Reviving a Corpse, and Other Tales

Kevin has been making an awesome ‘new’ drink lately.  He takes gin, lemon juice, cointreau, and absinthe–gives it a good, hearty shake, and I’m telling you, creates my new favorite drink of the summer!  What is this magic drink, you ask?  A corpse reviver!  And I promise you, this drink will (as this 1867 publication on London Life suggests) “fill us with extraordinary courage and determination.  Our self esteem rose by fifty percent, and with it, our indignation!”  Yes, that quotation is actually referring to a drink called a Corpse Reviver, but I’m not sure it’s the same drink to which Kevin keeps returning.

As I’ve posted previously, Seattle has been a rainy mess.  Spring came and went without a real hint of sun.  It’s only the past week that we’ve seen any hot weather.  This California girl is loving the 90 degree temperatures (and our tomato crop is as well).  We actually have a ripening tomato, folks!

Isn’t it beautiful?  Tonight, we sat in our backyard, sipped a Corpse Reviver, and marvelled in the changes our garden has gone through in the past few week.  Our garlic is finally growing scapes that are turning in their familiar circles, like little kitchen timers.

But back to the fabled drink!  There are two distinct recipes for Corpse Revivers.  One, involves maraschino cherry juice.  We will not speak of that one.  The second, based on a recipe from the 1930s Savoy Cocktail Book, comes from a recipe I found in the Washington Post.

Corpse Reviver #2 for Two

4oz. gin

4 oz. cointreau

4 oz. lemon juice

4 oz. Lillet Blanc

1 1/2 tsp. absinthe (we’re big fans of Pacifique Absinthe by Pacific Distillery)

1. Add ingredients to cocktail shaker along with ice and pour into cocktail glasses of choice.  We used our favorite Libby old-fashioned glasses we found at a local estate sale.

**Don’t be alarmed if your drink gets a little cloudy!  Absinthe reacts with water (much like unfiltered whiskey) and forms the infamous la louche.


10 Comments

  1. Reply
    Kindra July 9, 2010

    Thank you! A different way to put my Absinthe to use!

  2. Reply
    jasmine July 9, 2010

    Can’t wait to try one!

  3. Reply
    Susan @ The Spice Garden July 11, 2010

    They’re alive! They’re alive! I’ve missed your blog entries … you must be a busy person this summer! Ha! And I think it’s funny that with the hot weather the cocktail recipes start popping up on the food blogs! I’ve posted Bellini Cocktails … which I’ve been all about in our hot corner of the world!

    I am curious about absinthe. I have some wonderful Hendrick’s gin. Don’t know what Lillet Blanc is … help!

    • Reply
      alison July 11, 2010

      Hi Susan —

      I purchased Lillet Blanc from my local wine shop. It’s a fortified wine, so basically an aperitif. Surprisingly, it’s used in the recipe for a martini a la James Bond!

  4. Reply
    Susan @ The Spice Garden July 12, 2010

    Thanks! I’ll look for it when I’m in the liquor store … as these little cocktails look really thirst-quenching! Def soup-up lemon-aid!

  5. Reply

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  6. Reply

    I’m glad to hear that our absinthe has found a home in your Corpse Reviver. It has been a favorite of mine for years now. Since we make both absinthe and gin, this drink was a natural for us at the distillery.
    Cheers,
    Marc

  7. Reply
    sippitysup July 17, 2010

    I love the thought of this drink and must make it more then a mere thought very soon. GREG

  8. Reply
    Karen July 17, 2010

    Beautiful tomatoes! I’ve got garlic in our garden, but no scapes yet… I’m waiting for them!

  9. Reply
    Sophia July 20, 2010

    Wow, great job here. Awesome picture too! You should really consider submitting this to Recipe4Living’s Summertime Sipper Contest- http://www.recipe4living.com/articles/the_summertime_sipper_recipe_contest.htm

    It looks delicious!

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