Grown Up Shirley T.
Recipe, Food, Styling & Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald
Finally grown up!
The Shirley Temple, named after the actress of the same name, is a non-alcoholic drink made from ginger ale, grenadine syrup and a little lemon or lime juice. It can almost be called the original mocktail. The drink was invented for the children's star so that she could have a glamorous glass in her hand at dinner parties alongside her adult acting colleagues. Actually, that could have been the beginning of a wonderful equality for "non-alcoholics." Unfortunately, the whole mocktail thing got stuck in baby shoes in terms of taste, and has never really been able to break free from the sweet side. The "adult" versions of the Shirely Temple were simply pimped with vodka. Flavor-wise, it kept everything the same, but it kicked ass and you could add the bold word dirty to the drink. Bold? Well, it depends, rather the repetition of old dogmas. Therefore, here is a version that I would call grown up. With plenty of bitter components and vermouth flavors, this drink is anything but sweet. JNPR Spirits' BTTR is honestly tart, and the non-alcoholic martini complements the drink with its herbal and wine flavors. Verjus brings the necessary acidity, and a tart ginger ale and Marachino cherry quote the kids' drink. You could also mix the whole thing with Spicy Ginger Beer to make it even more tangy. I think a softer ginger note is better here, because the Spicy Ginger sodas overpower other flavors, and it's often just "spicy". Fever-Tree's Ginger-Ale is quite suitable, because it's not as sweet as the well-known classic. However, I find Bundaberg's Ginger Brew to be the best. It has a slight ginger spiciness and less sweetness. On that note, grow(n) up Shirley!
The drink:
4 cl Martini Vibrante
3 cl BTTR No.1 from JNPR Spirits
2 cl Verjus e.g. Extra Sour from Verjus Shop International
1 cl grenadine syrup
Optional 2 dashes Cocktail Bitter e.g. Orange Bitter from Fee Brothers
Bundaberg Ginger Brew or Fever-Tree Ginger-Ale
Ice
Garnish: lime zest and marachino cherries
Add all ingredients, except the ginger ale and garnish, to a glass with ice and muddle with a bar spoon. Then top with ginger ale and garnish.
Recipe, Food, Styling & Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald