Inspiration From The Snow Maiden

The soft, inspired beauty stepped into the sleepy hotel bar on that midwinter day in Boston and the whole place instantly lit up. Her smile had a grace and a confidence that filled the room with the musical tenor of a light morning snowfall.

She introduced herself to us with a soft, almost hypnotic style. Instead of being just like every other pint-pulling bar in the neighborhood, she said, we were going to make cocktails. She was going to introduce us to these cocktails, and they'd served on a separate menu at our bar. And these weren't just martinis, manhattans, and margaritas, either... they were real cocktails.

In roughly an hour, she took our whole restaurant staff through a gauntlet of mixed drinks-- and the bottles that came with them.

She introduced me to Lillet Blanc and The Vesper. Milagro Tequila and the Paloma. Pama Pomegranate Liqueur and the Pomegranate Martini. The Blood and Sand. Hendrick's -- the most unusual Gin. A swirl of Agave Nectar to enhance a modest Margarita.

In two hours, the entire world of spirits opened up... and the possibilities were endless.

After pouring the ingredients for her Vesper Martini gracefully into her Boston Glass, she knocked metal top to glass bottom and prepped for her shake. She hesitated for an imperceptible moment.

"Now, when you shake a cocktail, you'll want to put some vigor into it," she remarked. "Polarize the ingredients. You wouldn't want a simple, weakly shaken drink, now would you?"

I softened and leaned forward through every detail, drinking in her knowledge, her style, her poise.

If I was only a child in the world of mixology, she was my Mary Friggin' Poppins.

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When I look back at the start of my career as a bartender, I can remember two people who inspired me to new heights of love and understanding for the world of the cocktail. The first is Simon Difford, who I've never actually met in person; the second is Charlotte Voisey, who I've met only once.

Looking back to that midwinter day when Charlotte strolled into The Longwood Grille & Bar in Boston, where I'd parlayed a part-time gig as a bartender, I remember our paths crossed for only about an hour or so... but the impact that hour had on me changed my whole mindset, my whole career. What I knew about liquor... about drink design... about shaking a cocktail. Her cocktail menu stretched me from a pint-slinging bartender to a budding cocktailian almost overnight.

I mention all of this because Charlotte has recently launched her own Sicilian Blood Orange Liqueur, Solerno. We inherited a few bottles at Bar & Books since we briefly served her Hendrick's Daisy here during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. Inspired yet again by my erstwhile mentor, I've been pulling the bottle out almost every chance I get... and with the number of chances I've gotten, I'm frankly surprised we still have any Solerno left to speak of.

But we did last night. And who should walk in the door but a lovely couple named Melissa and Lincoln. Melissa happens to be the new Brand Ambassador for Solerno, and asked if we have any Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur at the bar. Like clockwork, I reached for the bottle like an old friend...

... And what do you know? Melissa asked me to mix with it.

First I tried a cocktail of Charlotte's Design. It is aptly named "The Snow Maiden."


Solerno Snow Maiden
Glass: Cocktail
3/4 oz. Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
1/2 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
3/4 oz. Hendrick's Gin
1 oz. Clear Apple Juice (for those stateside... just regular old Apple Juice)
2 Dashes Orange Bitters (Regan's works nicely)
Combine all ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass and stir. Strain into a cocktail coupe.
Garnish: An Orange Spiral Twist.


The cocktail I came up with is a cross between a Velvet Cadillac (a rum drink I designed a few months ago) and a Grand Marnier Smash (created by Andy Seymour... for more on the GM Smash from my boss, Ben Scorah, follow this_link).

Since it's a rum based cocktail, Melissa and Lincoln insisted on naming it after that nuttiest of the Pirates of the Caribbean:

I do admit... my shake is a bit nutty.

Jack Sparrow
Glass: Martini
1 1/2 oz. Ron Zacapa 23
3/4 oz. Solerno Blood Orange
1/4 oz. Simple Syrup
5 Fresh Sprigs of Mint
3 Orange Wedges
1 Dash Xocolatl Bitters
Muddle Mint, Oranges, and Simple Syrup. Add all other ingredients to the mixing glass, shake in vigorous Voisey style, and strain into the martini glass.
Garnish: Flamed Orange Zest





Eleven of these were shaken and lapped up last night at Beekman Bar & Books to a dedicated crowd of late-night patrons. I'm pretty sure that nary a drop ended up in my swill sink.

A closing note: As we were saying our goodbyes for the evening, Lincoln, a musical artist, ruminated: "You know, the way you shook those cocktails, you looked like a musician."

Charlotte would have been proud. :)

Happy Shaking!

Jake