Dà Lat Highlands: A Chamomile Cocktail - Imbibe Magazine Subscribe + Save

Dà Lat Highlands: A Chamomile Cocktail

A member of the daisy family, chamomile has been used in elixirs since ancient China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In more recent years, traditional medicine practitioners, tea blenders, and homeopaths have called upon the flowering herb to treat anxiety, sleeplessness, indigestion, and more. But flower power takes many forms—including as an ingredient in cocktails.

At Moon Rabbit, a Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Washington, D.C., bar director Thi Nguyen infuses vodka with chamomile to make his Dà Lat Highlands cocktail. “Chamomile adds a soft and honeyed, floral character to the vodka,” Nguyen says, which complements the sweet-tart combination of simple syrup and citrus and pineapple juices. “Plus, dried chamomile—hoa cúc—is often found in Vietnamese households as a remedy for rest and relaxation, so I wanted to carry that cultural familiarity in the cocktail,” Nguyen says.

Ingredients

  • Glass:Nick & Nora
  • Garnish:chamomile flowers

Preparation

Shake all of the ingredients with ice until chilled. Double strain into a chilled glass, then garnish.
Chamomile-Infused VodkaCombine 5 grams of chamomile and 1 liter of vodka in a large covered container and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. Double strain the infusion and bottle; use within 2 months.

Enjoy This Article?

Sign up for our newsletter and get biweekly recipes and articles delivered to your inbox.

Send this to a friend