Is the perfect Spring cocktail/mocktail with major flower power
I’m infatuated with the floral qualities of mangoes and discovered it’s possible to make these lovely notes pop even more when you combine them with actual flower essences. Floral noted spirits, floral bitters and actual flowers- combined with mangoes, gives my floral obsession more flower power! This drink is the result of that power and my obsession.
This drink somewhat manifested itself onto me as my spring garden bloomed and as I had been itching to find more uses for the super floral gin I wrote about for Edible Marin & Wine Country, New Alchemy’s Fleurette Gin. The gin not only has some fascinating (an unique) underlying juniper notes that qualify gin as gin, but it also has wild and crazy floral botanicals, as well as beautiful complimentary citrus qualities, making it a super special and modern gin, not to mention very well-made, as I have come to expect from New Alchemy’s products. It’s extremely fragrant, like a bouquet of flowers and has a perfectly sweet tinge to it, just enough so that’s its not overly flowery and weird. It’s both dainty and powerful – or what I consider ultra feminine. Most of the flowers are grown locally where the producers reside, which I think is super cool. My talented friends, Laura and Tara of Duke’s in Healdsburg (my “local” and best watering hole -local being subjective when you live in the boonies), describe it as “reminiscent of walking through fields of purple flowers: violets, iris and lavender”; that sentiment makes me dream of these purple laden flower fields existing in the middle of a mango orchard, dripping with perfectly ripe mangoes- a heavenly vision and I imagine scent. The idea of pairing these together was really just destiny in my mind.
The absinthe, another local delicacy by Healdsburg distillers, Young & Yonder, adds even more essence of flower as well as sultry and earthy herb tones. Absinthe is an herbaceous, light and delicate spirit that’s not only potent but ultra- complex. Like mangoes, I found, by adding more floral essence, I can extract more flower notes from the spirit; it makes them pop brightly. The final drink is full of radiant mangoes and powerful flower energy, which to me signifies springs bursting of life.. Absinthe is pretty strong and I hate too much drunk in my life, so I choose to simply rinse or moisten the ice cold glass with the absinthe, subtly imparting the herbaceous and flower essence of the absinthe into the drink, it works like a seasoning here, more than a booze element addition.
The mango nectar in the drink is essentially a thinner mango pure. Technically you could juice the mango but I can’t imagine lugging out and cleaning my juicer for a project this small, especially when adding a little more water to the general mango puree recipe, is rather simple and gives the same result.
This is the perfect and pretty spring cocktail to make for a special occasion. ( I define a special occasion as anytime you want it to be, while pausing to label it as such) I think its enjoyed best when its sunny outside, adding more vibrancy and joy to the new bright light that comes with the first sunny days of spring. Don’t get too greedy and have too many, this one is ideal savored.
I include a non-alcoholic (mocktail- kiddie-cocktail) version because special doesn’t have to include booze, and this one in particular is exceptionally tasty with out liquor and perfect for kids, who also appreciate the art of making special things to drink along with non drinkers. Most my nephews and nieces learned from an early age (from me) the special act of creating fresh and tasty libations. It’s not a booze thing, is a flavor thing and everyone deserves to taste a great libation which doesnt have to be defined by booze. In all my kids classes I’m adamant about including a special, flavorful drink, made with ingredients that are natural and from the earth, not sugar laden and proceed; which may many cocktails at bars are, by the way and I hate that. The fresh aspect is just better and its not at all complicated as my nephew Stavin, who just visited me for his spring break reminded me of. I thought it was super cute that he was mixing his own fresh drinks using herbs, flowers and fruit (mangoes) and even cuter when he fell in love with Monarch Bitters, Wildflower Syrup, which is what I use here as it provides the final sweet nectary tonic element that perfects this flowery experience. Cocktail syrups, bitters, tonics: all of it, I remind, are not just for the bar, there have multiple uses, even in food and cooking. Monarch’s Wildflower Syrup is made with 100% wild forage flowers from Northern California’s Sonoma Coast and it tastes rather unique – not just floral, trust me your kids will love it with mangoes. Stavin said it was reminiscent of drinking a Dr. Pepper when he mixed it with sparkling water…. I took that as a good sign since he loves Dr. Pepper.
Since Stavin was a little boy he has asked me to buy him things I would never buy, mostly toys and sugar crap- quite frankly, dumb stuff. If you know Stavin you understand he’s very good at getting what he wants, even with me, notoriously proud of my motto- I will never buy you toys or processed foods. (Remember the spy kit Stavin?) I felt great pride when he asked me to buy him a bottle of the syrup to take with him and with great pleasure I did.
Crazy Mango Flowers (Gin)
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
1-2 lavender flower buds
a few pineapple sage flowers and leaves
2-3 jasmine flowers
lemon zest (maybe a teaspoon)
pinch of salt
2 ounces New Alchemy Fleurette Gin
1 ounce mango nectar
¾ ounce of lemon juice
½ wildflower syrup (Monarch Bitters)
Calendula Bitters or any floral-centric bitter
Absinthe ( Fellows and Foragers brand ideal)
Chilled Glass
Flower Petals
Directions
Tear up the lavender flowers, pineapple sage and jasmine flowers and place them at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the lemon zest and salt and muddle for about 5 seconds, mashing all the floral essence into the salt and zest. Fill the shaker with ice and then add the gin, mango nectar, lemon juice, wildflower syrup and bitters. Take a chilled glass, either rocks or coup style glass and place a little less than a ½ ounce of absinthe in it and swirl it around the glass. Fill the glass with ice if you are using a rocks glass and no ice if using a coup. Shake vigorously for about 8-10 seconds. Strain the shaker into your glass. Garnish with a few – seriously just a few- flower petals.
Wild Mango Flowers (Non-Alcoholic)
Makes 1 mocktail
Ingredients
1-2 lavender flower buds
a few pineapple sage flowers and leaves
2-3 jasmine flowers
lemon zest (maybe a teaspoon)
pinch of salt
1 ounce mango nectar
1 ounce of lemon juice
½ wildflower syrup (Monarch Bitters)
Calendula Bitters or any floral-centric bitter
Monarch Bitters Basil Citrus Bitters
Chilled Glass
1-2 ounces sparkling water
Flower Petals
Directions
Tear up the lavender flowers, pineapple sage and jasmine flowers and place them at the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the lemon zest and salt and muddle for about 5 seconds, mashing all the floral essence into the salt and zest. Fill the shaker with ice and then add the mango nectar, lemon juice, wildflower syrup and floral-bitters. Take a chilled rocks and place a few drops of the basil citrus bitters in it and swirl it around the glass. Fill the glass with ice. Shake vigorously for about 8-10 seconds. Strain the shaker into your glass and fill with sparkling water. Garnish with a few – seriously just a few- flower petals. I’m really not kidding about this. No one wants to eat soggy flower petals, a few tiny ones, add color and slide down nicely when you sip it.
Shake it baby!
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