Verte Chaud

Winter hit hard this weekend. We lucked out in Boston; our six inches of snow felt like nothing compared to what fell in some places south of us. And the storm was even accommodating enough to hit on a weekend. With nowhere to go, we hunkered down in our apartment and watched the snow slowly collect. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

As I thought of what cold-weather drinks might be appropriate for this weather, a strange thought popped into my head: Chartreuse hot chocolate. I'm not really sure where it came from, but I know I have been to at least one bar that had this on the menu. I remember thinking that it was so odd it just might be good, and I suppose I filed it away in the recesses of my brain for a day like Saturday, when the snow was falling outside, and there was both Chartreuse and hot chocolate inside.

A quick search for any existing recipes that might fit the bill uncovered the Verte Chaud (translated far less poetically as "hot green"). It's apparently a popular "après-ski" cocktail. The concept of après-ski is not one with which I am intimately familiar; my first (and last) experience on skis ended with me running into the side of a building, and there were no cocktails involved. But I think I can get behind the idea. Après-snow-shovel, anyone?

I knew the Chartreuse-and-chocolate combination was going to be unusual, and I was a little afraid that it would result in a waste of both Chartreuse and chocolate, a true tragedy. But though it was odd at first, I liked the result. The Chartreuse comes off as very vegetal right at first. The chocolate flavor hits you in the middle of your sip, and then the herbal notes of the Chartreuse linger. It's very strong, very sweet, and will definitely warm you through-and-through, whether you've just come in off the slopes or you're holed up in your apartment watching the snow fall.

If you're not sold on the Verte Chaud yet, maybe I can cinch the deal: you can light it on fire. When building the cocktail, pour the Chartreuse into your mug and ignite it. If you're making it for guests, you can serve it like this with the hot chocolate on the side, ready to be poured in to quench the flames. In addition to being fantastically dramatic, the fire serves to warm up the mug.

As for the hot chocolate and whipped cream, you owe it to your bottle of Chartreuse to make them yourself. See below for my favorite simple recipes.

History: As far as I can tell, the Verte Chaud was invented by Jamie Boudreau, former blogger and bartender at Vessel in Seattle, currently owner of Canon. It turns out there's also a cocktail out there called the Charles de Gaulle that is essentially the same as this one, but I can't find out much about it.

Verte Chaud

2 oz. Green Chartreuse
6 oz. hot chocolate*
Whipped cream**

Pour Green Chartreuse into a mug. If desired, ignite with matches or a lighter and let burn briefly to warm the mug. Pour in the hot chocolate. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

*For hot chocolate, combine 1/2 cup of good quality chocolate chips like Guittard or Ghirardelli with 3/4 cup milk in a saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring frequently, until chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is hot. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp. vanilla.

**For whipped cream, pour 1/2 cup heavy cream or whipping cream into a bowl. Whip with an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until thickened. Add 1 tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tbsp. vanilla. Continue to mix until the cream forms soft peaks.

Recipe from Jamie Boudreau, Spirits and Cocktails.