Inspiration is a funny thing. Sometimes you have it, sometimes you don’t. One minute it’s nowhere to be seen, the next it’s sneaking up behind you and tapping you on the shoulder.
You can be wandering down the grocery store aisles with no direction, then suddenly, you’re standing in front of a bundle of fresh thyme, and something inside you starts buzzing. You remember that French liquor people keep telling you about, look down at the grapefruit in your cart, and without a doubt in your mind you know exactly what you’re doing.
Sometimes you have to work hard to find inspiration. You squint your eyes and scrunch up your nose, and struggle to pull whispy strands of it out of thin air. Then sometimes, it just happens, without you ever even trying.
This little drink came together out of a combined love for grapefruit and thyme, and an intense curiosity to try Lillet, a blend of French wine and citrus liqueur. I needed an excuse to buy a bottle, and thus was born my new favorite cocktail.
With one of these in your hand, you’ll feel like you’re sipping on summer. Or at least, very late spring while the grapefruit are still sweet, but the whether is hot and calling for a beverage with ice.
I’ve never been a big drinker, but mixing cocktails is fast becoming one of my favorite things to do. There are so many flavors and variations to play with, I can’t help but love experimenting with all the different combinations.
When I was little, my brother and I used to make “potions” out of all kinds of household items. We had little glass viles and jars, filled with everything from dish soap and ground-up crayons, to dandelion leaves and glitter. Whatever concoctions we could come up with. They weren’t edible, of course, but we liked to pretend they possessed special powers, like they could make us invisible or give us the ability to fly.
As an adult, I find a strong nostalgia in mixing flavors. Standing over a simmering pot of thyme simple syrup brings me back to my childhood fantasies of creating something entirely new. And better yet, I get to taste it when I’m done.
I was first introduced to Lillet by my friend Carey, in a guest post she wrote for me last year. I hadn’t heard of it up till then, but her description of it stuck with me. Lillet comes in three varieties: blanc, rose, and rouge. I went with the blanc for this cocktail, and after just one sip fell in love with it’s light, sweet flavor.
In addition to the grapefruit, thyme, and lillet, I added just a splash of gin. The piney scent paired perfectly with the herbaceous thyme and sweet grapefruit, and added a nice clean backdrop to the other flavors. I had initially intended to finish this cocktail with a bit of club soda or tonic water, but found to my surprise it didn’t need it. Feel free to add some, though, if you’re in the mood for something fizzy.
In an attempt to be all artsy, I wanted really badly to come up with unique name for this cocktail. So far I’ve only thought of a few titles, all of which include some kind of play on words. (See: “A Wrinkle In Thyme” and “Lillet of the Valley.”) Apparently my brain is stuck on puns, so I thought I’d ask all of you: what do you think I should call it? Leave your suggestions in the comments below, and I’ll name this drink after the best one.
Cheers!
Grapefruit, Thyme, and Lillet Cocktail
Ingredients per drink
2 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 1/2 oz. lillet blanc, chilled
1 oz. dry gin
1 oz. thyme simple syrup, chilled (recipe below)
Ice
Wedges of grapefruit and sprigs of fresh thyme, for garnish
Optional: splash of club soda or tonic water, to taste
For the thyme simple syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
Method:
For the thyme simple syrup:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil, then add the sprigs of thyme and remove from the heat. Let steep for 5-15 minutes. (The longer the syrup steeps, the stronger the flavor will be. Taste the syrup every five minutes to determine how strong you want it.)
2. Strain syrup into a clean jar, and discard thyme. Store in the fridge. Syrup will keep for at least 3-4 days.
For the drink:
1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the grapefruit juice, lillet, gin, and simple syrup. Add ice, and shake hard until well chilled.
2. Pour into a chilled glass with ice, and garnish with a wedge of fresh grapefruit and a couple sprigs of thyme. Optionally, top the glass with a little club soda or tonic water, to taste. Serve immediately.
I’m not a big drinker, either – but thankfully my fiancé doesn’t mind when I play bartender. This cocktail sounds delicious and I cannot wait to give the thyme syrup a go.
It always helps to have a supportive spouse around to share with. I hope you like the thyme syrup!
This drink is the most gorgeous pink! And I’m swooning over that photo of the thyme simple syrup with the thyme floating in it (I really do think thyme is one of the most gorgeous herbs). I’m not much of a drinker either but there is something so inspiring about the crazy number of combinations out there for cocktails!
Thanks, Shelly! I agree, thyme is so beautiful, and it has a great flavor for cocktails!
I am a HUGE fan of herbs in cocktails and this combo sounds amazing! I’ve never tried Lillet either, but this post has me planning a trip to the liquor store (OK I was going anyway cuz I’m out of bourbon, but now I’m ALSO going to get some Lillet which makes my trip seem more legit!) Typing that word made me think of a possible name: Too Lillet to Quit. What can I say, it’s too early to come up with catchy drink titles for me (or maybe I’m just funnier when I’m not out of bourbon – ha ha!) Whatever you call it, this one is a winner for sure – also, the photos are as per usual fantastic!!!
Haha, thanks! You should definitely try Lillet. I’m already thinking up more ways to use it, just to keep from drinking it straight up. If you like sweeter wines, I think you’ll definitely like Lillet!
I can’t think of a cool name for this cocktail (nothing better than yours, that is), and it’s diving me bonkers. Lillet of the Valley was pretty inspired, and hard to top.
I’m pretty sure I’m not going to sleep until I figure this one out…
{The photos, by the way, are killin’ me.}
i’m not a big drinker either, but i love a pretty and light cocktail: so elegant! Please name it A Wrinkle In Thyme PLEASE DO IT. I would hang out in your kitchen and drink this anytime. :)
I much prefer inspiration tapping on my shoulder than squinting through the dark to find it. Girl, these photos are gorgeous! They make me want to take a road trip to your house, bust through your door, and raid your fridge until I locate this cocktail. When I’m finished consuming all of the cocktails, I’m going to move on to the ramp pesto. Get ready!
First time on ur blog and I am just awestruck by your beautiful food photography!! Seriously love the first pic, seems I can feel that the drinks are chilled!
Wow, thank you so much for the compliment! I’m glad you stopped by. :)
Such a pretty cocktail Willow- I love adding herbs into my cocktail, they add such dimension :)
Thanks, Heather! I agree, such a fun way to play with flavors.