The French Pear — A Most Lovely Cocktail

I first sipped a French Pear at Capische? during their lovely, decadent Happy Hour (daily, 5pm-6:30pm). At half price (only $8), it was a must-order. Featuring St. Germain, Grey Goose Pear Vodka, and sparkling wine — served in a martini glass — it was a lovely, elegant, potent cocktail. I ended up ordering a second — something that almost never happens.

The next time I had one I was attending my dear friend Adiel’s wedding. Adiel is owner and senior stylist at Salon 253 in Wailuku, and she does everything with style. Submission 1: her wedding video, which you can view below. I wouldn’t normally include a video of a friend’s wedding, but this one is, as a (male) friend of the groom commented, “The best chick flick I’ve ever seen — and only 6 minutes.”

Back to the French Pear. After sipping the drink at Adiel’s sweet wedding, I decided I had to have the ingredients at home. So I bought St. Germain and Grey Goose Pear Vodka — and this afternoon, I made a cocktail before James grilled that steak he’s been aging for the last day. Here it is:

Here’s the recipe, which I tweaked just a bit — I use blueberries instead of raspberries. Blueberries and pears just go together. And the slight bitterness in the blueberry’s skin ends up accentuating the flowery, lilikoi-esque elderflower liqueur that is St. Germain. All told you have a satisfying drink: silky texture, balanced flavors, and guaranteed to elevate the mood quickly. Follow with a full glass of water to stay hydrated 😉

French Pear (a la Molly)

1.5 oz. Grey Goose Pear Vodka

1 oz. St. Germain liqueur

Sparkling wine (champagne, prosecco, etc.)

blueberry and mint for garnish

Chill a martini glass; frost rim with sugar if desired. Combine vodka and St. Germain in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, strain into chilled martini glass. Top off with champagne or similar sparkling wine. Drop in a blueberry or two, garnish with gently crushed mint.

To intensify fresh fruit, muddle blueberry and mint in glass before adding liquor, then garnish with mint leaf.

à votre santé!

PS: For more ways to indulge yourself while on Maui, pick up a copy of our restaurant review guide: Top Maui Restauratants 2012.