“Gin is often thought of as a summer spirit, however the woodsy tones in many gins can make them a great base for a holiday cocktail,” says Yardarm’s Maya Bartha.
“The combination of rosemary, mint tea, gin, and Christmas spices in the Rosemary Milk Punch results in an elegant beverage,” she continues. “It can be served before or after dinner, at holiday parties, and it also pairs well with warming foods, such as the confit duck leg with white wine-poached apple mostarda at Yardarm.”
Combining milk with a spirit may be unfamiliar, but the first published example of clarified milk punch dates from the early 1700s. Traditionally the base was whisky or rum, but turning any drink into a milk punch lends body and a subtle sweetness.
Bartha chose an organic Swedish gin with a complex and delicate flavour profile for her cocktail, but you can substitute any gin for a different, but still delicious result.
Ingredients
14 oz Spirit of Hven gin, or your favourite gin
2 oz Cocchi Americano
4 oz lime juice
4 oz rosemary syrup*
4 oz chilled mint tea
14 oz milk
Spice blend: zest of 1 lemon, 1 orange, 1 tsp clove, 1 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 vanilla pod
1 rosemary sprig to garnish
2¼ cups granulated sugar
2¼ cups (540 mL) water
1 Tbs dried rosemary
Preparation
- Combine all ingredients except milk and set aside.
- Bring milk to a simmer then add to the mixture. It should curdle immediately.
- Let sit in fridge for 24-48 hours, then fine strain out the milk curds using cheesecloth. You should be left with a clear liquid.
- Serve over ice with a rosemary sprig to garnish.
