Here’s a drink we jotted down several years ago while reading about Chartreuse. It’s no secret that this complex herbal elixir is a favorite at Summit Sips—as it is among most cocktail fanatics. One of the more interesting ways to use it is to add a little green Chartreuse to a mug of hot cocoa and top with lightly whipped cream. The Verte Chaud, as Jamie Boudreau calls it, is a combination so wonderfully delicious that it once inspired us to spend an entire afternoon making Chartreuse-flavored chocolate truffles. However, making gourmet candy or even good hot chocolate isn’t always practical (forget powder—think melted high-quality bittersweet chocolate, warmed milk or cream, etc.). So, when we read a post by Mr. Boudreau some years back describing a seemingly ridiculous and indulgent cold cocktail that used brandy and creme de cacao in lieu of hot chocolate, we took note.

We would be pleased enough with ourselves making any drink that uses green Chartreuse, but adding chocolate to the equation is downright guaranteed to put a grin on the face. And, since it has been a while since we first spotted this recipe, we wanted to go all-out and add one more level of crazy. With another nod to Mr. Boudreau, we decided to rim our glass with emeralds (Chartreuse dust).

Green (Emerald) Glacier by Jamie Boudreau
2 oz brandy
.75 oz green Chartreuse
.25 oz crème de cacao (use white, not dark)
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Stir with ice and, strain into a chilled coupe rimmed with emeralds (Chartreuse dust).

Admittedly, making a drink like this is a bit over-the-top, but we challenge you to admit that it is also delicious. You certainly don’t need the “emeralds” to enjoy it. Adding the crystalized rim is strictly our idea, but making the emerald dust itself—that’s another technique from Jamie Boudreau, although we don’t think he invented it. You may have noticed your bottle of Campari, or even Fernet-Branca collecting a sugar residue that can glue the cap to the bottle. Any liqueur that does this is a good candidate for making dust, and it’s easy enough to create your own. Simply pour some liqueur onto a plate and let it dry for several days. As the water and alcohol evaporates it leaves behind concentrated flavors as crystalized sugar. Break up this residue and you have your own dust—or emeralds in our case. Some folks accelerate the technique using silicone mats in the microwave. Once you have the dust, you can rim a glass like you would with salt or sugar.

Yeah, it’s a little ridiculous. So what.