The Sweet and Minty Grasshopper Cocktail

The Appeal of Cream Drinks

Luscious milk or cream cocktails are comforting classics with nearly endless flavor possibilities. From creamy chocolate cocktails to fruity dessert martinis, creamy drinks are a joy, a treat and a ton of fun to shake up. Not every dairy cocktail relies heavily on milk, cream, or half & half. In fact, many use a just small pour that simply adds a rich texture to the drink.

However, there is a set of drinks that are dominated by dairy. The White Russian is a perfect example and many of these are served over ice in an old-fashioned glass. The traditional cocktail known as a Black Russian, which first appeared around 1949, becomes a White Russian with the addition of cream. Neither drink is Russian in origin, but both are so named due to vodka being the primary ingredient. It is unclear which drink preceded the other.

Another is the Grasshopper, a New Orleans Classic.

The History of the Grasshopper

French Quarter restaurant Tujague's, which opened in 1856, is the birthplace of the sweet and minty Grasshopper. In the 1910s, Philibert Guichet’s family purchased the restaurant from founders Guillaume and Marie Tujague. It’s been said that around this time, Guichet invented the cocktail while in New York City for a cocktail competition. Guichet's combination of equal parts crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and cream took second prize in the contest, and Guichet proudly brought the drink, named its bright green color, back to New Orleans.

For many Midwest drinkers, the quintessential Grasshopper is a blended, dessert drink, which substitutes ice cream for regular cream.

Making the Grasshopper

Ingredients

3/4 ounce green creme de menthe
3/4 ounce white creme de cacao,
3/4 ounce light cream.

Instructions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in all ingredients.
Shake until chilled, and strain the mixture into a cocktail glass .
Garnish with a sprig of mint.

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