We begin today's installment of the Dale/David Project with a confession: this dessert drink, which is the approximate color of the filling on an Andes mint, and tastes about like said mint taken whole... I like it. If this drink was served up at some douche hole downtown, with a name like ChocoMinTini, I would give it the proper scorn it deserves. But instead I'm just going to confess to enjoying this frothy green delight.
The Grasshopper--green creme de menthe, white creme de cacao, heavy cream, and memories of childhood. Read on...
During the Molecular Mixology seminar at Tales of the Cocktail, Eben Freeman described 'sense memory' . He explained that people hold on to memories of different tastes and aromas in ways unique to them; this is particularly important as the world globalizes. (According to Freeman, the "Locavore" phenomenon is a reaction this, as people seek reminders of things that are personal, and find ways to express themselves in flavors.) He uses the example of a cedar plank. He had once made a cedar plank bourbon, and when he sampled it to people he found out that cedar brings up a range of associations, from grandma’s underwear drawer that you knew you weren't supposed to be looking in, to the shavings in the bottom of a hamster cage, to a sauna.
What the Grasshopper reminds me of is Blue Bell Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream, which my father used to bring home late at night when he got done working. As a kid, my dad worked a lot of late nights and so we didn't see him that much, except for when he would come home late at night with a tub of Blue Bell. As an adult, this sense memory from my youth is imbedded in a tacky seafoam green cocktail called the Grasshopper.
I ordered a Grasshopper (to go!) at Tujague's in New Orleans, but mainly because it seemed like one of those nothing-could-be-worse tourist drinks and felt obligated to drink at least one of those. But then I liked it. I didn't like the Hand Grenade, and I didn't like the Patty O's Hurricane. But against all rationality I liked the Grasshopper. I didn't put this connection together until Tipsy and I got home from Tales. Last night we had friends over for a big pot of Gumbo. After dinner, I was flipping through the Dale trying to figure out what drink to make. And there was the Grasshopper, hopping out at me like a sense memory from some long forgotten underwear drawer. When we made a round, I think I was the only one who went back to make sure the shaker was really empty. Ahh... another drop.
Comments (1)
they're so tacky, but i unabashedly love grasshoppers. my mom used to make grasshopper pie when i was little and they take me right back.
Posted by jenny | August 5, 2008 3:18 PM
Posted on August 5, 2008 15:18