Archive for February 2022

Farmer in the Dill

Farmer in the Dill

  • 1.5 oz. Stockholm Akvavit
  • 0.5 oz. carrot eue de vie
  • 0.25 oz. Meletti
  • 0.25 oz. Thym liqueur
  • 0.25 oz. maple syrup
  • 0.25 oz. lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into glass. Garnish with dill and carrot strip.

Originally I made this with a specific Midsommar Dill akvavit that unfortunately is no longer produced. On the fortunate side, though, Stockholm Akvavit has a strong dill component so works just as well. To this I added my carrot brandy and thyme liqueur, for I think obvious reasons. Then came lemon for acid and maple syrup for sweetness (bringing to mind maple glazed carrots). To balance with some bitterness I added the Meletti.

I wanted “dill” in the name since that was central to the flavor. I ran through a number of puns and landed on this one as the carrots and thyme recall a farmer’s harvest (maybe thyme? I guess that’s not really a farmer’s crop).

Hi ho the derry-o!

Remember the Lion’s Mane

Remember the Lion’s Mane

Stir with ice and strain into coupe. Garnish with three blueberries.

I purchased the lion’s mane extract several years ago with the hopes of putting it into a drink, but never found the right opportunity. That was until recently when I picked up the black trumpet blueberry Cordial at Tamworth Distilling, and suddenly was inspired. The cordial is sweet and fruity with just a hint of earthiness from the mushroom.

Corn and blueberries was my initial thought here, and it seemed to work well. For additional sweetness, and to complement the blueberry, I added the ginger, then went further with a bit of sweet vermouth to also add a touch of bitter herbaceousness. The Angostura was required to even things out, and of course the mushroom extract was the whole point, strengthening the umami of the black trumpet. Something wasn’t quite right at this point, so I reduced the whiskey and added in some Bison Grass which gave the drink the right final note.

It’s sort of a riff on one of my favorite cocktails, Remember the Maine, with the blueberry subbing for the cherry. With the addition of the mushroom the new name was obvious.

And it shall never be forgotten.

Isla Capri

Isla Capri

  • 1.0 oz. Moletto gin
  • 1.0 oz. Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle gin
  • 0.5 oz. basil liqueur (St. George)
  • 0.5 oz. Lillet Blanc
  • 0.25 oz. Benedictine
  • 0.25 oz. simple syrup
  • 0.25 oz. lemon juice
  • pinch of salt

Shake with ice and strain into coupe smeared with a balsamic reduction. Garnish with a caprese skewer of tomato, mozzarella and basil.

I was in Ohio over the summer and found there this Italian gin I’d not previously seen. Yes, it’s a gin, distilled with juniper berries and other botanical, but for me it tastes like clarified tomato juice, and it is fascinating.

The first thing I thought of was a caprese salad, thinking of the tomato and basil. As the Moletto for me isn’t especially ginny, I chose the split it with Sipsmith’s lemon offering. The basil liqueur was then the obvious and necessary addition. Everything else came with a lot of play and experimentation. Originally I wanted balsamic in the mix, but found it worked better as a garnish. As did the cheese, which I wasn’t about to put in the drink. You’re welcome.

Alla nostra salute!