A classic cocktail known for its sweet creamy texture, light-green hue, and minty flavor, the Grasshopper is a favorite amongst many. The enchanting blend combines crème de menthe, white crème de cacao, and a proportional increase of heavy cream for balance, as often advised by seasoned bartender Dale DeGroff.

Dating back to 1908, the first hint of the Grasshopper's roots found its way into the later publications of William "Cocktail Bill" Boothby's cocktail manual, "World's Drinks and How to Mix Them." This early recipe, sans cream, was a form of pousse-café-a multilayer cocktail mainly made of liqueurs. The pousse-café variant popped up in bartending guides throughout the 1930s.

The greatest attribution of the Grasshopper's origin lies with Tujague's-a historical New Orleans restaurant in the French Quarter. This establishment steeped in history since its opening in 1856, touted that their owner, Philip Guichet, debuted the Grasshopper cocktail during a 1918 New York City cocktail competition. Although the cocktail only reached second place, it became a celebrated constant at Tujague's since 1919.

However, this cocktail came close to extinction during the heavy blow that Prohibition delivered to the bar and cocktail industry from 1920 to 1933. Happily, the Grasshopper relaunched its popularity in the 1950s, targeting postwar entertaining culture that tilted towards colorful, sweet, and creamy drinks.

Currently, the traditional Grasshopper recipe recommends an equal proportion of the ingredients, but double sweet liqueurs may dominate, resulting in an excessively sugary outcome. Adding a larger proportion of heavy cream, however, curates a more luxurious texture by reducing unwanted sweetness and maintaining the overall balance of the drink.

The Grasshopper is more than just any drink; it's a dessert served in a glass with surprising complexity. It combines crème de menthe, first invented by French pharmacist Émile Giffard in 1885 as a digestif, and white crème de cacao. The former provides the cocktail with a refreshing herbal note, while the latter offers a deep, rich cocoa base.

Typically garnished with fresh mint or grated chocolate, this suggested variation tops the Grasshopper with freshly grated nutmeg, introducing warm, nutty undertones to this classy, radiant cocktail.

To make the drink, assemble 1 ounce crème de menthe, 1 ounce crème de cacao, and 2 ounces heavy cream in an ice-filled shaker, shake until well-chilled, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg dusted over the top.