A few weeks ago I embarked on a fun 24 hours in Philadelphia to celebrate the milestone birthdays of some dear friends (Lauri A, Carolyn R and Cathy Z). We kicked off our adventure at Parc Brasserie on Rittenhouse Square for lunch. Since it was a party we had some wine and cocktails. Sandy C enjoyed a Rosemarin (French for “rosemary”) made from grapefruit vodka, St. Germain, grapefruit juice and rosemary and that’s where the inspiration came from for this drink.

big-red-pedal-tourI assumed that the “rosemary” was a rosemary syrup. I’ve made a Rosemary-Brown Sugar Syrup to flavor another cocktail but I knew that was likely too complex for this one (but it does work great with pomegranate and gin). For this syrup I used less rosemary and white sugar. The end result paired beautifully with vodka, St. Germain and lemon juice. I’d recommend using a French vodka such as Grey Goose or Ciroc (made from grapes so it’s gluten-free/wheat-free).

In a nod to Parc (and in keeping with the French theme), I called it a Citron-Rosemarin. As an aside, I’d heard that Parc makes an amazing cheeseburger and I can now confirm that.  One suggestion is to add avocado (I know, neither a hamburger nor avocado are very French).

We enjoyed some more good meals and libations plus a laugh out loud kind of experience on the Big Red Pedal Tour. You get to see the sights of Philadelphia from a big pedicycle that seats 15 people (you exert as much energy as you like). It’s a fabulous group activity.

citron-romarin-cocktail

 

 

Citron-Romarin Cocktail

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Course Drink
Servings 2 drinks

Ingredients
  

For Syrup:

  • Leaves from 2 large rosemary sprigs
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar

For Cocktail:

  • 3 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce St. Germain
  • 1 ounce Rosemary Syrup
  • 2 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice ~ 1 lemon
  • Garnish with rosemary sprig and slice of lemon

Instructions
 

  • For Syrup:
  • Remove leaves from rosemary sprigs.
  • In a small saucepan, combine rosemary, water and sugar over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves.
  • Bring to a boil and let boil for a minute.
  • Remove from heat and let steep for an hour or two so flavors can develop.
  • Strain syrup into a storage container.
  • Store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or freeze.
  • For Cocktail:
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
  • Add vodka, St. Germain, rosemary syrup and lemon juice; shake well.
  • Pour into two old-fashioned glasses filled with ice.
  • Garnish with a rosemary sprig and slice of lemon.

Notes

* The syrup recipe makes about 1-1/2 cups (or 12 ounces) – enough for 24 cocktails.
* This syrup freezes well so you can make it ahead of time.