The second chocolate after dinner cocktail in our Sly's triology, and only slightly less famous in its own right, is the Grasshopper. I am sensing a theme in the drinks that I love, and that is that they all seem to stem from the French Quarter of New Orleans. I don't know what kind of juju those mixologists have going in the Crescent City, but I like it. The Grasshopper reportedly originated at Tujague's, in the French Quarter, and got really popular in the 1950s. As anyone who has ever had a Girl Scout cookie can attest, mint plus chocolate equals hard-to-resist dessert goodness. The Grasshopper is relatively low in alcohol, as it uses just green creme de menthe, white creme de cacao and cream, which makes it a lovely option for after a dinner that included some wine or cocktails. Not to mention it's breath-freshening qualities being welcome after a hearty plate of lingini with clams!
The Grasshopper has also provided the bartender stuck for conversation with a handy icebreaking joke: "So a man goes to a bar and asks the bartender "What's a good drink?" The bartender says "A grasshopper," so the guy orders a grasshopper. Later, he's walking home from the bar and he sees a grasshopper on the side of the road. He goes up to the grasshopper and says "You know there's a drink named after you?" The grasshopper says "You mean there's a drink named Irving?" Please, folks, hold your applause.
The Grasshopper has also provided the bartender stuck for conversation with a handy icebreaking joke: "So a man goes to a bar and asks the bartender "What's a good drink?" The bartender says "A grasshopper," so the guy orders a grasshopper. Later, he's walking home from the bar and he sees a grasshopper on the side of the road. He goes up to the grasshopper and says "You know there's a drink named after you?" The grasshopper says "You mean there's a drink named Irving?" Please, folks, hold your applause.
Comments