The Daisy Cocktail

The Daisy cocktail is old school. It's been documented in recipe books as early as the last quarter of the 19th century, and likely consumed way before that.

Like many popular classic drinks, it's essentially a gussied-up sour. There are several different versions of it, but the general consensus is that the basic foundation is spirit (often brandy of some kind), lemon juice, some sort of sweet liquid, and a fizzy top off.

Then it got fancier, the sweet component became yellow Chartreuse. Then the base switched to gin. Finally, the Chartreuse evolved to grenadine or raspberry syrup. This final pink version is said to be the predecessor of the Cosmopolitan.

Never mind the Blahniks, the Daisy can be a dang fine drink. I'm partial to combining the sweet component by using both a liqueur and a sweet red something. But you can still use one or the other, and also switch up the base spirit. Whichever way you choose, this is a refreshing, springy cocktail that would also be a great treat for Mother's Day.

I'm including two versions. One that's very basic and one with Cynar artichoke digestif for refreshment Italian style. Enjoy and happy sipping!

Click here for The Daisy and The Daisy Italiano cocktail recipes.

— Amanda Schuster, TheSpir.it