This drink was created for a 2004 event held to celebrate the centennial of revolutionary choreographer George Balanchine’s birth. Named after his most famous ballet, it makes prominent use of vodka (he was born in czarist Russia) and kümmel, the caraway-flavored Eastern European liqueur (Gilka is the best brand that’s still imported).
1 1/2 ounces Russian vodka
1/2 ounce cognac
1/2 ounce Gilka kümmel liqueur
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grenadine
Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
