Sunny and Dry
By Lesley Jacobs Solmonson
2 oz Leopold’s Gin
5 Lemon Verbena leaves
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
0.5 Mint Simple Syrup (see here, use Cold Infusion method)
0.75 oz Seltzer
10 Spearmint Leaves, cut into chiffonade
5 to 10 Sunflower, Black-eyed Susan, or Marigold petals, cut into chiffonade
10 pieces Preserved Cucumber (see below)
Place the verbena eaves in the bottom of a mixing glass and thump a few times with a muddler to release the oils
Add gin, juice, syrup, and seltzer. Stir well.
Add spearmint, petals, cucumbers, and enough ice to fill the glass
Shake gently a few times, then pour (without straining) into a collins glass
Poke at the greens with a knife or straw to distribute them
* * *
You quickly sense a sort of quiet reverence in every drink that bartender Scott Beattie creates. Reverence for craft – measurements are precise, syrups are homemade, and citrus is freshly-squeezed. Reverence for natural ingredients – fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers are seasonal, local, and organic. Reverence for the spirits themselves – each liquor used is chosen for its distinct profile. Beattie’s culinary approach to cocktails elevates each drink, creating a product that is a sensual and sensorial tour de force. But perhaps what appeals most is Beattie’s subtle, perhaps even unknowing nod to the past when Arab physicians distilled violets and roses for medical tinctures, and monasteries produced herbal liqueurs from their vast pharmacopeia. In many ways, I see Scott Beattie as a modern alchemist, using the base materials of nature to transform cocktails into artisanal wonders.
