Episode 258

Mint Condition

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Mint Condition

Episode 258

What’s shakin, cocktail fans? Welcome to Episode 258 of The Modern Bar Cart Podcast!

Normally, we interview bartenders, distillers, authors, or other folks who are deeply entrenched and invested in the drinks industry. But long-time listeners will know that we also enjoy taking the occasional field trip to the land of academia, and that is precisely where we find ourselves this episode.

For this ingredient-focused conversation, we’re joined by Dr. Björn Hamberger and Abby Bryson of Michigan State University Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. They’re engaged in various types of scientific research designed to probe the evolutionary and genetic nuances of plants in the mint family – also known as Lamiaceae.

Compared to citrus, or some of the other esoteric flavors we’ve tapped scientists to discuss like horseradish, or capsaicin, or umami, mint is much more versatile. It shows up in boozy, sweet cocktails like the julep, sour cocktails like the southside, tiki drinks like the Mai Tai, and herbal spirits like Chartreuse, Fernet, Genepy, and Absinthe. Mint, like the other plants in the Lamiaceae family, has a way of getting the attention of human sensory systems, so we thought: what better way to understand the bewitching properties of this plant than to seek out those who know it in a deeper, more essential way than we do.

In this deep dive on the biochemistry and genetics of mint with Abby Bryson and Dr. Björn Hamberger, some of the topics we discuss include:

Why mint and other members of the Lamiacea family have been able to evolve in such a diverse array of ecological niches, infusing their flavors and health benefits into the ethnobotanical cultures of people around the world.
The reason why mint smells even more amazing when you “activate” it, and what these chemical “signals” might indicate in the “universal language of small molecules.”
We also cover an important class of compounds called “terpenes,” which have become all the rage in certain beverage and cannabis communities recently, but that might also hold the key to certain health benefits.
Then, we explore Abby’s fascinating research using computational genetics to identify important biosynthetic gene clusters in various mint species.
And we conclude by peering into what the future might hold for this area of study, including the use of yeast to naturally synthesize flavors and medicines without harming these beautiful plants in the wild.

Featured Cocktail: The Grasshopper

This episode’s featured cocktail is the grasshopper. To make it, you’ll need:

1 oz (or 30ml) of green creme de menthe
1 oz (or 30ml) of white/clear creme de cacao
1 oz (or 30ml) of heavy cream or half and half

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, give em a good, hard shake until the contents are well blended and the outside of the tins starts to frost over, then strain into a stemmed cocktail glass and garnish with a mint sprig, or – if you’re feeling sassy – some finely grated chocolate shavings – and enjoy.

Clearly, it skews a bit sweet and heavy, which is not generally the kind of cocktail some people prefer. But did you know that it’s another member of the famous New Orleans Cocktails cohort? According to many sources, it was invented in The French Quarter at an establishment called Tujague’s (see image right). According to their website:

Located at 823 Decatur, America’s oldest stand-up bar can also be credited with the Grasshopper Cocktail. Invented by Philip Guichet in 1918, the cocktail includes white and green crème de menthe, white and dark crème de cacao, heavy whipping cream and brandy. It was created for a cocktail competition in New York City where it came in second place. It has remained a winner at Tujague’s bar ever since.

Now, if you’re paying attention, you’ll notice that brandy is mentioned in the Tujagues list of ingredients, but it does not appear in many traditional grasshopper recipes. This is likely for two main reasons: 1.) if you give New Orleanians an excuse to put brandy in ANYTHING, they’ll do it, and 2.) The Grasshopper can be a “choose your own adventure” drink with both low- and high-octane variants.

For a good recipe involving brandy, make what Simon Difford (of Difford’s Guide) refers to as the “Gustings Grasshopper,” named after legendary – and still active – New Orleans barman Paul Gustings. This formulation is equal parts, just like the original, but it steps back the measures from a full ounce (30ml) to about ⅚ of an ounce (or 25ml) to accommodate the addition of the brandy.

This episode was made possible with editing and sound design by Samantha Reed and Minty insights courtesy of Abby Bryson and Björn Hamberger. This has been a Modern Bar Cart production, copyright 2023.

Mint Condition

Featured Cocktail: The Grasshopper

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