This month we have some fun goodies in club as we’ll be working with Butterfly Pea Powder and Sal de Gusano/ Chinicuil Salt. Butterfly Pea flower is a South East Asian flower known as “Clitoria Ternatea”, and you’ll be receiving it in powder form. This natural food coloring has gained popularity in the last few years to make drinks pretty adding a beautiful blue/purple hue to the drink. You can be creative with the powder and incorporate in anything you want to give color to, such as nonalcoholic drinks, teas, ice cubes, and food even.
Sal de Gusano translates to "salt from bugs" in English. Some people know that mezcal sometimes has a worm inside the bottle. They include the the bug because it is believed that the “gusano” is a sign of good fortune, and it also adds flavor to the mezcal. The Sal de Gusano has a rich earthy taste, deep umami flavor and goes great with a shot of mezcal. Side note: If you are allergic to shellfish, you might have some allergic reaction to the salt. Consume with caution. Besides using it for spirits, you can use the Sal de Gusano for salsas, tacos, meat, and vegetables. Enjoy!!
Bordiga Bianco
“At the end of the nineteenth century, Pietro Bordiga owned a famous bar in Turin. He decided to use his knowledge of botanical flavorings and the extraction of essential oils to open a distillery, and he decided to locate it in a city near the mountains where the wild plants used to make Amaro and other spirits grew. He chose the city of Cuneo, a little over an hour south of Turin and close to the Occitan Alps. The climate influenced by the mountains and proximity to the ocean just over the Alps creates herbs that are particularly rich in essential oils and aromas.” - Oliver McCrum Wines
This Bianco vermouth is composed of local Piedmontese white wines infused with botanicals that are foraged in the Occitan Alps. For each ingredient, Bordiga distills them separately as opposed to batching and throwing all ingredients together. What makes Bordiga stand out from the rest is that they use less sugar than bigger brands and rely more on the ingredients for flavor and sweetness. The taste of this vermouth is unique because of the different notes it hits. At first, you taste the sweetness from the Moscato grapes that they use, then it transitions over to the bitterness of the herbs and botanicals. The Bordiga Bianco vermouth is perfectly balanced, with a smooth finish. On the nose, I got a nice floral bouquet with a sweet hint of honey and hints of citrus like orange and lemon peel. So simple yet elegant which makes this vermouth perfect for mixing with cocktails or sipping alone over rocks. Bordiga also creates different products which we carry in store and online.
Butterfly Garden
Beautiful & delicious, it'll attract all the butterflies in your garden. Super refreshing cocktail with lots of floral qualities and a bit of citrus.
1 oz Tito’s Vodka
¾ oz Lemon Juice
¾ oz Bordiga Bianco Vermouth
1/2 oz Seedlip Garden
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
½ Barspoon of Butterfly Pea Powder
Top with Soda
Garnish with Flower
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice, shake, and fine strain over an ice filled Collin’s glass. Top with soda water & garnish with flower.
Gusano Trail
Ever heard of the worm in mezcal? Now you can spice up your drink with this spicy, savory, umami bug salt/chili powder.
1 ½ oz Mezcal Vago Elote
1 oz Bordiga Bianco Vermouth
½ oz Lime Juice
½ oz Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Honey/Agave Syrup
Rim Glass with Gusano Powder
Garnish with Grapefruit & Lime Wheel
Creatively rim an Old Fashion glass with Gusano Powder. Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice, and fine strain over ice-filled Old Fashion glass, Garnish with a grapefruit & lime wheel.
Viale
Viale is "Boulevard" in Italian... yup, you guessed it! It's a play on a Boulevardier (Whiskey Negroni). Very supple and elegant feel cocktail with slight dark chocolate notes.
Don't forget consistency is key, so measure your drinks appropriately!
1 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon
¾ oz Bordiga Bianco Vermouth
½ oz Sweet Vermouth
¾ oz Campari
2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnish with Orange Peel
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice, and strain over an old fashion glass with a cube of ice (rocks ice is ok). Express and garnish with orange peel.
Bordiga Spritz
Quick and simple to put together. This spritz is so easy you don't even have to shake or stir.
Be creative and add as many fruits and herbs to your spritz.
1 oz Bordiga Bianco Vermouth
Splash of Soda Water
Top with Sparkling Wine
Garnish with 4 Dashes of Peychaud’s Bitter & Lemon Peel Zest
Fill a wine glass with ice, add Bordiga Bianco Vermouth, add a splash of soda, then top with sparkling wine. Garnish with lemon zest (preference of citrus) and add 4 dashes of Peychaud's bitters.
