Toco Toucan turns Twenty-Five

I am usually not a gin drinker probably from a night of one too many gin and tonics in college.  But I ended up ordering from the specialty Nolet Gin cocktail list at the Clock Bar at the Westin St. Francis this summer.  The Michael Mina restaurants had their bartenders competing for the best Nolet Gin Cocktail from April 2011 to July 2011.  Of the four cocktails on the list, the cocktail named Toco Toucan turns Twenty-Five created by Suzanne Miller intrigued me just from the name alone.  So even though the cocktail was gin based, the other ingredients of sweetened coconut milk, orange flower water, and fresh orange juice were tempting me.  Then I imagined the drink served in a sherry glass with toasted coconut.  Even though this drink was gin based, I just had to have this drink.  All around from the name, to the presentation to the taste, this drink is a winner.

I just realized, this drink convinced me to try other gin based cocktails over the summer.  Now I wonder if it was the gin or the entire experience.  Just to make sure, I should walk into the Clock Bar soon to see if they can make this cocktail again.

I wonder which cocktail won?  Here's a link to the Michael Mina website with all the cocktails in the competition, the recipes and perhaps soon the winner:  http://michaelmina.net/beyond/lets-drink.php

The recipe per the Michael Mina website follows.

Toco Toucan Turns 25

By Suzanne Miller

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 oz Nolet's Silver Dry Gin
• 1 oz sweetened coconut milk
• 3/4 oz orange juice
• 4 dashes orange flower water

Rub lemon wedge over the outside of a sherry tasting glass, halfway down the glass. Rim the glass with toasted coconut. Shake all ingredients lightly over ice for six seconds. Double-strain into the coconut-rimmed tasting glass.

http://michaelmina.net/restaurants/locations/cbsf.php