“Ignorance is like a delicate fruit; touch it, and the bloom is gone.” – Oscar Wilde

Spring has come and gone, and here we are in the midst of summer (apologies for my Northern Hemisphere centric view of the world). The flowers have bloomed already, so this pairing is a little late in the scheme of nature, but the weather is so absurd lately I’m thinking it doesn’t really matter. Blooming flowers in the mixology world mean Daisies, and Daisies mean spirit, citrus, sweetener and soda. The sweetener was historically with orange cordial, but that changed to grenadine in the early twentieth century. Plenty of variations abound, but most agree that a Daisy should be cold, refreshing and garnished with seasonal fruit.

Here’s a great modern Daisy from Alex Day, the well-known innovator behind famed Death & Co. New York, among many other great bars. After his New York stint he helped open Honeycut, another highly regarded hotspot in Los Angeles, where he created this drink. In it, he uses rhum agricole as the base spirit, which is made from sugar cane juice rather than molasses that imparts a grassier, “funky” flavor element which rum aficionados love. Add to that the floral Lillet Rose aperitif (a perfect bloom) and some pineapple syrup to sweeten things up. Carbonated water (or why not Champagne!) “Daisi-fies” it for a truly wonderful sipper for the season. These are definitely in bloom right now. Cheers!

Pins and Needles by Alex Day

1 oz white rhum agricole

1 ½ oz Lillet Rose

¾ oz pineapple gum syrup

½ oz lime

1 dash Angostura bitters

1 oz soda water

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with the soda water and garnish with a lime wheel and pineapple wedge.

For more about the magical brass Bloom Box see:

Boxes and Booze: In Full Bllom