Some have credited him with helping save an institution no less than the NFL. (Others say she ruined him, which is a sure sign of her power.) Her Eras tour boosted the American economy. Experts have said it could influence the 2024 presidential election.
So we couldn’t help but be intrigued – and perhaps influenced – by the recent revelations that the singer has a new favorite cocktail. According to Page Six, Swift enjoyed a fun evening with her fellow Chiefs WAGs (players’ wives and girlfriends) at Rye Restaurant in Leawood, Kan. Swift’s favorite drink was said to have been a French Blonde, a drink made with gin, the French Lillet aperitif, St-Germain liqueur (American Gallic-inspired brand) and grapefruit juice. “According to our understanding, [that is] his favorite cocktail,” said the restaurant co-owner.
Get the recipe: French Blonde Cocktail
The cocktail is not unique; in fact, it’s been around for a while. Like so many mixologist creations, its lineage is unclear. Although it has a similar name, it does not appear closely related to the Parisian Blonde, a cocktail included in famous bartender Harry Craddock’s “The Savoy Cocktail Book” from 1930. (This concoction is made with rum, cream and curaçao.) Interestingly, one version of the origin story of another classic gin-based cocktail, the White Lady (usually made with triple sec and egg whites), also involves Craddock and a blonde hair. Craddock, who ran the bar at the Savoy Hotel in London, is said to have created the drink for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s wife, Zelda, in honor of her platinum bob.
I suspect Swift’s drink has more modern origins: St-Germain liqueur only debuted in 2007, and recipes incorporating the elderflower elixir proliferated afterward. Swift wasn’t even old enough to drink at the time, but now that she’s America’s tastemaker, we thought it was time to give it a try. (Look what she made us do, right?) If anything, it sounded a lot more appealing than the drink she’d previously described as her favorite: a Diet Coke with vodka.
The drink (we relied on the one provided on Lillet’s website) is extremely simple to make, although obtaining all the ingredients requires a modestly well-stocked liquor store. Gin and grapefruit juice are easy to find (for alcohol, I opted for my standard dry Beefeater, but something more aromatic would work too), but Lillet, St-Germain and lemon bitters might take a little effort to track them down. To quote our bartender muse: it might be worth it.
A quick shake in a shaker with ice (if you don’t have one, a jar or other wide-mouthed container with a lid will do) and a pour, and it’s ready. The first thing I noticed is that it’s a really pretty shade of pink – not bubblegum-Barbie, but a pretty peachy shade. And the flavor is complex: citrus, thanks to the grapefruit, but also a floral touch, thanks to both elderflower and Lillet, the latter adding a complexity that is difficult to pin down. It’s a refreshing drink, and not as boozy as some of its cocktail sisters, thanks to the mixers’ low alcohol by volume (ABV). I could even imagine topping it with club soda or sparkling wine for a festive spritz.
My only complaint with the French Blonde is that it is a little sweet, although I suspect that if I had used fresh juice instead of the bottled Tropicana I chose for convenience, I would find it more pleasantly tart. (Even though they don’t contain added sugar, many bottled juices contain apple juice concentrate, which can increase the cloying factor.)
Can I imagine sipping this in place of my usual Super Bowl drink, which is a beer, because it’s a classic accompaniment to wings and/or I’m basic? Maybe. I’d feel pretty chic, and it might be pretty fun. I have a feeling Swift, who embraces sequins and sneakers depending on her mood, would approve.
Get the recipe: French Blonde Cocktail
