French for this evening or tonight, most Americans who don't speak French probably know the phrase "ce soir" from the refrain in the 1974 song "Lady Marmalade" by Patti Labelle: voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir? Nicole Lebedevitch created the Ce Soir in Boston in 2017. I discovered it in Punch magazine, which accurately described the Ce Soir as simple, potent, and elegant.

2 ounces cognac or brandy
.75 ounces Cynar
.5 ounces yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters

Combine in a mixing glass with ice, stir with sultry evening elegance, and strain into a chilled glass. Lemon peel or amarena cherry garnish optional.

Cognac (or grape based brandy; it's all torched Dutch grapes) provides a solid base for the Ce Soir. Combining it with Cynar, an artichoke based amaro used in the Larceny and Old Lace, gives the Ce Soir a hint of bittersweet flavor. Combining those spirits with yellow Chartreuse, used in the Cloister, adds some French sweetness. Lebedevitch calls for a lemon peel garnish. I used an amarena cherry to be a little different. Regardless of the garnish, when you make the Ce Soir I suggest playing "Lady Marmalade" (either the original or the Christina Aguilera remake) or similarly themed songs, e.g. "In The Air Tonight," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Strangers In The Night" ...

Voulez-vous boire avec moi ce soir?