Project Pink Tank is a month-long, international campaign dedicated to supporting the ongoing fight against breast cancer by raising awareness and research funds. This month, Project Pink Tank will “Celebrate The Pink Lady.” More than 30 restaurants in Four Seasons Hotels from New York to Chicago to Nashville to Bora Bora have all created drinks or dishes inspired by the classic cocktail or that play with the color pink. Each offering is available from October 1 through October 31. Each restaurant has committed to making a donation to a breast cancer charity of its choice at the end of the promotion.
Aaron Joseph of Wit & Wisdom here in Baltimore has a very special creation for Project Pink Tank, the Madame Lotus. Aaron’s cocktail — his rendition of the classic Pink Lady cocktail — is gin, apple brandy, allspice dram, lemon, spiced strawberry, grenadine and egg white. It’s a truly striking cocktail, served up in a chilled coupe glass with a garnish of crushed pink peppercorns. I’ve tasted a lot of cocktails around town (read: arm twisted…ouch) and honestly, this one is wonderfully balanced, not too sweet, great smoothness from the egg white. And, even though you might want to drink it down, take your time. Enjoy it. It’s lovely.
The name of the cocktail is inspired by Aaron’s dear friend, Larissa Walters, who lost her mother to Breast Cancer in 2010. Larissa has been determined to continue her mother’s legacy, and as a coping mechanism while mourning her loss, Larissa started a blog to chronicle her experiences. The blog turned into a book, The Lotus Files, a deeply moving personal memoir about the first year after losing a close loved one to breast cancer.
The Madame Lotus is $13 and Wit & Wisdom will donate 10% of proceeds from the sale of the cocktail to the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center. Get in there this month – this one is not to be missed.
p.s. Shout out to my sweet momma – she is a SURVIVOR. You go, Peg Langrehr.
