Celery

Green With Envy

March 13, 2012
5
3 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Makes 1 cocktail
Author Notes

Infusing gin with celery and a touch of anise seed adds a savory quality to its crisp, floral juniper fragrance and taste. Muddling Granny Smith apple, provides a flavor contrast that while sweet, is also sharp enough to stand up to the briny gin. Bitters and Tabasco add depth and a bite of spice that lingers, making this cocktail dangerously delicious. Although this is simply a modified gin sour, the combination of woodsy green hued gin, tart apple and a pungent kick made me think of Snow White and a cocktail fit for the Evil Queen, hence the name. —gingerroot

Test Kitchen Notes

This smart cocktail from gingerroot combines spice, sour, bitter and sweet flavors into a harmonious cocktail with an interesting herbal note. Everything is nicely balanced with no diva ingredients stealing centerstage. Just a lovely, refreshing beverage. —Stephanie Bourgeois

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Ingredients
  • For the cocktail
  • 1/4 cup peeled, chopped Granny Smith apple
  • 2 ounces celery infused gin (see below for recipe)
  • 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice (I used Meyer)
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • 2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Dash Tabasco
  • For the celery infused gin
  • 1 6-inch length of crisp green celery stalk (end trimmed)
  • 1 6-inch length of an inner celery stalk with leaves (end trimmed)
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed green anise seed (can substitute fennel seed)
  • 2 cups gin
Directions
  1. For the cocktail
  2. Muddle apple in a cocktail shaker.
  3. Add liquid ingredients.
  4. Fill shaker with ice, close and shake vigorously for 5-7 seconds, until shaker is frosty and cold. Strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with tender celery stalk if desired. Enjoy and repeat. Sharing optional.
  1. For the celery infused gin
  2. Cut celery into two-inch lengths. Combine ingredients in an airtight container, such as a quart jar. Allow mixture to infuse for 2 days, shaking jar a few times a day. On the second day, strain out solids, return infused gin to jar and refrigerate until needed.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: gingerroot

My most vivid childhood memories have to do with family and food. As a kid, I had the good fortune of having a mom who always encouraged trying new things, and two grandmothers who invited me into their kitchens at a young age. I enjoy cooking for the joy it brings me - sharing food with loved ones - and as a stress release. I turn to it equally during good times and bad. Now that I have two young children, I try to be conscientious about what we cook and eat. Right about the time I joined food52, I planted my first raised bed garden and joined a CSA; between the two I try to cook as sustainably and organically as I can. Although I'm usually cooking alone, my children are my favorite kitchen companions and I love cooking with them. I hope when they are grown they will look back fondly at our time spent in the kitchen, as they teach their loved ones about food-love. Best of all, after years on the mainland for college and graduate school, I get to eat and cook and raise my children in my hometown of Honolulu, HI. When I'm not cooking, I am helping others grow their own organic food or teaching schoolchildren about art.

34 Reviews

Brenda A. December 4, 2013
Nice -- the celery/apple/lemon is refreshing and crisp. I agree that green tabasco would be a nice touch, and garnishing with celery leaves and apple slice bring out the green color. Use a neutral gin (I used Bombay Sapphire), not one that has its own strong flavor/aroma (much as I love Blue Coat, I don't think it would mix well here).

A note: I used agave syrup instead of simple syrup, and I don't recommend it. Though the flavor was nice, it destroyed the color.
gingerroot October 28, 2014
Sorry I missed your comment, Brenda. Thanks for your suggestions, I'm glad you enjoyed this.
beejay45 March 28, 2013
Wow! My BFF and I were just saying that celery is really an underused flavor, and there you go! I am going to do this, but with the green Tabasco - for the color and I like the taste better. Thanks, gingerroot.
gingerroot October 28, 2014
Thanks for your note, beejay45 - wow, I *really* missed your comment! Apologies; I hope you enjoyed this if you gave it a try.
Kitchen B. April 25, 2012
Love the photos! Looks too good!
gingerroot April 25, 2012
I totally agree, KB! James Ransom's photographs are stunning.
Cfrancke April 17, 2012
Phenom!
gingerroot April 21, 2012
Thank you, Cfrancke!
gluttonforlife April 1, 2012
Can't wait to try this! I think I'll have to incorporate some lovage--it's the only thing up in my garden...
gingerroot April 1, 2012
Thank you, gluttonforlife! I hope you enjoy it...and I'd love to hear how it turns out with some lovage - I'm starting some in my garden now.
Midge March 30, 2012
What a brilliant combo, gingerroot. I bet it's super refreshing.
gingerroot April 1, 2012
Thanks so much, Midge!
Ms. T. March 29, 2012
Yum! My favorite color :)
gingerroot March 30, 2012
Thanks, Ms. T! I hope you enjoy it if you try it.
enbe March 29, 2012
Yup I'm making this.
gingerroot March 30, 2012
Thanks so much, enbe! Enjoy!!
cjzern March 26, 2012
Celery. Infused. Gin. I could hug you.
gingerroot March 27, 2012
Thank you, cjzern! The hardest part was the two day wait time...
LeBec F. March 16, 2012
gingerroot, you is a BRILLiant girl! And i love clever titles.
p.s. try it with star anise some time, in place of the anise. (I liked what star anise did to celery in my various recipe entries.)
gingerroot March 16, 2012
Aw, thanks LBF. Star anise sounds interesting...will keep that in mind for the next batch!
wssmom March 15, 2012
LOVE!!!!
gingerroot March 16, 2012
Thank you, wssmom!
meganvt01 March 14, 2012
Amazing. Celery and gin would be a fabulous combo.
gingerroot March 15, 2012
Thanks, meganvt01!
EmilyC March 14, 2012
I'm not much of a cocktail drinker, but this sounds fabulous and very refreshing!
gingerroot March 15, 2012
Thanks so much, EmilyC!
gingerroot March 14, 2012
Thanks, hla! It is pretty tasty, and goes down a little too easily.
gingerroot March 14, 2012
whoops. how did this end up here?
cheese1227 March 13, 2012
I could use one of these right now!
gingerroot March 14, 2012
Thanks, cheese1227! I'd love to serve you one.
cheese1227 March 14, 2012
Oh God, now there is even a picture!!!
mrslarkin March 13, 2012
I'll take two of these, also. ;)
gingerroot March 14, 2012
Coming right up, mrslarkin! If only. . .
hardlikearmour March 13, 2012
What a fabulous sounding cocktail!