The Monarch: A Gin Elderflower Cocktail — Our Signature Date Nite Drink
- Kate Carr
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
There are a few things that signal the beginning of Date Nite at our house. We turn on the music and set the table while dinner gets going in the kitchen. And somewhere in the middle of it all, Kevin chooses a cocktail or two and starts making us drinks.
I love having a cocktail while I cook, so he'll usually decide what we're having, shake it up, and hand me a glass while dinner is coming together. That's when we toast, and honestly, that's the moment Date Nite officially begins.
Over the years, we've made a lot of cocktails together, but this one has quietly become one of our signatures.
It's floral and bright without being overly sweet. The elderflower gives it a soft delicacy, while the rhubarb bitters add just enough depth to balance everything out. It feels elegant without trying too hard or being overly complicated, which is probably why we come back to it so often.
I actually made this cocktail recently just to photograph for this blog post. We set the table, plated dinner, and I placed the drink down to grab a few photos before we ate. Then I took one sip and immediately remembered why we love it so much. It's just one of those cocktails that somehow makes the whole evening feel a little more special.
The original recipe called for peach bitters, but we've always made it with rhubarb bitters instead. They're one of my favorites, and they work so beautifully with the elderflower and lemon.
And honestly, this cocktail isn't just for nights in. Sometimes we'll make it while getting ready to go out as well. Music on, a cocktail in hand while getting ready, and the whole evening starts a little earlier than expected.
I think that's probably what we love most about cocktails as part of Date Nite or any special evening together. It's not just about the drink. It's what it signals. The phones become a little less important. The week pauses, and we transition into quality time, dinner, connection, and slowing down together.
That's really what Date Nite has always been for us.
The Monarch: A Gin Elderflower Cocktail Recipe
2 oz gin
½ oz elderflower liqueur
½ oz fresh lemon juice
¼ oz simple syrup
6 mint leaves
2 dashes rhubarb bitters
Add the mint leaves and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker and gently muddle. Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, rhubarb bitters, and ice. Shake well and double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
We'd love to hear from you
If you make this gin elderflower cocktail at home, let us know what you think. And if you already have a signature cocktail or little ritual that signals the beginning of your evenings together, we'd love to hear about that too.
About Kevin & Kate
Hi, we're Kevin and Kate, the couple behind Date Nite — a weekly at-home date night subscription built around intentional evenings, great food, delicious cocktails, music, and slowing down together.
Every week we share a complete Date Nite menu with recipes, cocktails, grocery lists, cooking timelines, and ideas designed to help make meaningful nights at home feel easier, more beautiful, and more doable in real life.
Whether you're cooking together every Friday night or simply trying to reconnect a little more intentionally during busy seasons of life, we hope Date Nite helps create space for that.
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