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Elderflower 75
St Germain is an elderflower liqueur made using the petals of the black elderberry plant from the Savoir in France. The Savoir is located in the Auvergne Rhone-Alps region of Southeastern France. It has a population of close to 440K people and is known for its numerous ski resorts. The fondue Savoyarde, Tartiflette, and saucisson are well-known culinary delights from this area. Each bottle of St Germain is numbered with the year that the petals of elderflowers were collected. They are collected each spring over a period of three to four weeks and are often transported by bicycle to collection points to avoid damaging the petals and impacting their flavor.
St Germain was launched by Cooper Spirits Co in 2007 and was created by distiller Robert Cooper the son of Norton Cooper who owns Charles Jacquin et Cie a major French alcohol maker. Sadly in 2016, Robert died at the young age of 39.
I have a delicious recipe for my favourite cocktail to make with St Germain which is an Elderflower 75 which is a take on the French 75. The recipe is as follows
French 75 Cocktail
The French 75 cocktail is a classic drink that originated in Paris in the early 20th century. It's named after the French 75mm field gun, which was used by the French army during World War I. The drink is said to have been created at the famous Harry's New York Bar in Paris, and it quickly became a favorite among American expatriates and Parisians alike.
Today, the French 75 cocktail remains a popular drink in cocktail bars around the world. It's a refreshing and sophisticated drink that combines gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and Champagne.
In French cocktail culture, the French 75 is often served as an apéritif, which is a pre-dinner drink meant to stimulate the appetite. The French take their cocktail culture seriously, and there are many famous bars and bartenders in France that have helped shape the cocktail world. The French are also known for their love of champagne, which is often used as a key ingredient in cocktails like the French 75.