Cordially Inviting

The popular wisdom has it that liqueurs were contrived by little old alchemists, slaving away over hot alembics in medieval monasteries, pursuing the secret of life. Actually, Columbus and his cohorts had as much to do with triggering the golden age of liqueurs as any friar. It was their voyages of discovery that brought cheap sugar and a world of fragrant botanicals to the monks--who put these new ingredients to good use. In any case, both groups were part of a broader upheaval known as the Renaissance, which also sparked the Reformation and the industrial revolution.

The great gush of liqueurs we're seeing now is a consequence of another epochal stirring. The perceptive liquor-industry trade letter Impact has dubbed it "the culture of individuality"--hedonistic, experimental, constantly searching for new and sensuous experiences. In the realm of spirits, liqueurs (or cordials, the words are synonymous) seem to be the answer. They afford distillers the widest latitude for exercising ingenuity and artistry. Drawing on nature's largess--the fruits, seeds, peels, herbs, roots, barks and spices of the earth--and the wizardry of a computer technology, cordial makers have become virtuosos of the palate.

New or resurrected flavors include cranberry, cloudberry, rose, grape, pistachio, maple, apple, honey, coconut, green tea, lemon, lime, a peppery pimiento and an elixir of pear from Switzerland. Beguiling chocolate variations are a segment unto themselves: chocolate with banana, mint, raspberry, coffee, cherry, coconut, almond and a just-born Chocolate Amaretto, Sloe gin, coffees, peppermint schnapps and amaretto are among the current favorites, while cassis, strawberry, sambuca, tangerine and, for no apparent reason, blue curacao are coming on--or coming back. Among the relatively recent manifestations are fruit-and-brandy and fruit-and-bourbon concoctions, bottled at a modest 42 proof, vodka cordials in a range of Jell-O-type flavors and some bona fide bourbon liqueurs.

If you dig mystery, you may be intrigued by such proprietary brands (made to secret formulas) as Aromas del Montserrat, Jägermeister, Slovoka, Bärenjäger, Abteï, Ng Ka Péy, Choclair, Orangero, Yukon Jack, Verana, Mandarine Napoléon, Tuaca, Cuarenta y Tres and Lemonique. In addition, you can choose from such long-playing classics as Bénédictine, benedictine and brandy, Chartreuse, Cointreau, Strega, Drambuie, Grand Marnier, Galliano, Sabra, Kahlúa, Tia Maria, Vielle Cure and Southern Comfort and its spin-offs--Southern Pride, Southern Society and Southern Host.

As yet, there is no satisfactory pineapple, tomato or grapefruit liqueur, but they're bound to come. And why not cantaloupe, kumquat, date, quince, mango, lichee, guava, pumpkin--or even a tangy celery or gazpacho-flavored liqueur to take as an aperitif? With the advances in production and flavor extraction, the possibilities are limited only by the vision of producers and marketing pundits.

Cordial makers cling to old-fashioned terminology such as maceration, infusion and percolation, but the custom is to purchase natural essences and extracts from huge international flavor houses that scour the globe for their esoteric raw materials--and sell to all comers. This suggests that producers largely draw on the same flavor pool. Nevertheless, Europeans tend to do better with certain fruits, particularly cherry and strawberry, sambuca, amaretto and kummel. American mints and peppermint schnapps, cocoas and chocolate mixtures, banana, sloe gin, blackberry and anisette are superior, as a rule. Needless to say, there are always exceptions.

One of the problems that native producers must cope with, according to flavor technicians, is the corruption of the modern palate. Our perception of "natural" has been blunted by early exposure to such artificially zapped supermarket staples as banana cake mix, vanilla pudding, strawberry gelatin and cherry soda. Since Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regulations severely inhibit the addition of artificial flavors, blenders often effect a quasi-imitation quality, using natural materials. It all has an Alice in Wonderland aura, but cordial makers are not amused. They contend that a judicious leavening of synthesized flavors would yield better-tasting cordials, but anything beyond 1000 parts per 1,000,000 must be labeled imitation or artificial--suicide in the American market. Imports are not as stringently regulated or inspected, and so have more flexibility. The French, incidentally, describe their artificially flavored liqueurs with the word affecté. Très cute.

Among the small minority who still infuse and percolate are les religieux--the monastery cordials, Chartreuse, Bénédictine, Vielle Cure and Izarra. However, only La Grande Chartreuse is created by a religious order, the Carthusian Fathers. The green (110 proof) and yellow (86 proof) are natural--no additives or coloring material of any kind; equally true of the rare, aged VEP Chartreuse and L'Elixir Végétal, the latter being a staggering 142 proof. In France, L'Elixir is used much as we use aspirin; a few drops on a cube of sugar against headaches or indisposition. It is not permitted into the U.S., since the FDA insists L'Elixir is a patent medicine--which requires registering the formula. Since the Carthusians have spent 371 years keeping it secret, even defying Napoleon's legions, this request stirs waves of hilarity in the vicinity of Grenoble, where it's made.

For centuries, liqueurs remained the property of the geriatric set, presented in ridiculous, thimble-sized glasses, as the finale to a formal fete. The culture of individuality has changed all that, in little more than a decade. Liqueurs have gone into the shaker and mixing glass, inspiring such triumphs as the Harvey Wallbanger, the Sombrero, the Godfather and a host of whimsies, including the Lollipop, the Jelly Bean, the Latin Lover, the Pink Panther and the Cherry Cola. Milk, cream, ice cream, fruit juices and sodas are popular mixers. Those wanting more authority toss in a jolt of vodka or whatever.

If it seems paradoxical that such a hoary, tradition-laden category should be so contemporary, chances are you haven't tried cordials lately. They're lighter, lower in proof and sweetness, easy to mix, easy to drink. The range of styles and flavors available today is beyond the wildest dreams of those ancient alchemist-sorcerers and offers the home bartender unlimited opportunity to design drinks that flatter his palate--and perhaps that of a special friend. We invite you to savor the cordial positions given below--then go on to roll your own. That's the real fascination of these enchanting modern elixirs.

[recipe_title]Jelly Bean[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. anisette[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. blackberry liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Lemon slice[/drinkRecipe]

Pour over ice in old fashioned glass. Garnish with lemon slice.

[recipe_title]Lollipop[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 oz. triple sec[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 oz. Chartreuse[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 oz. kirsch[/drinkRecipe]

Dash maraschino liqueur

Stir with ice until well chilled. Strain into cocktail glass. Optional: Garnish with brandied cherry.

[recipe_title]Mocha Chill[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. Chocolate Amaretto[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. Kahlúa[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 large scoop vanilla ice cream[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/4 cup crushed ice[/drinkRecipe]

Buzz all ingredients in blender until just smooth. Serve in footed goblet or ice-cream-soda glass.

[recipe_title]Green Monster[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. pistachio liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. white crème de cacao[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. tequila[/drinkRecipe]

Combine all ingredients and pour over finely crushed ice in saucer champagne glass. Serve with short straws.

After-dinner flourish: Pour chilled pistachio liqueur into a chocolate-liqueur cup. Serve with or after coffee. Equally arresting with Amaretto di Saronno or (concluded on page 187)Cordially Inviting(continued from page 168) Chocolate Amaretto, chocolate cherry, Cuarenta y Tres, Orangero, mandarin (or mandarino), crème de menthe, Galliano, Kahlúa, Irish Coffee Liqueur, Irish Mist, Glayva Scotch liqueur or Wild Turkey bourbon liqueur.

[recipe_title]Moonstone[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ozs. Elixir Williams Pear Liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. Williams pear brandy[/drinkRecipe]

Pour over ice in small old fashioned or roly-poly glass. Stir. Optional: Garnish with lemon slice.

[recipe_title]Cherry Cola[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]Lime wedge[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ozs. cherry-and-fruit brandy[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 ozs. cola soda (or to taste), chilled[/drinkRecipe]

Squeeze lime over ice in highball glass; drop in rind. Add beverages; stir briefly.

Lime Cola: Substitute Freezolime for cherry-and-fruit brandy.

Lemon Cola: Substitute lemon wedge for lime wedge and Lemonique for cherry-and-fruit brandy.

Slovokola: Substitute Slovoka for cherry-and-fruit brandy.

[recipe_title]Teu-Tonic[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]Lime wedge[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ozs. Jägermeister[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Tonic water, chilled[/drinkRecipe]

Squeeze lime into highball glass, over ice. Add rind. Add beverages; stir briefly.

[recipe_title]Latin Lover[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ozs. Allegro Liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. tequila[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 dashes grenadine[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 tablespoon lemon juice[/drinkRecipe]

Shake briskly with cracked ice. Strain into cocktail glass.

[recipe_title]Pink Panther[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. Choclair[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. crème de almond[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. milk[/drinkRecipe]

Combine all ingredients. Pour over crushed ice in large cocktail or sherbet glass. Serve with straws.

[recipe_title]Blue Jade[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. blue curacao[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. vodka[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ozs. orange juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1 tablespoon lemon juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Fruit garnish[/drinkRecipe]

Pour over ice in tall glass. Stir well, to chill. Decorate with pineapple chunk, strawberry and mandarin-orange segment, on pick.

[recipe_title]Appleton Cooler[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. Jamaica rum[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. apricot liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/4 oz. banana liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 to 4 ozs. pineapple juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Mint sprig[/drinkRecipe]

Fill tall glass with ice cubes. Add spirits and juice. Garnish with mint sprig.

[recipe_title]Pineapple Schnapps[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]2 ozs. peppermint schnapps[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Pineapple juice, chilled[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Club soda, optional[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Lemon slice[/drinkRecipe]

Pour schnapps over ice in tall glass. Add juice to taste; stir. Top off with splash of soda, if you like, and garnish with lemon slice.

Cordials are usually so brilliantly hued and voluptuously flavored that their fragrance is often overlooked. There are few sensual delights that equal the redolent, ravishing aroma from a glass recently drained of its liqueur, as the last lingering droplets vaporize.

Cordials are usually so brilliantly hued and voluptuously flavored that their fragrance is often overlooked."