ESCHER

Escher cocktail

Christophe Laronde suggests that potential architects of Architecto, his dreamlike mechanical puzzle world, come prepared for exploration with “a cocktail and proper attire”. I can’t help you with the latter but the former is familiar territory. Escher was from the Netherlands, and naturally I considered using Dutch genever in this drink but found myself going in the opposite direction on the staircase. I decided to employ the NKD philosophy of locally sourced components and toast their masterpiece with something ineffably French instead. I looked to a few distinctly French ingredients, starting with the apple brandy from the Normandy region known as Calvados. To that I added Suze, a softly bitter gentian based aperitif with citrus undertones popularized in Art Nouveau advertisements during the Belle Epoque.

There are a few steps to this cocktail

I added sweetness with elderflower liqueur, a delicate nectar made from the pretty white flowers that grow in summer along the foothills of the French Alps (among many places, but this is where they were made most famous as a liqueur). The tastes of honeyed pears, perfume, herbs, citrus and vanilla from the liqueur are complimented with honey syrup, which adds depth and complexity to the sweetness.  Finally there is a hint of Southern France with the anise flavored aperitif made famous by Paul Ricard and commonly referred to as pastis. The ensemble has a certain je ne sais quoi, and just might be the perfect refreshment with which to contemplate one’s own relativity. Cheers - À votre santé!

Escher’s Treasures

Escher

½ oz Elderflower liqueur

½ oz Suze

1 ½ oz Calvados

½ oz honey syrup

½ oz egg white

2 dashes Ricard

Shake ingredients briskly without ice, then add ice and shake again to chill. Strain into a spherical glass held aloft by a cast of your own hand, and garnish with a citrus staircase.

To explore the amazing box: