The Grasshopper is an old classic from the past, but just because it’s a sweet cocktail, don’t let that idea stop you from making a tasty treat. Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner. This holiday has always had a special place for me, as my brother and I had birthdays just before it, and my grandmother plus two of her siblings were all born on Saint Paddy’s Day. I had a great uncle Patrick and a great aunt Patricka but they ran out of Patrick names by the time my grandmother Elizabeth was born. So, my home was always filled with gifts and parties themed to leprechauns and everything green. As a kid, I even wanted a lime cake. (More on that in a future post!) As an adult, I never really got into the whole green beer thing or went out into the throngs of inebriated people that descend on New York every March 17th. I always dreaded working that day and dealing with drunk and usually sick revelers on the train. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t enjoy a green cocktail, and The Grasshopper is as green a cocktail as you get. Think of this cocktail as an adult shamrock shake only better.
The origins of the Grasshopper go back to the early 1900s. Though with many classic cocktails from the Pre-Prohibition era, the actual inventor is a bit questionable. The story goes that a bartender from the bar called Tujagues in New Orleans invented it for a cocktail competition taking place in New York and got second place. There are written records of this famous cocktail being served as early as 1910. But it is unclear when this competition actually took place. The liqueurs are both much older than 1910, and this green cocktail may also be much older. It was not immediately popular at the bar, but by the 1950s and 1960s, it became a classic. This is partially because the liqueurs was available in grocery stores. The cocktail was marketed towards housewives who could purchase the relatively low-alcohol liqueurs at the store, and they could then make it at home. You can still order one from this saloon, as they proudly serve them today.
The liquors for The Grasshopper are readily available at almost any liquor store anywhere, and it is easy to make. The original recipe calls for equal parts of each liquor and the cream. But to mellow out the liquors, adding a bit more cream actually makes this cocktail even tastier. If you want to give the Grasshopper a bigger punch, you could substitute peppermint schnapps for the Green crème de menthe and add a few drops of green food coloring to make the familiar green cocktail.
Ok, that is all for this week. I hope you are all staying safe and healthy out there. Please think of others in your choices. What you do matters to others. Until next time!
- 1- ounce green creme de menthe or peppermint schnapps
- 1- ounce white creme de cacao
- 2 ounces heavy cream
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Chill a coupe or martini glass.
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To an ice filled cocktail shaker, add the crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and the cream.
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Shake vigorously for 15 seconds or so until very cold. Pour into the chilled cocktail glass.
