Bright And Floral French Blonde Cocktail Recipe

Time's Person of the Year 2023, Taylor Swift has gone from strength to strength both in the music world and in the public eye. There's no denying that whatever Taylor Swift does makes the headlines, and this, along with a worldwide fan following of faithful Swifties, means that Taylor is quite the global tastemaker.

If you've been following the celebrity news lately, you'll likely know that Taylor Swift is rumored to have a new favorite cocktail — the French blonde. Much like Taylor's song lyrics, this cocktail is classy, complex, and undeniably catchy. This bright and floral French blonde cocktail recipe, created by Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye, is wonderfully balanced and light, an elegant drink that will make you feel like a star as you sip away. Gin is mixed with elderflower liqueur and the French tonic wine Lillet Blanc to add heaps of botanical flavor. Grapefruit juice and bitters finish off the recipe for this classic drink, adding a citrus vibrancy and light bitterness that balances out the sweetness of the elderflower to create this deliciously sophisticated floral cocktail.

So, if you've had a hectic day, why not shake it off by putting on your favorite Taylor Swift tunes and shaking up this French blonde cocktail? After all, if it is good enough for Taylor, it is certainly good enough for us mere mortals.

Add all of the liquids to a cocktail shaker.

Add a handful of ice to the cocktail shaker.

Place the lid on the shaker and shake for 15–20 seconds.

Strain the cocktail into a coupe glass.

Serve, garnished with a slice of grapefruit.

Although the French blonde cocktail is typically known as a gin-based drink, it can also be found made with vodka. So, if gin isn't really your thing, simply replace the quantity of gin with your chosen vodka and enjoy. If you don't have any St-Germain in your liqueur cabinet or if it feels a little bit out of your price range, you can always substitute this ingredient with another elderflower liqueur. Or, you can also use an elderflower cordial or syrup in its place to give this drink its distinctive, floral flavor.

Lillet Blanc is a French aperitif wine that is often considered to be a vermouth. However, it is in fact a tonic wine. If you are unable to get your hands on this particular, botanically aromatized wine, while not completely alike in flavor, it can be easily replaced with a similarly aromatic vermouth. Or, for a simpler option, you can simply substitute the Lillet Blanc with your favorite dry white wine and a dash of lemon juice.

To add more of a twist to this deliciously balanced cocktail, why not try topping it off with some champagne or Prosecco to add lightness and fizz? Or, to lean further into the botanical flavors, add some fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary to the cocktail shaker before mixing your drink to give it a unique, herbal finish. Thyme works especially well with gin.