning away to hide their rolling eyes. Without giving us much to work with, we’re left to read guests’ minds.
However, I find much success when serving them a Tom Collins. This very underrated yet delicious gin sour gets lengthened with a touch of soda water, hitting all the marks of “something refreshing” and even blurring the lines for the purported non-gin drinker. But in case you need something a little more interesting and herbal in your glass, this Tom Collins with a twist is a great flavor combination I can’t seem to get enough of. As you go down the rabbit hole of creating cocktails at home, don’t be afraid to play with different options or substitute your own favorite flavors or spirits—just keep the structure the same and swap out similar ingredients to find your new favorite cocktail.
Get There
CHANDELIER BAR
2 Canal St.
New Orleans
@fsneworleans
