My Favorite Restaurant Gave Me Their "Pink Panther" Cocktail Recipe—and It's as Delicious as It Is Pretty

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Husk is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. It has three locations (Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and Nashville, Tennessee), and I've officially made the pilgrimage to each one. Each time I've visited Husk, I've eaten or drunk something so unique and delicious that I'll think about it for months. In Charleston, it was the cornbread with bacon butter. In Savannah, it was the tilefish with artichokes. And in Nashville, it was the Pink Panther cocktail.

Thankfully, the head bartender Adam Morgan was kind enough to share his Pink Panther cocktail recipe with me (and now you!). While it's a little more complicated to make than, say, a cosmo or G&T, I think you'll find the results are well worth the effort.

The cocktail is delicious as-is, but if you can't find Cathead vodka, Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro or Forthave Marseille Amaro, you can substitute your favorite vodka and amaro. I also love that the pomegranate-cinnamon shrub recipe makes a big batch and can be used for other cocktails or tasty mocktails (just top with some of that Topo Chico sparkling water).

I know I'll be making this cocktail for friends all spring—it's refreshing, complex and just the right amount of sweet. And it pairs perfectly with sitting outside and soaking up the sunshine.

Husk's Pink Panther

Ingredients

Pomegranate-Cinnamon Shrub

1 cinnamon stick, toasted and crushed
4 cups pomegranate juice
4 cups granulated sugar
¾ cup cider vinegar

Cocktail

Ice
1½ ounces Cathead vodka
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce Pomegranate-Cinnamon Shrub
¼ ounce Lo-Fi Gentian amaro
¼ ounce Forthave Marseille amaro
Topo Chico sparkling water

Directions

Step 1

To prepare shrub: Place cinnamon, pomegranate juice, sugar and vinegar in a blender. Blend until combined and the sugar has dissolved. Pour into a nonreactive jar or container, cover and let infuse overnight. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. (Because of the vinegar, shrubs do not need to be refrigerated. But if you prefer a chilled shrub, refrigeration will not degrade the quality. Store, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 6 months.)

Step 2

To prepare cocktail: Fill 1 of 2 cocktail shakers with ice. Pour vodka, lime juice, shrub and amaro into the ice-filled shaker. Cover with a cocktail strainer and pour into the other shaker. Pour back and forth 5 to 6 times. (If you don't have 2 shakers and a cocktail strainer, just use pint glasses and carefully pour the liquid and ice back and forth.)

Step 3

Strain the cocktail into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling water.

Recipe adapted for style by EatingWell

Jaime Milan is EatingWell's senior digital editor for all things newsy and trending. She's always on the hunt for the latest and greatest things to share with EatingWell's readers. In her spare time, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen, tackling home projects with her husband or taking pics of her very photogenic American Eskimo Dog, Grits. Follow her on Instagram at @jaimemmilan.