So it’s a girl drink. It’s also kind of delicious. Like a mixed drink for dessert. This is one of those feminine 80s drinks that gets all the flack but which nobody with a sweet tooth actually hates. It’s like drinking an alcoholic version of a Peppermint Pattie, or one of those fancy Pepperidge farm mint Milano cookies. Or, those chocolate mints they put on your pillow in fancy hotels…what are they called?
A Grasshopper is more or less an Alexander with creme de menthe instead of brandy or gin. The well-known Brandy Alexander (John Lennon’s favorite drink) was super-popular in the 70s and the Grasshopper was all the rage in the early 80s, especially in the South, where I grew up, but the Alexander was invented first, sometime before 1915.
The drink is said to have been invented by Philibert Guichet during the early 1900s as Tujague’s Restaurant in New Orleans. He concocted it for a cocktail competition in New York City in 1918. he won second place and it’s been on the restaurant’s menu since, a favorite for brunch. His original recipe contained some brandy. A touch of cognac doesn’t sound like a bad idea.
The Grasshopper is equal parts crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, and heavy cream, shaken with ice. Variations are many, here are just a few:
- The Flying Grasshopper: replaces the cream with vodka
- The Frozen Grasshopper: adds mint ice cream
- After Eight Grasshopper: adds a dark chocolate liqueur
The Grasshopper is often served with ice cream instead of cream, and variations on a Grasshopper milkshake can be found in many restaurants, especially chains.
You may be too embarrassed to order a Grasshopper in a bar, but if you served it for a boozy after-dinner dessert, I don’t think your friends would scoff. And if they do, they’ll still enjoy it.
Classic Grasshopper Drink Recipe
Ingredients
1 ounce green creme de menthe
1 ounce white creme de cacao
2 ounces heavy cream
Instructions
Half fill a shaker with ice. Add the creme de menthe, white creme de cacao and heavy cream and shake vigorously until ice-cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe glass.
Optional: A pinch of nutmeg can be used along with the other ingredients, and shaken with the drink. A sprig of mint can be used for garnish.
