The menu at M******y 101 is pretty extensive, with a solid mix of the old-school and the new-fangled. Since I'm perfectly capable of making the former at home, I opted for one of the modern drinks, the Brisa Frances. (I did ask the bartender if he could make a Holland Razor Blade, but alas, they had no cayenne.) And luckily for me, M******y 101 has the recipes for many of their cocktails printed on the walls, so I didn't have to awkwardly ask the bartender for the exact measurements.
I'm always partial to mezcal cocktails, as well as anything with a touch of absinthe (or a lot of absinthe, or just plain absinthe), and I also love a good cucumber margarita, so the Brisa Frances seemed like an ideal choice. As expected, it was refreshing and delicious and just the right amount smoky.
***
Recipe (transcribed from the walls at this place):
1.5 ounces mezcal
0.75 ounce agave syrup
0.75 ounce lime juice
0.25 ounce absinthe
0.5 ounce cucumber juice
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a highball glass with fresh ice cubes, and top with soda water and a cucumber peel.
***
Some notes:
- Mezcal is easier to find than it used to be. BevMo sells a few varieties, and even less well-stocked liquor stores often have one or two. As with any other spirit, you can safely buy a cheaper variety if you're going to use it exclusively in cocktails like this one, but if you want one that's good for both mixing and sipping, you should probably get something in the $30-40 range.
- As far as making cucumber juice goes, if you don't have a juicer at home, you have a few options. You can put cucumber in a blender or food processor and strain it, or just go to a juice bar and have them juice you up a pint or so of cucumber-only. It should keep in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks.
- There are a couple of brands of absinthe you can buy in 100-ml bottles like this one, which is ideal if you just want to be able to add a splash of it to a drink like this one (or for rinsing the glass to make a Sazerac). We'll get into sipping absinthe in a subsequent post.
- To make agave syrup, mix agave nectar (the squeeze-bottle stuff you buy at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's) with equal parts boiling water, stir it up, and let cool. You'll end up with a much thinner liquid that dissolves more easily in drinks (especially cold drinks), and it'll last longer too. (And don't worry, it's still insanely sweet even in diluted form.)
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a highball glass with fresh ice cubes, and top with soda water and a cucumber peel.
***
Some notes:
- Mezcal is easier to find than it used to be. BevMo sells a few varieties, and even less well-stocked liquor stores often have one or two. As with any other spirit, you can safely buy a cheaper variety if you're going to use it exclusively in cocktails like this one, but if you want one that's good for both mixing and sipping, you should probably get something in the $30-40 range.
- As far as making cucumber juice goes, if you don't have a juicer at home, you have a few options. You can put cucumber in a blender or food processor and strain it, or just go to a juice bar and have them juice you up a pint or so of cucumber-only. It should keep in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks.
- There are a couple of brands of absinthe you can buy in 100-ml bottles like this one, which is ideal if you just want to be able to add a splash of it to a drink like this one (or for rinsing the glass to make a Sazerac). We'll get into sipping absinthe in a subsequent post.
- To make agave syrup, mix agave nectar (the squeeze-bottle stuff you buy at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's) with equal parts boiling water, stir it up, and let cool. You'll end up with a much thinner liquid that dissolves more easily in drinks (especially cold drinks), and it'll last longer too. (And don't worry, it's still insanely sweet even in diluted form.)
No comments:
Post a Comment