The Grasshopper is a dessert cocktail with a special place in my heart. The Hungarian side of my family used to prepare an extra decadent blended version with vanilla ice cream at Christmas time. My very first glimpse of being slightly tipsy was after stealing sips from my aunts and uncles.
Probably because I first tasted this cocktail in pimped up form, the classic version with cheap Creme de Menthe never quite hits the mark for me. I really wanted to have a Grasshopper this holiday season, but couldn’t bring myself to buy an €8 neon green bottle of booze.
Enter a delightful little shop in my neighborhood called Dion & Gefolge. Somewhat obscured from the window view, there is a small back room with a fantastic selection of booze. I popped in and was so pleased to find they had both Crème de Cacao and Crème de Menthe from Tempus Fugit Spirits.
The Crème de Cacao is the best I’ve ever tasted. The Crème de Menthe is the best I’ve ever tasted. Together it is like a Christmas miracle from Baby Jesus. I don’t think there could be a more divine Grasshopper.
The standard Crème de Menthe that gives Grasshoppers their signature green color is aggressively minty. The Tempus Fugit version is beautifully subtle with a snowy white spearmint vibe. Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao is made from a blend of cacao and vanilla, which makes it a perfect stand-in for the often artificial tasting white Crème de Cacao that normally goes in a Grasshopper.
All that said, if you can’t get your hands on these bottles, a classic Grasshopper is still damn delicious and very easy to make. A perfect little holiday treat after all the other holiday treats.
Ingredients
- 3 cl Creme de Cacao (white)
- 3 cl Creme de Menthe
- 3 cl Cream (vegan substitutes work!)
- 1 oz Creme de Cacao (white)
- 1 oz Creme de Menthe
- 1 oz Cream (vegan substitutes work!)
Instructions
- Shake fast and hard for a good 40 seconds
- Double strain into a fancy glass
- Try not to drink a million of these