Recipe: The St Germain Cocktail

When it comes to what’s hot now in cocktails, there isn’t a trend more current than aperitif. Served before a meal, aperitif cocktails are designed to stimulate the apetite and cleanse the palate. The practice has been an art-form in Europe for centuries.
A chemist developed the original French aperitif in the 1800’s by blending wine and a special concoction of herbs and quinine. Today fortified wine, liqueurs and dry champagne are the most common ingredients in aperitif cocktails.
Bursting onto the scene this summer is The St Germain Cocktail. This sweet liqueur made from French elderflower blossom is simply mixed with a dry ‘Brut’ champagne to balance the sweetness of the liqueur. Low on alcohol, aromatic and dry like a classic aperitif should be, The St Germain Cocktail is what all trendsetters should be sipping in the sunshine.
Ingredients
- 30ml St Germain
- 40ml Brut Sparkling Wine
- 40ml Soda Water
- Garnish: slice of lemon zest
Method
Add St Germain and Sparkling Wine to tall glass over ice and stir. Top with soda. Garnish.