The Clover Club is a red gin-based cocktail with a complex, savory taste and a memorable foamy egg white top. Several times the drink went from incredible popularity to almost complete oblivion, but always revived. Now it is back in fashion in bar circles and among those who like to make cocktails at home.
Historical reference. The cocktail is named after the elite men’s club Clover club (literal translation – “Clover Club”), which existed in 1882-1914. at the Bellevue-Strarford Hotel in Philadelphia. Once a month for 32 years, the city’s elite gathered here and spent their leisure time: large industrialists and financiers, famous politicians, journalists, theatrical figures and writers.
The club’s emblem was a clover leaf – a generally accepted symbol of good luck and luck, and the essence of society expressed the motto: “As long as we live, we live happily ever after.” Mark Twain was rumored to be a member of the society, as well as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, Stephen Grover Cleveland, who held the highest American post twice with a break. The only one who got married and played a wedding directly in the White House, being already president.
The author of the Clover Club recipe remained unknown, as did the exact year of its appearance. The cocktail was first presented to the general public in 1910 in New York. Subsequently, many cooking options appeared, only the alcoholic base – gin, and the branded “foam” of protein remained unchanged.
The Clover Club cocktail is included in the official list of the International Bartending Association (IBA) and is presented in the “unforgettable” section.
Composition and proportions:
- gin – 50 ml;
- raspberry syrup (or grenadine) – 25 ml;
- lemon juice (or lime juice) – 25 ml;
- egg white – 15-20 ml;
- ice cubes – 200 grams.
The classic recipe published on the IBA website uses raspberry syrup, but nowadays it is difficult to get it, so a substitution with grenadine (pomegranate syrup) is acceptable. In some variants, freshly squeezed lemon juice is replaced with lime juice, although the cocktail turns out to be more bitter.
Protein has almost no effect on taste, but creates a characteristic head of foam. In the original version, the finished drink is not decorated, and only some bartenders use cocktail cherries, strawberries, raspberries and even mint leaves.
Classic Clover Club cocktail recipe
1. Mix all ingredients (except ice) in a shaker. Shake for at least 20 seconds, until the protein foams.
2. Add ice to the shaker. Shake again for 15-20 seconds.
3. Strain the finished drink through a sieve (strainer) into a pre-chilled glass.
4. In the traditional version, serve without decoration. If you wish, you can decorate with a mint leaf, you get a Clover Leaf cocktail (Clover Leaf), raspberries, strawberries or cherries.
Another author’s version of the cocktail recipe is presented in the video.
