If you just Candied Angelica then you have earned yourself a drink. Nay, you need a drink. It’s quite the ordeal.  If you don’t have any candied angelica on hand, no biggie. It’s just the garnish.

I have always loved celery- I consider it one of the unsung heroes of the kitchen. Its flavor is minerally and clean and bright. It reminds me of the way the air smells after a Spring rain shower.  This cocktail is a celebration of celery and some of its very close cousins, angelica and lovage.

UMBELLIFER DELIGHT 

note: I seriously like a good cocktail. A key component to making a good cocktail is to measure. No eye balling. No guestimating. You must measure.  Here is what I use for my measurements. They are good quality (the measurements won’t wear off) and dishwasher safe. Plus, they’re cute.

note 2: if you don’t have candied angelica and lovage syrup, that’s ok. While the drink won’t be quite as nuanced, the celery bitters and chartreuse will be enough to hold up to the promise of an “umbellifer delight”…

yield: 1 drink

ingredients:

60 ml blanco tequila

10 ml chartreuse (yellow or green, your preference)

10 ml oloroso sherry

10 ml lovage simple  syrup (if you don’t have lovage, use regular simple syrup and double the amount of celery bitters)

10 ml lemon juice

2 dashes celery bitters

1 inch-long piece of candied angelica

technique: 

1. Chill– fill a coupe or martini glass with ice and top with water.

2. Shake- fill shaker half way with ice and add tequila, chartreuse, sherry, simple syrup and lemon juice. Shake well. (I count to 25).

3.Strain drink into glass after removing ice water. Finish with two dashes of celery bitters and garnish with candied angelica.

taste:  while this definitely has a savory aspect, I think it has nice balance of sweetness and herbaceousness.  It is pretty and refreshing and a great drink to have before dinner.