Grasshopper — Raising a Glass to the Season and the Steady Life We Built

Week 529. Year 11. Tommy is 44. Spring cleaning and pit maintenance. The mortar checked, the grate inspected, the tools organized. The business running steady — DeShawn handling the big jobs, Marcus on the commercial side, the name Beaumont on the vans and the invoices and the reputation. Rémy (14) finishing school, drawn to the water. The garden is producing. The bayou is running. The roux is turning.

Made crawfish bisque this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

After a week like that — the pit squared away, the business humming, Rémy finding his pull toward the water — the bisque was the main event, but the way we closed the night felt just as right. There’s a drink my grandfather used to make in spring, sweet and cold and green as the bayou in April, and sitting on the porch with the smell of crawfish still in the air, a Grasshopper felt like the only honest way to say good week. It’s a New Orleans original, and so are we.

Grasshopper

Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 5 min | Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 1 oz green crème de menthe
• 1 oz white crème de cacao
• 1 oz heavy cream
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• Freshly whipped cream, for garnish (optional)
• 1 fresh mint sprig, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Chill your glass. Place a coupe or martini glass in the freezer for 3–5 minutes before mixing so the cocktail stays cold longer.
2. Combine ingredients. Add the crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and heavy cream to a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker halfway with ice.
3. Shake well. Seal the shaker and shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels very cold and the mixture is well chilled and slightly frothy.
4. Strain and pour. Double-strain through a fine mesh strainer into the chilled coupe or martini glass to catch any ice chips and ensure a smooth, velvety pour.
5. Garnish and serve. Top with a small dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of fresh mint if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 290 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 20mg