“It’s the kind of drink you’d sip with a strainer so the ice didn’t mess up your mustache wax,” says Nick Detrich of the cobbler, the nineteenth-century sherry concoction that once eclipsed the julep in popularity. “The julep was a more brusque drink,” Detrich explains. “The cobbler was more of an everyday affair because it’s lower proof and more refreshing.” That mid-1800s pedigree is what makes the cobbler a natural addition to the menu at Jewel of the South, which Detrich launched this year with another venerable New Orleans barman, Chris Hannah, formerly of Arnaud’s French 75 Bar. The two built the bar as an homage to Joseph Santini, who invented the brandy crusta in the 1850s at his New Orleans bar, also called Jewel of the South. The cobbler recipe is simple—take whatever fruits and berries are in season, mix them with sherry, Madeira, or vermouth, and shake it up. Just don’t forget the garnish. “The cobbler is as much about the garnish as it is the drink,” Detrich says. “At that time, people ordered the sherry cobbler as an afternoon happy-hour winding-down-the-day sort of drink. You had the delicious cocktail and a couple of sweet treats on top.” Cheers to that.
Drinks
The Kind of Cobbler You Drink
Nick Detrich, of New Orleans’ Jewel of the South, shares his recipe for a summery sipper: Cream Sherry Cobbler

photo: Johnny autry | Food Styling by Charlotte Autry
Ingredients
-
3 oz. Cream Sherry
½ oz. Quince Paste Syrup
1 orange wheel
Garnishes: 1 strawberry, 1 raspberry, 1 mint sprig
Preparation
To make Cream Sherry, combine 2 parts of a briny Manzanilla sherry with 1 part of Pedro Ximénez sherry.
To make Quince Paste Syrup, in a blender combine ¾ cup of quince paste with 1 quart of simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water, heated until dissolved).
Combine cream sherry, quince paste syrup, and orange wheel in a shaker and shake briskly 20 times. Strain into a tin cup or a stemmed glass filled with pebble ice, and garnish with berries and mint.
Related Stories:

Food & Drink
Catfish Po’Boy with Pickled Jalapeño Tartar Sauce
Tennessee chef Trevor Stockton shares his take on a classic sandwich that’s fit for dinner guests

Anatomy of a Classic
Make the Most of Soft-Shell Crab Season
Chef Brandon Sharp embraces the flavors of home in his winning ode to softies

Food & Drink
Cooking from the Bar Cart: Champagne-Pimento Cheese
Champagne wishes and pimento cheese dreams come true in this sparkling take on the iconic cheese spread
Trending Stories:

Arts & Culture
A South Carolina Seafood Company Reveals a Piece of Forrest Gump History
How much shrimp is required to create a movie classic? About six thousand pounds, apparently

Food & Drink
Pimento Cheese’s Kentucky Cousin
Try this simple recipe for Benedictine spread, a Louisville favorite

Food & Drink
A Century-Old Trout Hatchery in Virginia Is Making Waves
From his farm in New Castle, one man is on a mission to put Southern trout back on plates