Summer is upon us and so is the time to lighten up our cocktail choices as we quench our thirst. After all, the last thing we want is to drink heavy cocktails in the heat of the day as we lounge by the pool or enjoy an al fresco meal.
A recent trip to the land of cocktails, New Orleans, found me craving the lighter side of mixed drinks, or what industry cognoscenti like to call “sessionable” cocktails – those containing less alcohol that allow for consuming more than one with an eye towards “all-day” drinking.
While strolling Magazine Street in New Orleans’ uptown neighborhood, We stopped in for a drink with friends at Bouligny Tavern (https://www.boulignytavern.com), a casual sister-spot of the well-known Lilette, Chef John Harris’ French brasserie, located next door. I ordered the Sloe Love cocktail, which I enjoyed so much that I felt compelled to learn more about its origin and the inspiration behind it.
Bartender CJ Russell, a northern California native who moved to New Orleans in 2016, is Sloe Love’s creator. At once, an ode to the old and new, just like the city it was created in, the Slow Love uses local ingredients (the new), including New Orleans’ own Gravier Gin from Porch Jam Distillery and Love Potion Bitters from El Guapo Bitters Co, along with Atxa Sierra do Orduna Pacharan, a delightfully aromatic Sloe berry liqueur from Spain’s Basque region (the old). “The Sloe Love is my homage to a classic Sloe Gin Fizz; designed to be a crushable and refreshing summer “session” cocktail: a little less boozy, but with a satisfying, lightly sweet and floral profile,” Russell says, adding, “I love my craft, and this city has helped me learn more and be better at it than I’d ever thought possible. I hope that more people come to recognize New Orleans as not just a fun town to have drinks in (read: get hammered), but one with a rich heritage of incredible food and exceptional libations, constantly evolving and yet staying true to its roots.”
Bouligny Tavern is located at 3641 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA. 70115.
Phone 504-891-1810
The Sloe Love
35ml (1.25oz) Gravier Gin (Porchjam Distillery, NOLA, www.porch-jam.com)
35ml (1.25oz) ATXA SIERRA DO ORDUNA PACHARAN (Spanish sloe berry liqueur)
20ml ( 2/3oz) fresh lemon juice
10ml (1/3 oz) 1.5:1 simple syrup
5 dashes Love Potion Bitters (El Guapo, NOLA, https://www.elguapobitters.com)
Splash of soda
Served on the rocks with a slice of lemon
https://www.boulignytavern.com
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