The Ispahan Cocktail - Best in Show at First Yelp Cocktail Throwdown

Yelp's Elite event was a cocktail throwdown, not to be confused with the upcoming Cocktail Throwdown on Sept. 24th.  For the Yelp event, Elite members were asked to submit up to 3 original cocktail recipes.  The list of cocktail names were voted upon by the members, and the top 5 were served at the event tonight.  The other cocktails were the Beer Margarita, Make Her Mojito, Bee's Knees, and Intoxicated Mojito (I think).  
 My cocktail was based off of a cupcake (surprise!) My ispahan cupcake is Amaretto Cake, brushed with rose water, filled with Lychees and Raspberries, topped with St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur Swiss Buttercream.  It won Best in Show, and with that, I won a gigantic basket of libations from Twin Liquors!  Yay! Here's the recipe.  Enjoy! Photo above by John Knox.

 
 Ispahan Cocktail

The ispahan is a signature creation of Pierre Hermé, a French pastry chef who has been dubbed the "Picasso of Pastry-making".  The combination of rose, raspberry, and lychees was first used in macaroons, but it now more common (relatively) in other pasties such as cakes and cupcakes.  The name Ispahan, also known as 'Pompon des Princes" is actually the name for pink half-opened rose that grows wild in Iran. 
 

	1/4 oz Chambord
	3 oz lychee juice (from can or fresh)
	1 oz Vodka
	2 oz club soda
	Splash St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
	Garnishes: Whole Raspberries, Whole Lychee fruit (canned or fresh), fresh rose petals (preferably edible)

Combine chambord, lychee juice, and vodka in a shaker.  Shake with ice for 10 seconds and pour into martini glass straining out the ice. Pour club soda into the glass as you pour the chambord, lychee juice, and vodka mixture.  Float a splash of St. Germain on top of the drink.  Garnish with whole raspberry, lychee fruit, and fresh rose petal. Place lychee fruit and raspberry inside the rose petal like a cradle.  Using a cocktail sword or other item, pierce through the rose petal, then fruit, then rose petal again. The fruit should be secured inside the rose petal. 

*Lychees can be found canned at any local Asian market or event specialty stores such as Whole Foods or Central Market. The liquid from the canned lychees can be used as the lychee juice.

The cupcakes.

More cupcake please.

St. Germain Elderflower

My prize!