J'Adore (Ginger Cobbler)

It was a Sunday in mid-May. I'd been working at Bar and Books for about a month. I was strolling through Central Park, overcharged like a battery struck by lightning. Someone who meant a lot to me at the time was going to visit me at the bar that night.

I wanted to do something special for her, make her feel welcome from the second she walked in the door... show her I still cared about her. It had been a while since I'd seen her, and I missed her.

She loved Ginger Martinis. Most of those used vodka with infused ginger. Could I do that? ... Not by tonight. No, I was going to have to make it work more quickly. Maybe I could muddle it. But it's strong stuff. So maybe just a couple of very thin slices...

Over the next half hour, I strolled past our old haunts. The soccer fields near 95th and 5th, where I'd pulled out a full picnic for her. The paths where we'd strolled and chatted about how she was a total francophile and missed Paris. The park bench where she'd closed her eyes for a moment and sighed relief after a stressful day at work, resetting herself for our date. The World Globe outside the Trump International, where I'd snapped photos at sunset waiting for her to show up. As I visited each place, another piece of the cocktail's design fermented in my head.

With clarity and purpose, I strolled into Whole Foods and picked up a fistful of fresh ginger. I hit work and suited up, block of ginger in hand, ready to make some mixological magic.

The owner showed up. I made him five.

A different beauty showed up. She had a riveting smile. When I told her I had a Ginger Martini she might like, her eyes lit up. I made her four; her friends bought another six.

That's fifteen cocktails!

She helped launch my career as a mixologist that night, and the drink featured on our cocktail menus a week later.

...But the girl I was actually waiting for never walked in the door... and to this day, she never has.

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A couple of weeks ago, we launched our first etiquette class with Britt Media Relations, hosted by U'Luvka Vodka  and Christofle Paris at Beekman Bar and Books. The event was a huge success; the bar was filled to capacity with eager drinkers.

My Ginger Cocktail, now one of the most popular on the Bar & Books menu, was chosen as one of the featured drinks and christhened under the fitting name "J'Adore." Proceeds from the cocktail went to benefit the French-American cultural exchange.

As I shook libation after libation, I couldn't help thinking how strange life can be sometimes.

Sure, things might not have turned out the way I'd intended. The girl who'd been my inspiration was nowhere to be seen... even though I'm sure a Parisian fete showcasing a ginger cocktail would have been right up her alley. But because of the inspiration I'd gotten from her, I was living my dream, mixing a cocktail that was the star of the show. And I couldn't have been happier.

Life really is funny sometimes...

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Ginger Cobbler
(Alias J'Adore)

Glass: Cocktail
2 oz. U'Luvka Vodka

3/4 oz. Domaine de Canton

1/2 oz. Lemon Juice

1/2 oz. Simple Syrup

2 Thin slices fresh Ginger

Muddle Ginger and Simple Syrup in the mixing glass.  Add all other ingredients, shake vigorously, and strain into a cocktail glass.

Garnish:  Fresh Ginger Slice

 

J'Adore is a very simple and balanced drink, very much no frills and one of my favorites. The light vanilla and spice from the U'Luvka balances almost perfectly with the light bite of the ginger. The drink is refreshing on the palate; it cools in warm weather, and warms me when it's cold. Those who sip slowly have nothing to worry about with J'Adore; the drink stays balanced even as it warms up.

It's worth mentioning that the inspiration for the cocktail’s original name, "Ginger Cobbler," is a tip of the hat to Jerry_Thomas, reknowned by many as the father of mixology. Mr. Thomas conceived a similarly popular drink in the late 19th Century called "Sherry Cobbler."

The recipe follows:

Sherry Cobbler

Glass: Julep or "Large Bar Glass"

4 oz. Sherry (Recommended: Pedro Ximendez)

1 tablespoon Superfine Sugar

2-3 Orange Wedges

Fill a tumbler with shaved ice, shake well, and ornament with berries in season.

Happy Mixing!

Jake