Master Of Your Domaine (de Canton)

 

 

Now that the chill of Autumn has finally begun to set in around certain parts of this here fine country of ours (and it has, just in case you’ve been otherwise too preoccupied to check your calendar lately), our choice of cocktails often tends to change with the weather.

This is the time of year that I choose to be Master Of My Domaine … Domaine de Canton, that is.

For those of you not already familiar with it, Domaine de Canton is a French liqueur made of ginger-enhanced Cognac; when added to a cocktail, its spiciness lends a sensationally distinct flavor to the drink.

In the course of experimenting with different cocktails using this unique liqueur, it has been my distinct pleasure to learn that while there are a great number of unique recipes to be found, Domaine de Canton can also be included in some of your classic cocktails to add an explosive twist, especially in these cooler months.

Let’s start with brunch. Ever enjoy a Kir Royale? Why not hold the Crème de Cassis and instead spice it up as a Canton Royale:

CANTON ROYALE

• 1 PART DOMAINE DE CANTON
• 3 PARTS CHAMPAGNE

Squeeze the juice of a lemon wedge or add a dash of lemon bitters. Serve in a champagne flute.

Speaking of brunch, you can also do something similar with a mimosa – in this recipe, only put in half the amount of orange juice you would normally use, then add Domaine de Canton for the other half; fill it to the top with the sparkling wine of your choice and you’ve got a libation whose spiciness may prove a viable alternative almost any Bloody Mary.

Another classic is the Sidecar; using Domaine de Canton, you can effectively double-up on the Cognac!

SIDECAR

• 1 PART DOMAINE DE CANTON
• 1 PART COGNAC

Squeeze juice of a lemon wedge and serve in a chilled martini glass.

Even though Domaine de Canton is a product of France, you can still use it to tweak an old favorite of the British – the Pimm’s Cup!

PIMM'S CUP

• 1 PART DOMAINE DE CANTON
• 1 PART PIMM'S
• 3 PARTS GINGER ALE

Add slices of orange, lemon, strawberries, cucumber and sprigs of mint. Serve in a tall glass filled with ice.

As I said, though, there are a great many original recipes that contain Domaine de Canton; one of them is this: L’Orientale …

L'ORIENTALE

• 1 PART DOMAINE DE CANTON
• 1 PART VODKA
• SPLASH OF CHAMBORD
• SPLASH OF ORANGE JUICE

Add a splash of Chambord and a splash of orange juice. Serve in a chilled martini glass.

You can use Domaine de Canton to put a twist on almost any traditional cocktail – Mojitos, Margaritas, Cosmopolitans – you name it! Although many bottles of Domaine de Canton are sold with a small recipe book, you can also find a treasure trove of others for this transformational liqueur by simply visiting their Web site:

Domaine de Canton Recipes

Do you have a favorite cocktail containing Domaine de Canton?  Have you invented your own?  In either case, please leave a comment and share your recipe!