I feel that today’s drink is something a grandmother would love. Not my grandmother – she was more of a Seven-and-Seven type of lady- but a mythical grandmother who enjoys a glass of sherry and wears rose perfume.

Bartenders around the US have been experimenting with lighter-style cocktails using fortified wines like sherry, port, and vermouth as base spirits- I suppose we could call them grandma drinks, though it’s mostly cocktail aficionados who are drinking them.

The Eau de Chambery is a cocktail created by Lindsay Nader of Los Angeles that begins with a soft, lovely vermouth, and slightly modifies it with a liqueur and bitters. The maraschino liqueur (in no way resembling maraschino cherry juice) is quite floral, and lends a lot of the flavor to this drink. The orange bitters distract from the sweetness of the liqueur and add some spicy notes. This might serve as a pre-dinner drink or even a light digestif afterward.

The entire drink is only 3 ounces and made with all low-alcohol ingredients, so whether you or your grandma are enjoying it, you can still drive home afterward.

Eau de Chambery
By Lindsay Nader

2.5 fl. oz. Dolin Dry Vermouth
.5 fl. oz. Maraschino Liqueur
3 dashes Orange Bitters
Lemon peel for garnish

Stir all ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist