BOOK & A COCKTAIL • “The Sun and Her Flowers” & Chrysanthemum

For National Poetry Month, I’ve tried to read some poetry, and I’ve been drawn to the work of Rupi Kaur, an Indian-Canadian poet. I love everything about this book, the cover, the illustrations, the raw words. Take this book, her second, and read it outside in the sun, basking in the warm sunlight when you can.

I’ve paired this book with the Chrysanthemum cocktail. I love mums because they flower in the fall, one of the few flowers to do so, popping open with earthy hues of yellow, orange, and red. Due to their late season blooms, some cultures associate these flowers with death. I think they’re gorgeous. This is a simple cocktail, one that doesn’t sound like it would work, but it’s a wonderful cocktail to drink in the daytime or before a meal. The drink is complex and herbaceous, perfect for a weekend afternoon reading poetry in the sun.▪️

Recipe:

2 oz. (60 ml) dry vermouth

1 oz. (30 ml) Benedictine

3 dashes absinthe

Orange twist

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.