The Clover Leaf

With fresh fruit, fresh herbs and tart nature of lemon the Clover Leaf is a welcome transitional spring drink. There are drinks that gently ease into a category and then there are cocktails that smash their way into a classification. This drink has done the latter.

This cocktail has elements from nearly every season, and thusly can be enjoyed any time of the year. For this drinker, gin, lemon, and fresh fruits largely come into play during the summer months. Egg whites are more of a cool weather comfort in my cocktail glass. Fresh herbs can easily be muddled into my drink anytime, mint however typically stretches from spring to autumn.

It is generally accepted that a smash, by definition, requires a base spirit, seasonal fruit, ice and herbs. A drink in this category, in my books, requires muddling to release the flavours encapsulated within the herbs and fruit.

Recipe

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Gin

.5 oz. grenadine

.5 oz. lemon juice

5 raspberries

4 mint leaves

1 egg white

Directions:

• Muddle fresh mint in the bottom of a shaker tin.
• Add egg white and dry shake for a minimum of thirty seconds.
• Crush raspberries and add all other ingredients, along with ice, to the tin.
• Seal and shake for another twenty to thirty seconds.
• Strain and serve.

This cousin of the Clover Club really opens up with the addition of fresh mint. The cool, refreshing taste of mint feels oddly right at home in this smashing cocktail that would otherwise seem like a cool weather classic. While there is no way to know your opinion on the subject, I for one am sick of winter and ready to find any excuse to celebrate the coming of spring. No robin? No problem, as long as I have this cocktail alongside me.