Queen of Cups – Assume Nothing Drink Recipe

by Alisha Rajan 

“Assume Nothing!” A mantra for The Crown as we worked towards opening our doors in March of 2019, the phrase became a Menu section, encouraging our visitors to drop their preconceptions and be open to new and delicious experiences. And now it’s the title of a drink recipe series, for you to recreate at home. Here’s to a year of assuming nothing!

In the tender spirit of all things Cancerian, we welcome the warmth of the summertime with this effervescent cherry-rose espresso tonic. In tarot, the Queen of Cups represents an individual who is kind, equanimous, and deeply intuitive. She leads with compassion and is accepting of both her light and dark aspects. As I bask in the glow of the season, I find myself drawn to the energy of this gentle queen and was inspired to create a drink in her honor. I intended to create a drink that encompasses the energies of both the melancholy and the exuberant, the weighty yet ethereal aspects of our lives. We accomplished this by pairing deep cherry tones and decadent espresso with delicate rose and the brightness of tonic, a marriage of opposing yet equal components of “darkness” and “light.” A hint of cardamom enhances the effervescence of this refreshing summertime treat. I’ve specifically designed the drink to highlight the richness of our natural espresso (currently the Peru Finca Tasta), but it is also delicious with the washed and decaf espressos.

How to make Queen of Cups at home:

Ingredients: 

• 12 oz frozen cherries (340g) 
• 6g dried rose petals 
• 8g cardamom pods, freshly coarse ground 
• 1 cup raw sugar

Direction:

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil, add the frozen cherries and boil for 15 minutes.
2. After boiling, strain the pulp from the cherry water, add the water back to the pot
3. Add rose petals and cardamom to the cherry water along with the sugar, boil for one minute, remove from heat
4. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes, then strain.

Assembly: 

1. To a medium-sized glass, add 3-4 ice cubes, fill ¾ full with tonic water
2. Add 25g cherry syrup to the tonic water
3. Gently pour 2oz espresso of your choice into the cherry-tonic mixture so that the espresso sits on top and the layers are visible.
4. Top with a maraschino cherry, gently spritz with rosewater

Check out the Assume Nothing series, and if you are in the Bay Area, stop by The Crown to taste the seasonal signature beverage.