Martini with Elderflower Oil
Elderflower oil brings a floral scent to smooth Monkey 47 gin and herby-spicy Balance White in this version of a martini.
The heady sweet scent of elderberry flowers have been used to make a sweet syrup for years in Europe. In Slovakia, during the time when foraging was looked down upon as a necessity of poverty, the promise of a refreshing drink flavoured with elderflower syrup overcame the negative stigma. Now with interest in foraging on the rise, elder flowers are considered a sacred bush by some.
Elderflowers can be used both fresh and dried; drying the flowers makes for convenient use throughout the year. If picking them yourself (after correctly identifying the bush of course), try to pick the white umbels at least 24 hours or more after rain and pick them gently. The pollen carries much of the fragrance and taste, and if you shake the bush by pulling on on the flowers, most of the pollen will fall off. Where you can, snip the flower umbel off with scissors.
To make this martini, oil is steeped with elderflowers for a garnish, bringing a floral scent to smooth Monkey 47 and herby-spicy Balance White. Balance White Apéritif was awarded two stars by Slovakia Great Taste.
Recipes are from The Cocktail Balance book.
Elderflower Oil
200 g grape-seed oil
20 g dried elderberry flowers
0.5 g edible gold glitter (optional)
Preparation: Put flowers in a vacuum bag and pour in oil. Carefully seal the vacuum bag and let the flowers macerate at room temperature for 24 hours. Filter oil through a cheesecloth and bottle.
If a visual effect from the oil is desired, in addition to the aroma for the cocktail, edible glitter can be added and applied to the surface with a pipette.
Martini Cocktail with Elderflower oil
50 ml Monkey 47
15 ml Balance White
1 dash Citrus Bitters
Preparation Method: Stir • Glass: Coupette • Garnish: Shining - Elderflower Oil
