2 cocktail recipes that will transport you to 1 of the world's best bars for Valentine's Day
Dante in New York City has continued to elevate spirits amid the pandemic with creative, expertly crafted cocktails and innovative takeaway options. For Valentine's Day, the staff is mixing up something extra special.
Owner Linden Pride spoke to "Good Morning America" from the team's newest snow lodge outpost in Aspen, Colorado, about the inspiration and flavors behind both limited-edition drinks -- The Rose and Heart of Gold.
"The first drink was conceptualized to be had at the start of the meal, which is The Rose cocktail," he said. "This is actually based on a drink from Paris in the 1920s. It draws on a really fruity, floral, bright flavor profile and I think in the Dante spirit we try to incorporate some lower alcohol and just create this very beautifully balanced, pretty drink and serve with a rose petal in keeping with the Valentine's spirit."
He hailed the second chocolate-based cocktail garnished with gold leaf as a "decadent, beautiful occasion cocktail. We kind of thought we start with roses and finish with chocolate that encapsulates Valentine's Day really beautifully."
Pride was one of the first restaurant and bar operators to conceptualize custom-packaged versions of signature cocktails in March after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo mandated that restaurants stop serving guests in-person. Restaurants were allowed to launch a to-go program.
"We've continued to do it over the last 12 months and people have really loved them. They've become a bit of a collectors item ... we continued that into Valentine's Day with specialty water color labels that are specifically designed for each drink," Pride said. "They create a really nice moment for people, if you don't want to go out for whatever reason, you can still have that little moment of indulgence with that special person or yourself within the comforts of your home."
How to make it at home
Dante's beverage director Chris Moore mixed up both cocktails step-by-step so those of us at home can recreate them with the proper ingredients and glassware.
The Rose
2 ounces Lillet Rosé
1 ounce Raspberry Eau de Vie
1/2 ounce Txacoli Rosé
3/4 ounce Raspberry Syrup
1 drop Rose Water
1/3 ounce Acqua Panna
Classically, it calls for dry vermouth, Kirsch and redcurrant. At Dante we use Lillet Rosé instead of dry vermouth, raspberry eau de vie instead of cherry (kirsch) and raspberry instead of redcurrant, then garnish with a few drops of rose water on a rose petal. The result is a beautiful, elegant, floral yet balanced drink which is as delicious as it is pretty.
This drink should be stirred for approximately five seconds, strained and poured into a coupe glass and finished with a rose petal and rose water.
Heart of Gold
1 ounce Rémy Martin VSOP
1 ounch Cocchi Torino
1 ounce Oloroso Sherry
1/4 ounce sugar syrup
2 dashes Chocolate Bitters
1/2 ounce Acqua Panna
Cocoa Nibs
Start with roses and finish with chocolate, as is the traditional Valentine's way! This is no ordinary chocolate drink; we wanted to create a cocktail that was rich and luxurious, but with a high quality dark cocoa element. All of the liquids are blended together before the whole drink is infused with Valrhona cocoa nibs. Then it's filtered. We serve the drink on a sphere of ice and finish it with gold leaf. Decadent.
Other ways to enjoy the specialty drinks
For folks who prefer to leave the libations to the professionals, Dante offers special gift box options that can be ordered online or through the app and includes ready-to-be drink beverages! Each gift box comes complete with illustrated coasters, matches, Dante's signature playlists, recipes and tips from the award-winning team.
"When you meet someone special or get together for a drink, you're checking into a special moment ... it's not just what's in the glass. It's the music, the ambiance, the setting the table which can be transportive and emotionally energizing," Pride said.
He added: "We don't just send a drink, we try to send it in a way that's curated for the moment -- like a playlist that you can put on through a QR code. In that moment you can have an experience that you otherwise may not have been able to create at home."
Dante's two locations in New York will both reopen for indoor dining at 25% capacity on Friday after what Pride called "a precarious 12 months."
"We've had incredible support from our community coming in often subfreezing temperatures to enjoy outdoor dining," he said with a laugh. "We're really pleased to create a safe environment where people can come and enjoy indoor dining again. I think there's a consensus in the restaurant community that this is potentially the turning point as we're coming back into spring and continue to serve people outside. There's some quiet optimism."
