Suzette – a hot cocktail from Vancouver

One of the fun parts of being a cocktail blogger is that friends send you cocktail recipes to try. The mention on Twitter and FaceBook of the ingredients in a recipe then under development led one of my futurist colleagues (and friends), Wendy Schultz, to offer to trade the recipe for her favorite cocktail, the Suzette, for the recipe that was later posted as the Twelve Squared. This sounded like a great deal, and when Wendy received the link to the Twelve Squared recipe, she replied via FaceBook with the recipe for the Suzette that she had picked up at NU restaurant in Vancouver, where it was developed for the introduction of Navan ® Cognac by Grand Marnier®. If the Suzette is an indicator, winter sports fans from Salt Lake City who enjoyed the 2002 Winter Olympics here, and are planning to visit Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, should plan on a dinner and cocktails at NU.

This tart, orange flavored cocktail is a close (but much younger) relative of the Sidecar, a classic cocktail from the World War I era made from Cognac, Grand Marnier, and lemon juice. The major differences in the Suzette are the use of Navan Madagascar vanilla infused Cognac and the switch to lime juice; the Madagascar vanilla adds an extra dimension to the cognac. Fortuitously, the State Liquor Store system in Utah has Navan on sale this month, so if you decide to give the Suzette a try, this is a good time. (Note: As of this writing, only the Cottonwood and Sandy stores have Navan in stock, so call ahead.) If any of the adventurous among you decide to try making your own vanilla-infused brandy (E&J VSOP might be a good candidate), post a comment to let us all know how it comes out.

Suzette

1 ½ oz Navan Vanilla (Madagascar vanilla-infused cognac)

½ oz Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge

1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

1 Dash of orange bitters

Pour the ingredients into a shaker half full of ice and shake vigorously until ice cold. Strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with freshly shaved orange or lime rind. Imagine you’re on the veranda of your orchid plantation on Madagascar as you take your first sip.