Apéro avec MILLE — Vendredi Soir. One cocktail, one bite, one moment.
Muddled mint, a whisper of Pernod, gin — a terrace in Nice in a coupe. Serve it with warm gougères, airy and impossible to stop at one.
The French Pearl
Muddled mint, Pernod, gin — a terrace in Nice.
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin
- ¼ oz Pernod or Pastis
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- 6–8 fresh mint leaves
- Lime slice and mint sprig to garnish
- Ice
Method
- Add lime juice, simple syrup, and mint to a shaker.
- Muddle gently — press to release the oils, do not shred.
- Add the Pernod and gin. Fill with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish.
A note — The muddled mint is everything — do it gently. Lovely served alongside a Pastis Gimlet for a full aperitif hour.
The Bite — Gougères
Gruyère choux puffs — warm, airy, impossible to stop at one.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 80g unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp black pepper
- 155g all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 75g Gruyère, grated, plus extra for tops
Method
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Bring water, butter, salt, nutmeg, and pepper to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms.
- Return to medium heat and stir 1–2 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides.
- Transfer to a stand mixer. Add eggs one at a time on medium speed.
- Stir in the grated Gruyère. Pipe or scoop 1-inch mounds onto the sheets.
- Sprinkle extra cheese on top. Bake 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Crack the oven door and let sit 5 minutes to dry out. Serve immediately.
A note — Make ahead and freeze; re-crisp in a 425°F oven for 3–4 minutes. The nutmeg is the secret.
Pour a drink, find a snack, wear the dress. See you Friday.
