The After Dinner Cocktail is Coming Back

     The after dinner cocktail is evolving into the “dessert” in many of the finest restaurants world over.   The trend of eating lighter and healthier is lending itself to having an after dinner cocktail rather than one of those mega calorie desserts.   Whether you are in a tiny restaurant in New York, the Quarter in New Orleans or on a hill in San Francisco, this is the direction that many fine restaurants have taken.   

     The after-dinner selections have traditionally been stereotyped as sweet and syrupy, says Adam Orzechowski, bar manager of the New Orleans restaurant Trinity, so naturally, he explains, many Americans have long avoided the realm of after-dinner spirits and cocktails. "I think there was a lot of misinformation out there, and with the advent of this whole mixology movement, they just took a back seat," he explains. "The modern trend is far more balanced, with more focus on pairings. Bitter, dry, and citrusy notes all help finish the dining experience."

     The idea of finishing  dinner with a 100 or calorie cocktail instead of a 1200 calorie chocolate something or other makes sense to many of us that care about being able to leave the table feeling comfortable.   A nice high quality sipping rum, with ice or neat makes a really great way to put the finishing touch on a fine dinner.  If your taste calls for something sweet, then there are any number of after dinner cocktails that fit that bill.  I'll be exploring the area of after dinner cocktails this winter.