With the political and Coronavirus concerns this week, we all need and deserve a break. Alcohol has been part of the online discussion as people shared recipes for DIY hand sanitizer from vodka and rubbing alcohol. (Rubbing alcohol is more effective though you can't drink it as you make the sanitizer.) But I've also had cocktails on my mind, ever since David Lebovitz's latest book, Drinking French, released.
David lives In Paris and is one of the most genuine voices in food. He writes excellent books and smart recipes, and generously offers advice and ideas via his super popular blog. He also loves Vietnamese food and took a trip to Vietnam a while back, visiting Phu Quoc island and other spots. This cocktail celebrates citrus season two ways -- via a deliciously earthy spiced tangerine syrup and fresh juice. Its apt name, Voilà!, speaks to the drink's cheeriness. No matter how down you feel, David's drink will pick you up.
California-French Sensibility
David's recipe introduction for the Voilà! speaks volumes about what a good drink can do to lift your spirits:
Coming from California, I wasn’t quite prepared for winter in Paris. From mid-November through March, the city slips into darkness, with short days (and frosty-cold weather) providing fewer reasons to linger outside. Parisians fall into a collective funk as the unrelenting gray skies just don’t seem to want to budge. What keeps everyone upbeat are the piles of sunny clementines and tangerines at the markets.
Market vendors in Paris don’t normally hand out samples, but clementines are the exception, and sellers peel them open and offer a taste. Because the French are discerning shoppers, some try one and move on to the next stand, while others like what they taste and fill a bag.
It’s impossible not to be happy if you have a bowl of bright orange clementines with shiny green leaves attached to the stems. When I gaze over at the pile of them in my kitchen—my low-tech version of one of those therapeutic “happy” lamps—voilà, I’m instantly cheered up. This drink, with a double dose of tangerine, has the same effect.
Like many of David's books, Drinking French offers insights on daily life in France, including all its quirks; in the back of the book, there’s a listing of favorite Parisian liquor shops, in case you travel to the City of Lights. What I love about David’s approach is its accessibility — there's a normalization that makes you appreciate what the French have but also understand that their sensibility is definitely beyond your reach, especially when there's whiskey and a bunch of citrus around!
Tangerine and Spice Options
Our farmer's markets and grocery stores are currently flushed with tangerines of all kinds. Right now, I have three kinds: Satsuma, Kishu, and California Mandarins. When the fruit is well-priced, I buy and eat plenty of them as palate cleansers and afternoon snacks. I juice them for sorbet (the kem trái quít recipe is on page 284 of Into the Vietnamese Kitchen) and swap tangerine for orange juice in recipes like this orange chicken. I also dry and let the skin age and darken; it's great for tea.
For the bar syrup and cocktail, I used fruit that was extra juicy. That meant the larger Satsumas for the spiced tangerine syrup, and the California Mandarins for the cocktail. The California Mandarin has skin that’s well attached so it cuts beautifully into a citrus wheel for garnish. I recently bought a heavy-duty juicer that’s very efficient for juicing large quantities of citrus; it’s a little stiff so you have to apply extra force but it gets the job done fast.
The spiced tangerine syrup (yes, I created a Michelin-manish image above) relies on two kinds of peppercorns for gravitas. I have South Asian and Southeast Asian peppercorns in my pantry and went with the Vietnamese ones.
If you’re into peppercorns, try Red Boat’s import from Phu Quoc island, where some of Vietnam’s best pepper is cultivated. (More on Vietnamese pepper in this post.) The reddish Kampot pepper from Cambodia is pricier but excellent in its sweet heat. And Tellicherry from South Asia has plenty of delicious zip.
My current Sichuan peppercorns are from a spice shop, but you may source good ones from an Asian market.
Bourbon vs. Japanese Whiskey and Champagne Needs
David’s cocktail is full-bodied when made with bourbon. For a greater Asian twist, I also made the Voilà! with Japanese whiskey and the result was slightly more refreshing. If you add the float of sparkling wine, the cocktail brightens.
What to do if you opt for popping the bottle of champagne, crémant or prosecco for the Voilà!? Cap the bottle with a champagne stopper and serve the leftover with the tangerine syrup for a sparkling cocktail. For a non-alcoholic beverage, try sparkling water with the syrup.
Make the tangerine syrup while it’s still citrus season and celebrate life with a drink or two. Cheers!
Spiced Tangerine Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- ⅓ cup (65g) sugar
- Zest of 1 tangerine
- ½ cup (125ml) freshly squeezed tangerine juice
Instructions
- Lightly crush the Sichuan and black peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or in a ziptop freezer bag with a hammer or rolling pin. Warm the peppercorns in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they smell fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, then stir in the tangerine zest and juice. Warm the mixture over medium-high heat until it just begins to boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours. Rewarm the syrup, then strain it through a mesh strainer set over a small bowl, pressing on the peppercorns and zest with a flexible silicone spatula to extract as much flavor as you can. Pour the syrup into a clean jar. Cool, then cover and refrigerate.
Notes
Voilà!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (60ml) bourbon
- 1 ½ ounces (45ml) freshly squeezed tangerine juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons spiced tangerine syrup or simple syrup
- 1 dash Angostura aromatic bitters
- Splash of champagne or dry sparkling wine, such as crémant (optional)
- Orange wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Add the bourbon, tangerine juice, spiced tangerine syrup, and Angostura bitters to a cocktail shaker. Put a handful of ice in a short tumbler or rocks glass. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into the glass and top with champagne, if desired. Garnish with the orange wheel.
