Julia Child’s former summer home and iconic kitchen in Provence are opening for cooking lessons, retreats, and Airbnb rentals in the spring of 2017.
The announcement sent my petit coeur soaring. Closing my eyes, I flew to Julia’s kitchen; her voice resonated from its tiles and pinged from her copper pots, referencing all its octaves. In my daydream, Julia lifted a grand piece of beef onto the chopping block as her first step in making steak au poivre, and instructed me step by step. Opening my eyes, I regretted that I wasn’t in France with Julia, but in my own home kitchen, left only with thoughts of a someday trip of a lifetime.
Then I thought, Why wait? Julia would not want me grumbling about a distant future plan. She’d want me celebrating what’s already surrounding me. So I decided to look up her favorite cocktail, which makes great use of cocktail bitters.
Toast the re-opening of Julia’s home with The Savory Pantry by trying this light and refreshing, equally no-fuss twist on the “Angosoda” she loved, along with another Julia-inspired champagne cocktail with aromatic bitters.
Barrel Soda
- 4–8 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters to taste*
- 1 slice of lime
- 4–6 oz of your favorite sparkling water
- 1 handful of ice cubes
*Fee Brothers says, “These limited-edition bitters are bottled only once a year, in the spring, and when they’re gone, they’re gone!” Order now while we have stock.
Directions
Pick a glass you love, preferably one that is transparent so you can enjoy the drink’s color. Add ice to ¾ line of glass. Dash your bitters. Squeeze your lime and toss it in the glass with abandon. Fill with sparkling water to just below top of glass.
A Note from Erin: “This recipe is perfect for an occasion when one wants to feel festive without getting catawampus. It is also practically calorie-free. Julia Child is quoted as having said, ‘The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook,’ and to the extent that this is a diet drink, it would certainly play that role well. It will not offend a palate that finds whiskey distasteful, but promises a surprising cinnamon and woody complexity. I love the zippy squeeze of lime—what my husband calls a ‘working lime’ (versus one that’s just there to look pretty).” Erin writes, edits, and joyfully flits about her kitchen for The Savory Pantry.
The Tomahawk Twist
- 1 Blood Orange
- 2 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters*
- Champagne or Prosecco to fill
*Fee Brothers says, “These limited-edition bitters are bottled only once a year, in the spring, and when they’re gone, they’re gone!” Order now while we have stock.
Directions
Pick a glass you love, preferably one that is transparent so you can enjoy the drink’s color. Cut blood orange in half. Cut one round for garnish and set aside. Juice blood orange into glass (or use separate glass and then pour into the glass you’ll use if you want to be extra tidy. Careful! Blood orange juice will stain). The size of your glass and your tastebuds can determine how much blood orange juice you use. Add 2 dashes of Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters. Fill to top of glass with Champagne or Prosecco. Note that you can find single-serving bottles, so this would be a fancy surprise for spring picnic with someone you want to woo!
Mock-tail or low-alcohol alternative: Substitute San Pellegrino’s Blood Orange or Limonata Sparkling Fruit Beverage for Champagne or Prosecco. Bitters do contain alcohol, but you’re just using dashes.
A Note from Erin: “This recipe was inspired by a report of Julia Child being taught to open a champagne bottle with a tomahawk by a Colorado restaurateur. Now that’s fun! I love the festive nature of champagne and prosecco, and the idea that every occasion becomes special when a cork is popped. For this cocktail, I was drawn to the currently-in-season and always intriguing blood orange, as it seemed to speak to what could have happened if fate had differently guided Julia’s hand.” Erin writes, edits, and joyfully flits about her kitchen for The Savory Pantry.