The Alexandrian Solution

The Alexandrian Solution

For a truly special box I have an equally special toast which also hearkens back to ancient days.  The cornelian cherry tree, whose bark was used to make the original Gordian Knot, produces little red berries as mentioned.  The flavor of this fruit has been described as a cross between cranberry and sour cherry.  Of course, there is a long history of using this fruit in the making of various regional liqueurs and spirits in parts of the Middle East and Europe.  For example, “kornelkirsch” is found in the Austrian and German Alps.  Since it’s not readily available in the US, I created my own cornel berry kirsch by infusing cranberry liqueur with sour amarena cherries.  Mmmmmm. Not content with just the delicious liqueur, I created a variation of a classic cocktail called “The Last Word”.  The history of this pre-prohibition era drink places it as early as 1916, where it was featured for 35 cents as the most expensive cocktail on the menu at the Detroit Athletic Club.  The Last Word is a perfectly balanced cocktail using equal portions of gin, green Chartreuse,  maraschino liqueur and lime juice.  There are literally hundreds of variations using this basic template, although not all are as perfect.  I love the combination of smoky mezcal with cherries, so in my version, “The Alexandrian Solution”, mezcal meets cornel kirsch and the rest is history.  Cheers!

It's the Last Word in Macedonian Cocktails ...

The Alexandrian Solution

¾ oz mezcal

¾ oz sour cherry infused cranberry liqueur

¾ oz green Chartreuse

¾ oz fresh lime juice

Shake together over ice and strain into a favorite glass.  Commence dispensing with complex problems brilliantly.

Complexity knotwithstanding, these solutions are elegant