Generally speaking, Dan and I are beer and wine people. We know very little about what makes a good wine, we know a fair amount about good beer, and (most importantly) we drink what we like. With the exception of the year that Dan was really into Scotch, it’s not often that you’ll see our bar stocked with more than South American whites, spicy Malbecs, and craft beer.

One of my favorite activities on Avery Island was our mixology workshop with Kirk Espinotal. Kirk demonstrated three different fun and delicious recipes, including a type of mixed drink that was completely new to me- the cobbler. A cobbler (the cocktail variety) is a liqueur that is shaken with fresh fruit and ice. Simple and delicious. The cobbler we tried at the Marsh House was Chartreuse, citrus, jalapeños, and Tabasco’s jalapeño pepper sauce. It was fantastic, something I’ve been dreaming about since we left the island.

When we started planning our annual holiday party I knew that I wanted to try to recreate Kirk’s masterpiece. I couldn’t find yellow Chartreuse in Wilmington so I decided to combine lime, fresh satsuma, and St Germain, which is an elderflower liqueur. The finished drink was lovely- fresh and fruity with touches of citrus and elderflower. The benefit of the cobbler is that it’s not too heavy or too boozy, making it a good option for brunch or holiday parties where you want to celebrate without getting too crazy. We’ll be absolutely reprising this during the holidays. It may even be the new Christmas Morning Special.

Satsuma Cobbler

makes 2

6 jiggers of St Germain or elderflower liqueur

Satsuma or clementine, peeled and sectioned

Lime, sliced

Champagne or prosecco (optional)

Ice

Combine liqueur, fruit, and ice in a mixer. Mix vigorously for 30-45 seconds. Strain and split between two glasses with additional lime and satsuma. For a lighter option top each glass with a jigger of champagne.