Phantasm

Phantasm (Makes 3 drinks)

1 cup Lemongrass Vodka

1/2 cup John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum

1 cup Fresh Lime Juice

4 Tb Ginger & Raw Sugar Simple Syrup
several leaves of fresh Rau-Ram torn into large pieces (an herb available at Vietnamese Markets)

Add all ingredients to Cocktail Shaker with Ice, shake to combine and serve up in Martini glasses.
Garnish with Rau Ram, lemongrass & lime wheel

Lemongrass Vodka:  simply cut away the tough dry parts of the lemongrass, exposing the softer interior, put several stalks into a bottle of vodka and let sit for 3 days to 2 weeks. Then put in freezer. 

Ginger & Raw Sugar Simple Syrup: Add 1 cup water and 1 cup of Raw Sugar in small pan, heat over medium heat until sugar completely dissolves, add 3 to 4 thin slices of peeled (use a spoon to peel) fresh ginger. 

I had this cocktail several years ago at The Slanted Door, an amazing Vietnamese restaurant located in the Ferry Building in San Francisco. I had the drink once with my friend Eve and once with my sister. Each time, we ordered 2, okay maybe 3, because it is so refreshing and pairs so well with many of the dishes served at the restaurant. It is no longer on the menu, but luckily I has a piece of paper in my bar which listed the ingredients. I added a few components to the drink (ginger ss & rau-ram) with great results. I have made this drink as a stand alone cocktail for happy hour, and I admit, it is MUCH better paired with food.  My mom gave me the Slanted Door Cookbook for Christmas; we made a Dungeness Crab, hot pepper, cellophane noodle dish and this drink was a perfect match.  If you want to be lazy, I suspect that even some embellished Raman would pair well with this brightly crisp, citrusy, herbaceous drink.

Happy New Year & Cheers!

If you are planning a visit to SF, check out the restaurant
http://www.slanteddoor.com

call well in advance for a reservation, they serve sublimely innovative food in a beautifully modern space with a view of the Bay Bridge.