Cocktail Club: October 2018

Boo! Happy Halloween Everyone!!! This month I thought it’d be sweet to make a syrup and puree for our cocktails. Got some special treats as well. First up because it’s halloween this month we’re using activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is an antioxidant which helps capture certain toxins and chemicals in the body. It is safe to use but should not be consumed in excess. Not only can it be used in drinks but also facemasks, toothpaste and more. We’ll be making some spooky drinks with it.

Next month is Thanksgiving and wanted to make a festive and filling drink. Using seasonal fruit and flavors we’re making a persimmon and cinnamon puree, percinnamon. Tis the season to make the house smell delicious. The puree can be eaten as a snack on its own or great with rice cakes and fruit. Substitute your peanut butter sandwich with puree for a seasonal snack.

Our special ingredient this month is Cynar, an Italian bitter liqueur which launched in 1952. It is made from a secret recipe of 13 infused herbs and plants as the regular cynar. The origin of its name is after a property found in artichokes, cynarin, not its flavor. This bitter amaro offers concentrated notes of dark cocoa, bitter botanicals and earthy spice, but with a subtle sweetness that rounds it out and makes it a prime a candidate for solo sipping or cocktail mixing. The artichoke liqueur carries distinctive herbal notes married with hints of dried fruit and finishes with a caramel smoothness. The result is a soft taste and smooth complex bittersweet notes.

Ingredient Instructions & Recipes

Sage Syrup

Muddle 6-7 Sage leaves
½ cup sugar
½ cup hot water

Lightly muddle sage, add sugar then hot water. Stir until sugar is dissolved then fine strain into a container. (if you are using a stove top then in low heat let the sage simmer for a few minutes but make sure to keep stirring to prevent sugar from burning)

Percinnamon Puree

2 Large persimmon or 3 small ones
Cut into eighths
Coat both sides with cinnamon powder
In a preheated oven of 350 fahrenheit let bake for 15-20 mins
When soft and caramelized throw in blender

Add 1/4 tbsp of cinnamon powder
3.5 oz honey
7 oz hot water

Make sure to blend the puree until it is smooth and creamy. Slowly add water as you blend and depending on consistency you might need to add more water. You’re going to be looking for a applesauce texture.

* If you bake extra Persimmon you can use as garnish as well*

Percinnamon Sour

1 oz Highland Park 12 yr
1 1/2 oz Percinnamon Puree
¾ Cynar 70 Proof
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 Egg white
Cinnamon Powder

Pour ingredients except egg white and cinnamon powder into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain drink back into shaker, dump out ice, add egg white and dry shake (shake vigorously). Fine strain over a chilled Coupe glass and garnish with a dash of cinnamon powder. (while straining it may get a bit clogged due to the thickness of puree).

*If you don’t like egg white drinks you can omit the egg white*

Percinnamon Old Fashioned (alternative to Sour)

1 ½ oz Highland Park 12 yr
¼ Cynar
¾ oz Percinnamon Puree
Orange Peel

Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice, and stir. Fine strain over a rocks glass and garnish with orange.

Smokey Bandit

¾ oz Knob Creek Rye
¾ oz Gem & Bolt Mezcal
½ oz Cynar 70 Proof
¾ oz Lemon Juice
¾ oz Simple Syrup
Lemon Peel/Twist Garnish

Pour all ingredients into shaker, add ice and shake. Fine strain over a ice filled rocks glass and garnish with lemon.

Bloo!

1 ½ oz Gem & Bolt Mezcal
¾ oz Sage Simple Syrup
¾ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Cynar 70 Proof
¼ oz Cascadia Liquor
5-6 Blueberries
Lemon Wheel

Muddle blueberries in shaker tin then pour rest of ingredients, add ice, and shake. Fine strain into a ice filled rocks glass and garnish lemon wheel/blueberries/sage.