Roquette Anyone?

 

We’re very simple cocktail drinkers, a gin and tonic here a Cointreau on ice there. I leave the vodka infused smoothies to more adventuresome friends. So it surprised me when my eyes lit on “The Roquette” in Bon Appetit’s September issue.

“NSSP! I found a cocktail we must try-we have all the ingredients!” Slipping on his reading glasses he read the simple recipe. “We have the limes.”

“Details! We haven’t had Hendrick’s gin in awhile and I’ll pick up the other items in time for Labor Day weekend and The Princess’s arrival.” Thoughts of swigging a tony drink on the back deck were fueling me into frenzy.

The next few days I gathered the rest of the ingredients. I could hardly wait for The Princess to unpack. “Guess what! I have a cocktail for us to try!”She looked at the recipe and said, “Let’s wait for NSSP to come home, and he can make it for us.” I wasn’t deterred and agreed. Since he was the Bloody Mary King we should let him have another notch in his drinks belt. I cooled my jets.

Days slipped by, until NSSP and I was alone on the deck on Labor Day. “What about a gin and tonic? It’s a holiday, we’re not going anywhere.” NSSP was getting ready for a little buzz in the afternoon.

“How about The Roquette? I’ll get everything ready for you.”

I sat outside listening to the muddle action, the shaking, and then a drink was put in front of me. It had a pale green tinge and was garnished with arugula. Served in a martini glass filled with ice it was a decadent concoction. The taste? Wow! My palate was punched with so many herbal essences from the distinctive Hendricks gin to the unique and aromatic arugula slightly sweetened by dark blue agave it was great.

We toasted, slurped and settled in to jazz and reading. It was perfect. Maybe next time we’ll let The Princess have one.

The Recipe-
Bon Appétit attributes the recipe to Matthew Biancaniello from Roosevelt’s Library Bar in Hollywood.
1C Baby Arugula (taste first for strength)
4 1/2t Dark Agave Nectar
4 1/2t Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
1/2C Hendrick’s Gin
Ice Cubes
In a cocktail shaker combine arugula, agave nectar, lime juice and a few ice cubes. Using a muddler or thick handled rolling pin or wooden spoon mash until the arugula is wilted. Add gin and fill the shaker with more ice. Cover, shake to chill and strain into glasses with ice. Garnish with a leaf of arugula.