I’m going to be stunningly original here – a Leap Year cocktail on February 29th! I do love the idea of Leap Day, that it’s a day to do things you might not normally do, but as with so many things in life, it’s mostly great because it reminds me of a great Frasier episode, which features this spectacular Daphne moment:
“Tell me the truth. Is it as bad as I think it is?”
“How… bad… do you think it is?”
Taking a leap: not always the best idea?
But what harm can we come to with this rather gentle cocktail? A simple concoction, invented by Harry Craddock at the Savoy to celebrate the occasion in 1928, it’s a bittersweet blend of gin, sweet vermouth, orange liqueur, and a hint of lemon juice. Thanks to The Kitchn for the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 oz gin
3/4 oz orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
Dash of lemon juice
Shake (or stir, since there’s so little lemon juice) over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist a piece of lemon over the glass and drop in for garnish.
Happy Leap Day!
I was just reading about this cocktail the other day (it being Leap Day and all). Looks great! What kind of gin did you use?
Thank you, it’s a great drink! I used Sipsmith although might go for something more citrusy if I make it again.
I don’t think I’ve seen Sipsmith around me. Is it a London dry style? Can you get New American style gins? They have a lot more of a citrus flavor. My absolute favorite is Bluecoat. And not just because it’s local-ish.
Yes, Sipsmith is made locally here in London and it’s a brilliant dry style. I’ve read lots about Bluecoat and I’d love to try it, but it’s really expensive and a bit difficult to get over here. Might try Tanqueray 10?