Widow's Kiss

By now you've no doubt come to realize that I'm a little fond of drinks that use some of the commonly found, but lesser known ingredients. In many cases, these are ingredients which were once extremely popular, but have sort of fallen by the wayside in favor of some new trendy (and heavily marketed) product instead. Perhaps I just feel sorry for them, but I really think it's because these older products have a certain complexity, sophistication, and class which can't be rivaled by the modern pretenders.

I take any chance I can get to introduce people to drinks which might use some of these products, and when I find a great drink like the Widows Kiss which can provide a great platform for two such products at once, so much the better.

Widows Kiss

• 1 1/2 ounce calvados (apple brandy)
• 3/4 ounce Chartreuse
• 1/4 ounce Benedictine
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a cherry.

No telling where the name for this drink comes, but I'm sure that there is a story there somewhere. Its first recorded appearance is from the 1895 edition of George Kappeler's "Modern American Drinks".

Chartreuse and Benedictine are both very interesting liqueurs. They are both full of robust, if not overpowering flavor. Their sweet side is put into check by a large component of various herbs and extracts. They both originate from monasteries, where they were originally created as a medicinal tonic. While Benedictine production is now more of a commercial venture, Chartreuse is still being produced by the Chartreusian monks in France.

This should be considered an after dinner drink, its heavier flavor profile is better suited at settling the stomach than invigorating an appetite. And don't haul out the 10 ounce cocktail glasses for this one, a 3 to 4 ounce glass would work far better.