David Lebovitz has been a professional cook and baker for most of his life; he spent nearly thirteen years at Chez Panisse until he left the restaurant business in 1999 to write books. He moved to Paris in 2004 and turned his website into a phenomenally popular blog. He is the author of numerous cookbooks, including his new, beautifully illustrated volume, Drinking French: The Iconic Cocktails, Apéritifs, and Café Traditions of France, with 160 Recipes.
On Thursday, October 1, at 1 PM ET, David invites us to join him for an online class, when he’ll shares recipes and techniques for making his favorite French drinks, cocktails and snacks. Here’s one of his favorites.
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L’Embrassadeur
At a flea market in the South of France, I came across a book from the 1970s with a racy cover depicting two brazenly undressed lovers locked in an intimate embrace — while managing to look straight at the camera. When I rejoined my friends at a café (I tend to wander off at flea markets so I can do my scavenging without interruption), I told them about the book I had found, which was called Les Embrassadeurs. The title was a take on the word ambassadeurs, but because of the protagonists’ saucy relationship, they had been dubbed embrassadeurs, a liaison of the words embrassades (hugs and kisses) and ambassadors.
My friends roared with laughter at the corny name and told me that I absolutely had to go back and buy the book. Of course I did, like a dope, and was quite red-faced when the vendor made a big deal of announcing to everyone within earshot that he had finally found someone to buy the book, drawing stares from everyone, who wanted to see who’d ended up buying it. (Well, that’s one village in France I won’t be going back to.)
I never did read the book, but when the grisaille (gray skies) of Paris in the winter make me long for a trip south where I can be embraced by the warm sun, this liberating libation is the next best thing.
Makes 1 Serving
21⁄2 ounces (75ml) RinQuinQuin
11⁄2 ounces (45ml) gin
3 ounces (90ml) freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
1⁄2 ounce (15ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1 or 2 dashes lavender bitters
Sprig of fresh lavender or rosemary, for garnish
Add the RinQuinQuin, gin,grapefruit juice, lime juice, and lavender bitters to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the lavender.