“I call it a Temple Grandin because it makes me friendly and compassionate." -Jess Day
In an attempt to better myself through binge watching TV, I've been watching new series on Netflix instead of rewatching the same stuff from our server, which led me to New Girl. It was on TV from 2011 to 2018 so it's been off the air for several years now, but the bubbly optimism and fun jokes are making it an enjoyable watch during this cold, dark time of year. Does anyone else feel horrified that 2018 was five years ago? Because I feel like it was just the year before last, at most.
During the seventh episode of season three, the characters were hanging out at their bar of choice, when Jess orders a Shirley Temple with a finger of coconut rum and a squeeze of lemon. Rewind! Or, drag the episode progress bar back several seconds. What was that drink? It's a Temple Grandin, a joke I didn't fully understand until I told Patrick about the drink and he clued me in on the real Temple Grandin, who is incredibly interesting (seriously, read about her). The whole joke clicked into place but the drink still sounded super delicious so I set out to make it.
Since we don't keep soda on hand anymore due to it exploding in the liquor cabinet for unknown reasons, I went to the 7-11 and got a Canada Dry ginger ale and a diet Sprite to give the Temple Grandin a try myself. And reader, it was delicious. Sweet, but not cloyingly so, lightly fruity, bright and fresh, and thanks to my personal twist — two Luxardo cherries to snack on at the end.
A boozy Shirley Temple
The base of this cocktail is a Shirley Temple, which was created for the child actor to drink when she went to adult industry parties. I used to drink these when I was a kid and went to bars with my parents. Shirley Temples have a nostalgia factor for me, and probably many kids of the 80s and 90s.
But we now want our Shirley Temples to have a kick! Coconut rum is a perfect partner for the drink. You can add more coconut rum to this drink for a much stronger one, but 1.5 to 2 ounces is a good starter.
Temple Grandin Cocktail
Equipment
- 16 ounce tulip glass (or any 16 ounce glass)
Ingredients
- 6-8 ounces crushed ice
- 1.5 ounces grenadine
- 1.5-2 ounces coconut rum
- 4 ounces Sprite
- 4 ounces ginger ale
- 1 squeeze lemon juice (or ¼ ounce lemon juice)
- 2 Luxardo cherries to garnish
Instructions
- Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice.
- Pour in the grenadine, then the coconut rum, then the ginger ale and Sprite.
- Squeeze the lemon juice on top.
- Garnish with the Luxardo cherries.
- Stir to mix, and drink immediately.
What is grenadine?
Grenadine is a nonalcoholic syrup commonly used in cocktails. It originated from pomegranate juice, which is where it gets its name — grenade is French for pomegranate. But over the years, the flavor profile has shifted. Grenadine's dominant flavor profile is black currant juice, though the flavor is mostly derived from artificial flavoring these days. You can make your own grenadine syrup, but the manufactured versions last longer in the fridge.
Most people recognize grenadine as the red syrup in the nonalcoholic Shirley Temple.
You can buy grenadine in the mixer section of well-stocked grocery stores, and liquor stores.
Looking for more fruity drinks?
