The Story Behind The Caribbean Club

The original Clover Club is one of America’s earliest cocktails on record. Created in pre-Prohibition Philadelphia, it was first mentioned in writing circa 1897. I wanted to give this classic a little kick, so I played around a little and came up with a 21st- century variation.

The first change I made was the base spirit. Gin was popular in turn-of-the-century America, but I wanted to update it with good white rum. Next, I swapped the raspberry simple syrup for bright, tangy lemon curd. When mixed with the lemon juice the curd tasted a bit sour, so I added a dash of simple syrup. The egg white gives the cocktail a beautiful texture, so I left it as is. Finally, I went with the traditional garnish: three fresh raspberries. The color contrast is striking and, best of all, they’re delicious.