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Clover Leaf

Classic/vintage · Sours (citrus)

4.2 60 ratings

Favorite

Ingredients

5 fresh Mint leaves
1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Dry vermouth
1/2 oz Grenadine syrup
1/3 oz Lime juice
1/3 oz Lemon juice
1/2 oz Egg white (pasteurised)

How to make

Serve in a coupe glass

Prepare

  1. 1 Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
  2. 2 Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist and fresh mint leaf.

Method

  1. 3 Gently MUDDLE mint in base of shaker (just to bruise).
  2. 4 Add other ingredients and SHAKE with ice.
  3. 5 FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. 6 EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and discard.
  2. 7 Garnish with mint leaf floated on the cocktail or pegged/stuck with spot of honey to the rim.

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Flavour profile

14.2% alc./vol. · 1.2 standard drinks

History

A Clover Club made more interesting with the addition of fresh mint.

The Clover Leaf cocktail bears a strong resemblance to the Clover Club, with multiple similar recipes documented since 1909. The generally accepted distinction between these two closely named drinks stems from Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book. He described the Clover Leaf Cocktail as "The same as Clover Club, with a sprig of fresh Mint on top," leading many to believe the only difference is the garnish. However, there is slightly more to this distinction. The earliest known recipe for the Clover Leaf appears in Jacob Abraham Grohusko's 1908 Jack's Manual. The first mention of a Clover Club, discovered by David Wondrich, dates back to a June 23, 1901, New York Press article. In it, Michael Killackey, "the head wine man of the Walforf-Astoria," presented recipes for "delicious summer beverages," including the "Clover Club Cocktail" as the fourth offering. A recipe for the Clover Leaf appears in Jacob Abraham Grohusko's 1908 Jack's Manual. The text notes its popularity in "the city of brotherly love," suggesting it was a favored drink in Philadelphia. The drink is described as visually appealing, featuring a soft orchid hue and a white rim. The ingredients listed are: ½ teaspoonful of sugar 100% Gordon gin 10% raspberry syrup White of an egg 1 sprig of mint. It instructs to fill a glass with cracked ice, shake well, strain into a champagne glass, and serve. The Clover Leaf was also featured as "a new appetizer" in the New York Herald on July 8, 1908. Similar to Jack's Manual, this article also states its popularity in "the city of brotherly love." This is a reference to Philadelphia, which coincidentally is the city where the Clover Club was founded in 1896. A party of Philadelphians introduced a new appetizer at the Plaza last evening called a clover leaf cocktail. It is said to be popular in the city of brotherly love. Certainly it is decorative, for it has a soft orchid colour, with a rim of white, and is served in glasses with round bowls. The drink is made with Gordon gin, raspberry syrup. White of an egg and a bit of mint, shaken well with ice and drained off. Although Grohusko's 1908 first edition omits the Clover Club, his 1910 third edition is the earliest cocktail book to include recipes for both the Clover Club and the Clover Leaf. Crucially, this 1910 edition clarifies the difference between the two: both are gin-based cocktails featuring egg white and mint. The Clover Leaf is sweetened with grenadine, while the Clover Club uses raspberry syrup and also incorporates lime, lemon, and orange juice. Both recipes are also present in his second edition, published earlier in 1910, though he confusingly names both as Clover Leaf, which is presumed to be a simple error. CLOVER CLUB COCKTAIL White of 1 egg Juice ½ lime Juice ½ lemon Juice ½ orange 1 tablespoon raspberry syrup 100% dry gin 1 sprig fresh mint Fill glass with broken ice, shake, strain and serve. CLOVER LEAF COCKTAIL In genuine old-fashioned American hot weather nothing seems to tickle the palate like a good American drink, and the kind selected generally indicates the characteristics of the person drinking. In winter a man will take almost anything that happens to be the fad for the moment, whether highly flavored or not, but in summer the demand is for something that will quench the thirst, whether beer, lemonade or gin rickey or some other beverage. The Clover Leaf is said to be popular in the city of brotherly love. Certainly it is decorative, for it has a soft orchid color, with a rim of white. Drink is made of: 100% dry gin 10 dashes grenadine White of an egg 1 sprig of mint Fill glass with cracked ice, shake well, strain in champagne glass and serve. Another recipe for the CLOVER CLUB COCKTAIL from an older source reads: The Juice of ½ Lemon or of 1 Lime. 1/3 Grenadine. The White of 1 Egg. 2/3 Dry Gin. Shake well and strain into medium size glass. And the CLOVER LEAF COCKTAIL recipe from the same source states: The same as CLOVER CLUB, with a sprig of fresh Mint on top.