Rangpur Gimlet

[Ed. note - I wrote this weeks ago, just never posted...] This past Saturday was the first PSU farmer's market of the season. C, D, B, and I made plans weeks ago to attend the market together, and then make a "First Market" dinner. Weather was dim and rainy, but that wasn't going to hold us back.

My contribution was a plate of baby carrots and French breakfast radishes with coarse French grey salt and hand churned butter (unfortunately, Noris dairy wasn't at the market so I settled on Strauss cream). Pleasant and simply, ultimately fresh and tasty.

I also offered to handle the cocktails for dinner. I bought a number of ingredients at the markets, but the most interested were Rangpur limes (also called lemanderins). I bought 6 of them, which wasn't quite enough for 4 small cocktails.

I spent part of the afternoon making syrups. For this drink, I made a simple syrup with Temple de l'Aube tea (a green tea with bergamot and lemon) and unrefined organic cane sugar.

• 1 c water
• 1 c unrefined organic cane sugar
• 2 teaspoons Temple de l'Aube green tea
• Bring water to a near boil, steep tea for a few minutes, strain, add sugar, dissolve sugar, pass through cheesecloth, cool.

I also made rhubarb syrup and ginger/black pepper syrup, but those are for another story.

Anyway, I dragged all kinds of bar tools to CC's place, and prepped this cocktail, which I'm calling the Rangpur gimlet (and yes, I know there is no Rose's in this recipe, but I don't care, I prefer fresh juice and a little sugar).

• 1.5 oz Junipero gin
• 1 oz rangpur lime juice (although I was a little short)
  
• .5 oz Temple de l'Aube simple syrup
• Shake with ice and serve up on a cocktail glass
• I didn't add a garnish

And that's it. The flavors were actually more subtle than I had expected. The citrus really shined in the finish, and the tea syrup added a lovely note to the nose.

I'd certainly make these again (and if fact, I probably will next weekend). Oh, and if you want to buy these limes at the market, see the honey and egg folks at the far South end of the market. They'll cost 2 for $1 for the medium size (3 for $1 for the small ones).

Photo courtesy of CC.