Serious Eats: Recipes
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.