Beausoleil

Many people started school last week. I did not. I have begun mourning the end of summer and all of the delicious drinks that go with it. As an ode to all things warm and bright and perfect, I decided to hit the cocktail menu at my favorite restaurant, Beausoleil.

Two cocktails caught my very thirsty eye when scanning the menu: The Zombie (a popular tiki drink) and the Mississippi Mule (which incorporates honeysuckle vodka). What says summer like tiki drinks and honeysuckle? Obviously, I ordered them both. This is the second week in a row I’ve tried a version of the Zombie drink. The tiki culture is fascinating, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t pumped about it reemerging.

First things first, let’s talk about the most important part of the Zombie cocktail at Beausoleil: the glass. This drink isn’t served in your average, run-of-the-mill clear glass. It comes out in a large, brown tiki cup straight off the set of Legends of the Hidden Temple. My need for an obnoxiously large cocktail glass had been fulfilled, but would the drink live up to its presentation?

This play on the drink is a bit different, incorporating several rums and absinthe—normally you’ll see Brandy and fruit juices. The rum was super sweet, and the Trader’s Tiki’s Don’s mix was citrusy, but none of that could mask the very distinct taste of absinthe. Disclaimer: I do not care for absinthe, so even the smallest amount will ruin a drink for me. This may not be the case for you. That being said, I’d probably still order it for the glass alone.

My next order of business was trying the Mississippi Mule. The ingredients are almost exactly the same as a traditional Moscow Mule, except for the substitution of honeysuckle flavored vodka.

This drink is reminiscent of childhood, minus the obvious alcohol situation. I can remember running around in the summer when I was younger, eating honeysuckles off of bushes like it was my job. The best part is that the sweet honeysuckle vodka cuts some of that tart and gingery flavor you get from the traditional version. This is definitely a sitting on the porch, watching fireflies during the summer drink. And that copper cup. Come on.

The Zombie (This is Beausoleils recipe, but obviously there are tons of versions out there for a Zombie.)
• Three Louisiana Rums
• Absinthe
• Trader Tiki’s Don’s mix
• Falernum
• Fresh lime juice
• Angostura bitters
• Baller tiki cup

Mississippi Mule
• Cathead Honeysuckle vodka
• House made ginger beer
• Seasonal citrus
• Simple syrup