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Creme de fraise des bois is wild strawberry liqueur, and it is the point of this drink. Wild strawberries are smaller, sharper and more perfumed than the cultivated kind, and the liqueur keeps that character, so two ounces of it against an ounce of cream gives something closer to a strawberry cream than to a berry cocktail.
The gin underneath is what stops it being dessert. An ounce of juniper cutting through fruit and dairy is the same trick the Pink Fingers pulls with blackberry brandy, and it works for the same reason. The third of an ounce of triple sec is barely a measure, adding a thread of orange behind the strawberry rather than a flavour of its own.
Glass: Champagne saucer | Strength: Medium | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 3 minutes
Bartenders tip: Shake this hard and cold. Cream and fruit liqueur need the agitation to come together properly, and a lazy shake leaves the texture thin and separated. Chill the saucer first. If you cannot find creme de fraise des bois, ordinary strawberry liqueur works but is noticeably sweeter and flatter, so cut it to an ounce and a half and add a squeeze of lemon to compensate.
