Bright And Floral French Blonde Cocktail Recipe

Jennine Rye

February 6, 2024 at 4:02 PM·5 min read

French blonde cocktail in coupe glass - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

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Is there any music star more popular right now than Taylor Swift? Time's Person of the Year 2023, Swift has gone from strength to strength both in the music world and in the public eye. There's no denying that whatever Taylor Swift does makes the headlines, and this, along with a worldwide fan following of faithful Swifties, means that Taylor is quite the global tastemaker.

If you've been following the celebrity news lately, you'll likely know that Taylor Swift is rumored to have a new favorite cocktail — the French blonde. Much like Taylor's song lyrics, this cocktail is classy, complex, and undeniably catchy. This bright and floral French blonde cocktail recipe, created by Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye, is wonderfully balanced and light, an elegant drink that will make you feel like a star as you sip away. Gin is mixed with elderflower liqueur and the French tonic wine Lillet Blanc to add heaps of botanical flavor. Grapefruit juice and bitters finish off the recipe for this classic drink, adding a citrus vibrancy and light bitterness that balances out the sweetness of the elderflower to create this deliciously sophisticated floral cocktail.

So, if you've had a hectic day, why not shake it off by putting on your favorite Taylor Swift tunes and shaking up this French blonde cocktail? After all, if it is good enough for Taylor, it is certainly good enough for us mere mortals.

Gather The Ingredients For This Bright And Floral French Blonde Cocktail Recipe

French blonde cocktail ingredients - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

To begin this bright and floral French blonde cocktail recipe, you will first need to gather the ingredients. You will want gin, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, Lillet Blanc, grapefruit juice, citrus bitters, and a slice of grapefruit, to garnish.

Step 1: Add Liquids To A Cocktail Shaker

pouring gin into cocktail shaker - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

Add all of the liquids to a cocktail shaker.

Step 2: Add Ice

adding ice to cocktail shaker - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

Add a handful of ice to the cocktail shaker.

Step 3: Shake The Cocktail

placing lid on cocktail shaker - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

Place the lid on the shaker and shake for 15–20 seconds.

Step 4: Pour The Drink

straining drink into glass - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

Strain the cocktail into a coupe glass.

Step 5: Garnish And Serve

garnishing cocktail with grapefruit slice - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

Serve, garnished with a slice of grapefruit.

What Can Be Served Alongside This Bright And Floral French Blonde Cocktail?

French blonde cocktail with grapefruit garnish - Jennine Rye/Tasting Table

The French blonde is a timeless and sophisticated cocktail that's light, well-balanced, and refreshing, making it a perfect drink to enjoy on its own. While this classy cocktail doesn't need any accompaniment to make it shine, its particular flavoring can be paired with both savory and sweet dishes.

A charcuterie board or a cheese platter would make an excellent option for serving alongside a French blonde cocktail for a relaxed and elegant dining experience. Similarly, this drink makes a wonderful accompaniment for canapés and any light appetizers, making it a great drink offering for an evening soirée or an apéro party. For more of a sit down–style dinner, we recommend serving this drink alongside light seafood or salad dishes. Or, you could follow Taylor Swift's example and enjoy your French blonde alongside a delicious bowl of your favorite pasta.

For sweet pairings, this cocktail should be served with light and elegant dessert options. Macarons make a lovely accompaniment, being both wonderfully classy and of French origin. Alternatively, a refreshing, fruity sorbet or a delicate meringue with fresh berries make lovely simple dessert dishes to enjoy along with your new favorite cocktail.

How Can This French Blonde Cocktail Be Adapted?

Although the French blonde cocktail is typically known as a gin-based drink, it can also be found made with vodka. So, if gin isn't really your thing, simply replace the quantity of gin with your chosen vodka and enjoy. If you don't have any St-Germain in your liqueur cabinet or if it feels a little bit out of your price range, you can always substitute this ingredient with another elderflower liqueur. Or, you can also use an elderflower cordial or syrup in its place to give this drink its distinctive, floral flavor.

Lillet Blanc is a French aperitif wine that is often considered to be a vermouth. However, it is in fact a tonic wine. If you are unable to get your hands on this particular, botanically aromatized wine, while not completely alike in flavor, it can be easily replaced with a similarly aromatic vermouth. Or, for a simpler option, you can simply substitute the Lillet Blanc with your favorite dry white wine and a dash of lemon juice.

To add more of a twist to this deliciously balanced cocktail, why not try topping it off with some champagne or Prosecco to add lightness and fizz? Or, to lean further into the botanical flavors, add some fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary to the cocktail shaker before mixing your drink to give it a unique, herbal finish. Thyme works especially well with gin.