In the deep recesses of my liquor cabinet stood this pear-shaped bottle of Golden Pear Liqueur from Budapest, Hungary – the gift of a Budapest-ian guest at least 10 years ago – and had it not been for the gaze of a pal during a tasting, it would have languished another 20 years.
Bet I’m not alone in having liqueurs, or other alcohol-gifts (homemade wine anyone?) neglected far too long.
It was so orange! Think Tang-Orange. And what would I do with it? Well, said friend wanted to try it – after said friend had tried absinthe and homemade grappa.
And it was just the right moment as I had imbibed both the absinthe and grappa too.
Pepcid AC was definitely in the plans that night.
So, I poured her a ½ jigger taste, and I poured one for myself.
Sweet, honey-thick but only in my minds-eye, and with a bouquet of every pear I had ever had.
Fast forward to tonight, making Chef David Lawrence’s Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Blackberry (and Cab) Reduction Sauce. As we were destined to loose 2/3 of a cup of cab to the recipe, and we usually drink a bottle with dinner, we thought we’d try the pear liqueur again, in the aforementioned martini:
1/2 jigger pear liqueur
full shaker of ice
balance between the cubes with your vodka of choice
shake
use a minimum of two lemon peels around the rim and drop in the glass, on hindsight, three or four, or a slice would suffice.
Looked like an Aperol Spritz. Bright orange color, sweetness at lips, gone at swallow, apertif or digestif, your choice. OMG! So refreshing!
Conclusion: If you have an over-sweet liqueur collecting dust in your liquor cabinet, cut it down by many thirds and still keep the nuances intact – make it in a martini.