The La Croix Pendennis
Fear Not, I Take You into the Orchards of Libation
Cocktail crafting and sugar harm reduction are a tough mix. A lot of pre-prohibition cocktail recipes include liqueurs (sweet cordials) and simple-syrup style ingredients.
Not the classic martini, of course. But I’m talking about the classic treasure chest of teardrop-worthy drinks.
I just figured out how to make a sugar-free Pendennis tonight! This famous 19th century Louisville private club cocktail has resonance to Hunter Thompson, Mohammed Ali, and so much more. It’s as great as any Manhattan or Julep. God, how I love it.
It is typically made with apricot brandy— and good on you if you’re still pouring brandy.
However, I have become convinced that those La Croix soda-water people are a bunch of effete alcoholics, because their no-sugar flavors are uniquely connected to great cocktail recipes. All their flavors are right out of a cocktail cookbook. Coconut? Lime? Lemon? Yes, please.
I found out they make a apricot-flavor sparkling water. Good god! I just made a Pendennis tonight that is over the top.
Pour the usual 2 fingers of gin, generous dashes of Peychaud’s bitters, half a lime, and fill up your tall boy glass with LaCroix apricot.
If you’re someone like me who doesn’t put sugar in their coffee, this is heaven. It tastes ‘just right.’
Yes, it’s bubbly. That’s an aberration. Maybe a bridge too far for purists. But I like bubbles, so that’s a plus for me.
Maybe someone else who enjoys sugar in their beverages would find it “not sweet enough.” But if you’ve lost the taste of super-sweetness, this is AWESOME.
With apricot LaCroix, I could also make recipes like The Golden Dawn, The Millionaire (always fun to order at a bar: “Make me a millionaire!”) and the Three-to-One. And I bet La Croix’s peach flavor could make a helluva mint julep.
I’m going to try them all and let you know.
I was in a Sazerac habit a while back. Your Pendennis sounds too good to pass up!