Peach Tarragon Tempest

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Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free/Nut-Free/Vegan

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes (for the simple syrup)

Equipment Needed:

• Small saucepan

• Small whisk

• Cutting board

• Chef's knife

• Microplane zester

• Shot glass measure/Jigger

• Muddler (see note below if you don't have one)

• Pint glass

• Cocktail shaker

• 10-oz rocks glass

The Recipe:

Ingredients:

For the simple syrup (makes about 1/2 cup simple syrup):

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

For the cocktail:

• 1 small peach (or 1/2 of a large peach), cut into chunks

• 1 small sprig tarragon

• 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated (about 1 teaspoon grated)

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup

• Pinch of salt

• 2 ounces white rum

• Additional sprig of tarragon and peach slices, for garnishing (optional)

Procedure:

1. Make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved completely (do NOT let it come to a boil; reduce heat it it starts to bubble). This should take 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes if you are planning to use immediately, if not transfer to a covered container and store in fridge.

2. Add peach chunks, tarragon, grated ginger, and salt to a pint glass. Use a muddler (see note below if you don't have one) to crush everything together VERY well. You want to extract a good amount of flavor from your tarragon, so really give it a good go.

3. Add a scoop of ice, the simple syrup, and the rum to your cocktail shaker. Empty the muddled contents of the pint glass into your shaker.

4. Shake vigorously a minimum of 15-20 times.

5. Fill a 10-ounce rocks glass with fresh ice. Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into your rocks glass.

To Serve: Garnish your cocktail with a sprig of tarragon and a few peach slices, if desired.

Adjusting for your diet: If you do not drink alcohol, simply omit the rum. You could add a bit of extra simple syrup or a splash of soda water, and you'd have yourself a nice peachy mocktail.

Tips:

• Although I always list cocktail garnishes as "optional," in my humble opinion they should be there. There is an awesome book I use as a resource called The Flavor Bible, and in the first chapter it talks about how aroma is responsible for as much as 80% or more of flavor. I think taking a drink of a flavorful cocktail and inhaling the aroma of a sprig of herb or a twist of citrus really does enhance the overall experience.

• If you don't already have a muddler, don't buy one (unless you think you're going to get really into mixology, in which case I fully support you). You can use the handle-end of a wooden spoon as your muddler, or if you happen to own a French-style rolling pin, this would work great, too.

• If you haven't worked with fresh ginger a ton (you will find this in the produce section of your grocery store, btw), I actually don't recommend removing the peel with a traditional vegetable peeler since there's usually lots of knobs and stuff to get in your way and make your hand slip, peeling your finger (ouch). Using the edge of a spoon is a super easy way to do this and not lose too much of the ginger. You can also simply use a chef's knife to take off the sides, but you will probably lose a bit of the ginger if it's a piece with a lot of nubs.

• Use a microplane zester for best results when grating ginger, and remember not to grate all the way to the very end (no need to be a hero...), because that thing will eat up your fingers and not even say sorry.

• I actually used my Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup in this recipe because it's what I had in the fridge, but I'm certain it would taste great with regular simple syrup as well.

• Best to use a nice, ripe peach for this recipe so it muddles up easily; this is a great place for peaches to go that are so ripe and juicy they'd be hard to eat without making a huge mess.

The Story:

I've been wanting to use the lovely tarragon that I'm growing on the deck, and when I consulted my Flavor Bible book (linked in the tips), I saw that one of the flavor pairings for tarragon was peaches. I had recently bought a big bag of peaches that I knew we wouldn't go through fast enough, so I thought, why not?

Such a pretty herb :)

I love the flavor of tarragon; it's so light and delicate with just a hint of licorice. In the past I've it in dishes that feature chicken and fish, but this was my first attempt at using it in a cocktail. This is one of those herbs that's so tall, proud, and pretty that it's just begging to be a cocktail garnish, in my opinion. The result of my mixology experiment totally surpassed my expectations.

The base of my cocktail, waiting patiently to be muddled.

This cocktail really has a lot going on. The super-sweet peach, a zip of ginger, the subtle note of licorice coming from the tarragon, and the tropical feel of the rum and fresh fruit together was really refreshing, and kind of made me wish I was sipping this one poolside listening to Calypso music. I believe I described my initial taste as a "juicy, boozy, peach." A traditional Hurricane cocktail includes both peach and rum, so I took a little inspiration from there to name this one :)

Cheers!