The original Angel’s Kiss appears in Harry McElhone’s 1922 book and is simply crème de cacao and cream, layered in a liqueur glass; later recipes add layers of crème Yvette and prunelle. Our Angel’s Kiss recipe reflects more complex members of the Pousse Café family. Its inclusion in this month’s Valentine’s theme is also due to its connection with the ladies’ drink genre and romantic, or even sexy, naming tropes.

This drink comes from Charles H. Baker, Jr.'s 1939 Gentleman’s Companion and is attributed to a bartender named Toyama at a Yokohama dance hall called the Romance Cabaret. The original spec he recorded is a mixture of Cognac, cherry brandy, lime cordial, and lime juice, either shaken or blended. I swapped out the sweet cherry brandy for eau de vie and added chocolate and vanilla flavors for an exceedingly pleasing brandy sour.

The original Lovers’ Delight is quite mysterious; included in a 1937 book out of New Orleans, it simply calls for dry gin to be shaken with “orange ice,” strained, and garnished with nutmeg. I was so intrigued by the orange ice and immediately thought of a citrus granita which, with its little hints of vanilla and chocolate, would be a great standalone dessert or palate cleanser. But I decided to enhance it with a chilled, flavor-packed mixture of Campari, gin, and kirschwasser, finished with sea salt and lemon zest!