Time for a Drink: The Pompier
Let's get this weekend started right. Here's a cocktail to kick things off. Need more than one? Here you go. Cheers!
There’s no shortage of libations designed to temper the effects of a bruising hot summer day. But in the light and heat of an August afternoon, sometimes the old gin-and-tonic and mojito standbys come on a little too strong.
Enter the Pompier. Also known as the vermouth cassis, this tall glass of icy goodness offers a gentle, sophisticated alternative for those looking to idle away a steamy afternoon. Based on vermouth—so it’s lower in alcoholic horsepower than many other seasonal refreshers—the Pompier increases its allure with the robust fruitiness of crème de cassis, a blackcurrant liqueur. Poured over ice and energized with chilled club soda, the Pompier is a good addition to anyone’s summer survival kit.
The Pompier
Fill a 10-ounce Collins glass with ice. Add:
3 ounces dry vermouth (Noilly Prat, Martini & Rossi, or Vya are all good choices)
1/2 ounce crème de cassis, to taste
Top with chilled club soda. Serve with a straw, sunglasses, and a fresh outlook on life.
About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.
View other entries from Cocktail Concoctions.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
4 Comments:
I never know the answer to this when I learn of a new cocktail (new to me, that is): will my local bartender know it? And if he doesn't, do I look like a bit of a jerk asking for an obscure drink? Thoughts, anyone?
LizNYC at 7:59PM on 08/04/07
I accidently made this with sweet vermouth, which also turned out really nice. Tonight I'll try it with dry.
Most other recipes include gin. Any reason that you left it out?
TAPrice at 11:47AM on 08/06/07
LizNYC -- Some, like the pompier, may take some explaining. I've found that when I've wanted a drink that the bartender may not know, it helps to come equipped with the recipe, and to ask for the drink when the bar isn't totally slammed--then the bartender is more likely to be willing to work with something new. Ultimately, though, it depends on the bar and the bartender -- some are always willing to explore, while others don't like to venture out of their comfort zone.
TAPrice -- Hmm, I've never actually seen a recipe for a vermouth cassis or a pompier that calls for gin. A brief google also leaves me gin-free, as does a stroll through CocktailDB.com. Where have you seen the gin version? It sounds like it might be worth a try.
Paul Clarke at 2:11PM on 08/06/07
Hey Paul,
I must have misremembered seeing multiple version of a pompier with gin. After searching my bookshelf, I only see one such version in Gary Regan's Joy of Mixology. In the headnote, he says that the gin is his own addition. He calls it a Pompier Cocktail to distinguish it from the classic version (which he doesn't actually include).
TAPrice at 11:38AM on 08/07/07