Floradora
A spritzy blast from the past.
by Erin Henderson
I know I say this about every cocktail, but the Floradora just may be my drink of summer.
It's got everything I love: glamourous colour, intensely satisfying flavour, impressive balance, and it has that airy laissez faire that's oh-so-right for summer sipping.
It's named for a 1900-era Broadway play of the same name that ran for over a year, captivating crowds with its famous dancing girls.
The Floradora is basically a riff on a Collins (aren't they all), for a formula that just works: the herbal grounding of London dry gin, the tart pinch of lime, the sweet fruit of raspberry syrup, and the spicy heat of ginger beer. It's incredibly gratifying, just like the dancing girls.
Floradora
Do not overlook this simply because the raspberry syrup takes a little bit of work. It's truly worth the scant amount of effort required and once made can be repurposed for a Clover Club or to jazz up a margarita or gin and tonic.
Makes: 1 drink
Bartender level: moderate
Ingredients:
- 2 oz London dry gin
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 oz raspberry syrup*
- Ginger beer (or ginger ale) for topping
- Garnish: raspberries
How to Make It:
- Add the gin, lime juice, and raspberry syrup into a shaker filled with ice and shake until well-chilled. About 20-30 seconds.
- Double-strain into a highball or rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top with the ginger beer (or ginger ale) stirring gently to combine.
- Garnish with raspberries.
*Raspberry syrup
Into a sauce pot set over medium-low heat, add one cup each of white sugar, water, and fresh or frozen raspberries. Stir and dissolve the sugar. Allow the mixture to cool completely, then blitz in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth in a clean container and store in the fridge for up to one week.
