This week began with a new moon in Scorpio, which harnesses deep, dark, transformational energy. Scorpio embodies the quintessential, Mars-ruled warrior princess. She is the O. G. representation of a woman in love, a feminine force catapulting forward with what could be considered masculine qualities. Lucky for me, I was able to channel this energy into something fun and productive – THANK YOU, CARLA! Scorpio reminds us to shed our passé view of ourselves and begin anew.

When I take a sip of “Women in Love,” I am sent to a place of new beginnings where the fresh-pressed celery juice is reminiscent of the scent of newly-cut grass on a dewy spring morning. The delicate floral notes of jasmine and chamomile nurture my palate through the bright citrus explosion; then comes a surprising, yet sensible, finish of cracked black pepper to snap my dreamy butt back to reality.

Women in Love is not just about women, as the title would suggest; in fact, Women in Love has both masculine and feminine qualities. Just as D. H. Lawrence dances with gender in his novel, this cocktail is intended to blur the lines of separation. It is also meant to be enjoyed, as is life. Women in Love is about full acceptance of who you are and boldly expressing yourself to the world!

Yesterday, someone asked me, “How do you create a cocktail?” For most of us, we approach a new situation with a conditioned mind, based on previous experiences. How does this apply to cocktails, you ask? I started with what I have learned from the great gin classics, such as a gimlet, a negroni, or an aviation. For me, cocktail creation always leads back to the basics. What has worked before? How can we improve moving forward? With “Women in Love,” I began with the most important ingredient: the base spirit.

Bluecoat’s citrus-forward profile sets a perfect base for a vegetal gimlet variation – the masculine, woodsy essence of the angelica root, the feminine, floral scent of coriander. The flavors are so in sync that you cannot differentiate where one ends and one begins. But you know they are there, dancing harmoniously. It’s balanced. It is a gin for all walks of life.

Carla likes to think that “great cocktails, much like great books, inspire us to be introspective and to think about the course our lives have taken,” and I strongly agree. As the new moon encourages you to start fresh, channel your inner-warrior, and create something that inspires you!

Women in Love

3 large basil leaves, lightly muddled
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz jasmine chamomile syrup*
3/4 oz celery juice
1 1/2 oz Bluecoat American Dry Gin

Shake, strain.
Serve up in a coupe.
Garnish with a slice of cucumber and hearty dusting of cracked black pepper.

*Tea provided by House of Tea on 4th Street in Fabric Row. Steep equal parts of both teas for 7 minutes, then combine with equal parts white sugar (while warm) to create syrup.

Cheers!

J. Christine Lamb
Beverage Manager, Charlie was a sinner
131 S. 13th Street Philadelphia, PA 19107