Cocktail challenge: The Marianne Ginger

Steak marinade or culinary cocktail?

By Sarah Ardalani, Special to Metromix

June 4, 2008

 

The bartenders at Bar Lubitsch in WeHo are pros when it comes to creating culinary cocktails. Given my sweet tooth, I never thought I'd enjoy a gimlet made with cucumber, but the drink has actually turned me on to a vegetable I don't normally like.

I was feeling adventurous on a recent visit to this neighborhood bar, so I ordered the Marianne Ginger cocktail, which I'd read about on a local blog, and isn't really part of the Lubitsch. (It's actually one of the bartender's take on the bloody Mary.) I bellied up to the bar and watched the bartender prepare the concoction: Alchemia ginger vodka, ginger beer, Tabasco sauce, honey, pepper, fresh ginger, horseradish, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon bitters and lemon juice, all garnished with a slice of lime and an olive. You’d have thought she was making a steak marinade.

I normally have a sweet tooth, but I approached the drink with an open mind. Remember, Lubitsch's amazing gimlet turned me on to cucumbers! Served in a tumbler, it looked like the perfect refreshment for a summer day by the pool. Sadly, one gulp of the spicy booze was too much for my weak tastebuds. Next time, I'm going for something made with Ginger Beer, but if you like Bloody Marys, give this one a shot for a kick.

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