Even as a regular cocktail drinker or as someone with a well stocked home bar, one ingredient that you have likely seen but may not have tried is Midori. This bright green Japanese melon liqueur was all the rage in the 1980s, but since then it’s been relegated to the dusty nether regions of many bars. However, it is now making something of a comeback, and adventurous mixologists are finding new uses for it.
Although it has been rather overlooked during the craft cocktail boom of the last few decades due to its sweetness and bright color, Midori is almost unique for its melon flavor. If you’re going to use it in a cocktail then a little goes a long way, but it’s wonderful fun to play with to add a fruity edge and a dash of green to your drinks.
A cocktail recipe from Omakase Shoji, a new omakase restaurant in Chicago, shows off how to use Midori by combining it with Haku vodka (made from Japanese white rice) plus lemon and mint for sharpness, and egg white for a light texture and a frothy top. The Natsu Sour brings together these Japanese ingredients for a modern take on this charmingly retro melon liqueur.
How to make a Natsu Sour
Courtesy of Omakase Shoji
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Haku Vodka
- 0.75 oz Midori
- 1 oz egg white
- 0.75 oz lemon
- 0. 5 oz mint syrup
Method:
Dry shake the vodka, Midori, egg white, lemon, and mint simple syrup in a shaker tin without any ice. Then add ice cubes and whip shake. Double strain into a frosted martini glass and garnish with cucumber bitters and mint leaf.
