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Here’s a Real Gem for the Summer at Restaurant August
Besides, on a hot summer night in New Orleans, there is no finer gem than a refreshingly cool Peridot cocktail. Like the classic lines of the stone itself, simplicity is key for The Peridot:
And what better way to cleanse your palate before dinner at New Orleans’ true jewel in the crown, Restaurant August? Perhaps no one was more clairvoyant than the editors of Food & Wine Magazine, when, in 1998, they named Chef John Besh one of the “Top 10 Best New Chefs in America.” In October 2001, when Chef Besh opened Restaurant August, his inspirations for the innovative menu were the classical techniques he learned through the Culinary Institute of America; as an apprentice at a Michelin-starred hotel in Germany's Black Forest; on regular sojourns in France; and from the Creole influences that come naturally to one "born on the bayou." Since then, Besh and Restaurant August have received a number of top honors including the prestigious “Five Bean” ranking by The New Orleans Times-Picayune; a listing in Condé Nast Traveler as one of the “50 Hot Tables in the World”; and inclusion in Gourmet magazine’s “Guide to America’s Best Restaurants,” to name just a few. No evil spirits here at Restaurant August – but it never hurts to take an ounce of prevention with a cool green Peridot… Edited by Madelyn Miller More delightful things to drinkLow-carb Cocktails OLDMAN’S GUIDE TO OUTSMARTING WINE: 108 Ingenious
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Peridot is the birthstone for August – both the month
and the restaurant. A volcanic gem, actually the gem-form of the mineral
olivine, Peridot was mined as far back as ancient Egypt. Legend has it that
mining was done at night because the gem could not be easily seen during the
day; the ancient Romans called peridot “evening emerald.” Even today, it is
said to have the power to drive away evil spirits. In a town that doesn’t blink
an eye at voodoo ritual, The Peridot cocktail at Restaurant August is right at
home.
To create this jewel of a cocktail at home, simply fill a
cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the sake and pineapple juice, and shake.
Fill a champagne saucer with crushed ice and strain the mixture over the top.
Drizzle with Midori and garnish with a slice of star fruit.