The Last Word
I’ve been trying to reconcile my emotions from the past week. Like many Americans, I’ve felt angered, confused and saddened. I’ve also felt hopeless. I’ve had conversations with friends who feel similarly and asked them, “when do you think we might feel hopeful again?” I can’t say any of us were left feeling inspired by each other’s responses. I struggle with this because it’s not my personality to choose gloom. It makes me feel out of control and chaotic. So I’ve spent the last couple of days in my head, thinking about what I can control and what I can’t. I realized that my social media use is becoming toxic. Doom scrolling and arguing with people on the internet feels unproductive and soul crushing. So I set some time limits for myself to break these habits. I also set downtime on my phone at night. I made a list of activities that bring me the opposite feelings- such as exercise, gardening and reading books. I’m working on getting my mind right(ish). I do not know what the upcoming weeks will bring so I need to steady myself so I don’t add to the chaos.
I got to thinking about cocktails and what cocktail suits this moment. I chose The Last Word, featuring Empress 1908 Gin. The Last Word was created in 1915, pre-prohibition era in Detroit, MI. It’s made with equal parts gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice. It’s a fantastic balance of sweet, sour, and herbal. It’s sweet but has a bite. I love Empress Gin with its beautiful color and bright, citrusy, floral flavor. It really elevates this cocktail. As one of my friends says about Empress, it’s just extra! What a cocktail name, too. The Last Word— Is it justice? Is it hope? Is it democracy? Is it just a cocktail? I’ll let you think further on that. Cheers!
The Last Word
Ingredients:
3/4 oz Empress 1908 gin
3/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
cocktail cherry, as garnish
Method:
Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a cocktail cherry.
