Two Pears

Day 260, Cocktails 258 & 259

Monday I was inspired to follow up on the delicious Pear Flower that I had just last Friday at the NSB Bar and Grill.  I had previously purchased a bottle of Mathilde Poire liqueur that I had intended all along to pair with St. Germain, but I just had never really gotten around to it.  The Mathilde Poire is made from D’Anjou pears and is 36 proof.  It definately smells and taste like ripe pears and also has a brandy like backbeat to it.

So with the Mathilde Poire in hand, what else to use?  Death’s Door gin quickly joined it on the top of the bar followed by Lillet Blanc.  Just smelling each of these seperately and then together was good – I was pretty sure that I was on to something that would turn out good.

  Death’s Door Pear

• 2 oz Death’s Door Gin
• 1 oz Lillet Blanc
• 1/2 oz Mathilde Poire Liqueur

Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with cubed ice.  Stir to mix and chill.  Strain into a cocktail glass.  No garnish required.

On my initial taste I got a bit of sharpness from the Mathilde (that brandy backbeat I talked about), but it was quickly mellowed by the floral qualitites of the Lillet.  After the drink had a chance to mellow in my glass it had a nice pear flavor that was complimented nicely by the juniper in the the Death’s Door.  By the way, using another gin in lieu of the Death’s Door will definately change the flavor profile and may overwhelm the drink, especially if you use a London Dry gin.  If you can, use the Death’s Door.

One cocktail was not enough this evening.  I was on a roll and ready to introduce St. Germain to the mix.  Here’s what I came up with.

  Elderflower Pear

• 2 oz Death’s Door gin
• 1 oz Lillet Blanc
• 1/2 oz Mathilde Pear Liqueur
• 1/4 oz St. Germain Liqueur

Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with cubed ice.  Stir to mix and chill.  Strain into a cocktail glass.  No garnish required.

Oh my god, this is a homerun!  The addition of the St. Germain adds both a touch of sweetness and just enough of the elderflower flavor that combines just right with the pear flavors of the Mathilde.  The flavors just exploded on my tongue, providing me with the perfect balance between the boozy gin, the floral Lillet and the two liqueurs.    This drink alone is enough reason to have the Mathilde around, especially if you are a fan of St. Germain.

Try them out and let me know what you think!

Cheers!

Pear Flower

Day 257, Cocktail 256

Friday night was a date night for Gwen and me.  No kids, no friends, no worries, just the two of us (isn’t that a song?)  I decided to try someplace new and did a web search for Milwaukee bistro.  A number of interesting choices popped up and I chose one that was relatively close to home – NSB Bar and Grill.  Formerly known as the North Shore Bistro it has undergone a few changes, including the name.

When we arrived it was going to be 10 – 15 minutes for a table.  Fortunately, there were seats at the bar (I know, a shock that we’d wait at the bar), which ran the length of the dining room.  I was pleased to see that it was well stocked with liquor and liqueurs and also pleased to see a number of tempting selections on the speciality cocktail list.  While Gwen went for her usual dirty Bombay martini I opted to try out the Pear Flower.  This consisted of Grey Goose la Poire, St. Germain, grapefruit juice, lemon juice and bar syrup.  The result is pictured here and was delicious!  The pear flavored Grey Goose was a perfect match for the St. Germain and grapefruit juice.  The lemon juice added just the right amount of sour to offset the sweetness of the St. Germain.  Regular readers know that I’m no fan of flavored vodkas, but this cocktail makes a strong case for them. 

As for dinner, Gwen had the Pan Seared Tilapia with Pistachio Lemon Butter while I opted for the Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps.  Both meals were also very good and made for a great evening out for us.

Cheers!