I have a ridiculously delicious, pink (!) cocktail for you today.  And don’t worry, this isn’t one of those grossly sweet, girly pink cocktails — it’s a well-balanced, citrusy-bitter type of cocktail.

I mean, KC was even singing the praises of this cocktail, so don’t rule it out just because you’re manly.

This cocktail came A. from my quest to use a pomelo which had shown up in our most recent CSA box, and B. from my desire to recreate the cocktail I’m obsessed with at one of my favorite eateries — Boot and Shoe Service.  The cocktail is called the Monk’s Garden (I have no idea why), and it’s bright, refreshing, a tad bitter, and, of course, pink (hello).  The traditional cocktail uses grapefruit and yellow chartreuse, but I didn’t have either of those (and yellow chartreuse is sort of absurdly expensive), so this copycat was born.

And y’know what?  It tasted spot-on to me.  Dead ringer for one of my favorite $10 beverages.

So next time you’re having a date night at home, or a fancy girls-night-in, whip up a couple of these (maybe even top it off with champagne..? OMG WHAT.)

Monk’s Garden Copycat Cocktail

makes 2 cocktails (feel free to cut in half to make just one — but why would you want to?)

Equipment:

• Cocktail Shaker
• 1 oz and 1.5 oz measure (the measurements of most standard jiggers)
• Chilled cocktail glasses (coupe or cocktail glasses preferred, but whatever works)

Recipe:

• 3 oz gin*
• 1.5 oz St. Germaine
• 3 oz fresh-squeezed pomelo** or grapefruit juice
• 1.5 – 2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice (depending on how tart/bitter you want your cocktail)
• scant 1/2 oz simple syrup*** (optional — you won’t need this if your grapefruit is really ripe)
• 7 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• ice

1. Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 60 seconds.
2. Strain into two chilled cocktail glasses and enjoy!

Notes:

*Gin: I used Hendricks Gin in these.  I wouldn’t recommend Tanqueray for this cocktail (too piney for these, I think).

**If you use pomelo rather than grapefruit, you may need to add a little more simple syrup to balance out the bitterness.

***For the simple syrup, I prefer to start without it and then add a little if I feel like it needs it (remember: you can always add, but you can’t subtract!)