LeNell It All - Forget Me Not

by LeNell Smothers, Posted Oct 21st 2009 @ 5:00PM

Photo: LeNell Smothers.

Alabama-born LeNell Smothers defines herself first and foremost as a bartender, but she's been called many things -- most recently, the proprietress of LeNell's liquor store. She's owned her own whiskey label, called Red Hook Rye, and has been recognized by her home state as an honorary Colonel. Other interests include gin, sin and men.

When I had to shut down my liquor shop in Brooklyn due to a lost lease back in February of this year, I decided to hit the road the very next day after vacating the former LeNell's Ltd storefront. Guest bartending, teaching classes and learning from talented bartenders made the pain of losing my beloved business sting less.

I spent a month in Holland learning from the amazing men of Amsterdam's door 74, which is without a doubt Amsterdam's best classic cocktail bar. While there, I decided to reach out and see if I could finally meet a woman I had admired from across the Atlantic ocean.

Ms. Fenny van Wees, the distiller of A. van Wees Distillery de Ooievaar, runs the last authentic distillery left in Amsterdam. The distillery's heritage goes back as far as 1782. I was eager to meet this feisty woman, whose passion is to keep the old ways alive and not give into pressures to mass produce, which compromises quality. She uses only raw, natural products and hand-selects her herbs, flowers and spices. We spent a whole day together at the distillery, leaving me so elated I could barely get to sleep that night.

One of her specialties is producing "occasion" liqueurs -- drinks that are made to mark special events, such as the announcement of a coming new family member (Little Hans in the Cellar) or to inspire romance and devotion (Tears of the Bride, Perfect Happiness, Rose without Thorns, etc). In today's U.S. liquor selections, the only one of this type of potion that you might still find in a liquor store is Marie Brizard's Parfait Amour, a liqueur made with violets said to be given to ladies during the Victorian era to inspire perfect love. Unfortunately, Ms. van Wees' libations are not imported into the U.S., but if you are ever in Europe, do keep your eyes open for her beautiful genevers and liqueurs.

While leaving my lover in August, at the San Jose del Cabo airport to return to New York City to prepare for my move to Mexico, I was pleasantly surprised to be sent off with van Wees Vergeet mij niet liqueur. "Forget Me Not" liqueur was given as gifts, by ladies who were seeing their Dutch sailors off to the business of the sea, as a way of securing their faithfulness. It is made with roses, lavender, violets, rum, brandy and nuts. Demian poured me a big sip as my send-off. It's a fine drink all on its own, without mixing it with anything.

I emailed Ms. van Wees to let her know that her passion to keep these old liqueurs alive still inspires modern-day lovers. Thank heavens for people like her, who keep love potions alive.

Filed Under: Drink Recipes
Tags: amsterdam, AvanWeesDistillery, cocktails, door74, forget me not liquer, ForgetMeNotLiquer, lenell it all, lenell smothers, LenellItAll, LenellSmothers, parfait amour, ParfaitAmour, spirits, Vergeet mij niet liqueur, VergeetMijNietLiqueur