Thursday, August 19, 2010

balao swizzle

3 oz Dry Oloroso Sherry (Lustau Don Nuño)
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
1/2 oz Liqueur Amaro (Averna)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 tsp Toasted Caraway Seeds (*)

Muddle toasted caraway seeds in a Collins glass. Add all liquid ingredients, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix. Float a barspoon of Angostura Bitters over the top for garnish.

As I mentioned during the Delores Park Swizzle entry, the drink book handed out by the Secret Sherry Society had some rather delicious looking drinks. The one we made Tuesday last week was one by Boston's own Corey Bunnewith, and like the Delores Park, his drink was also a swizzle. I used Averna for the "Liqueur Amaro" in the recipe; however, I just noticed that DrinkBoston listed it as the more floral Meletti amaro in the posting last December.
The Balao Swizzle started with an aroma of caraway seeds, lime, and Averna. The drink tasted vaguely like coffee for it had a rich and toasted flavor on the sip and a bitter note at the end. Definitely the roasting of the caraway seeds did more than just bring out the typical "rye bread" aroma, but the roasting added a definite toastiness to the drink. After a few sips in, the lime and falernum began to come more prominent on my palate and these two ingredients played rather well with the sherry.

(*) Caraway seeds will pop when they are roasted (not a major deformation like popcorn, but it is audible and they jump a little). I roasted until almost half of seeds had popped. When served, the seeds at the bottom of the drink might be a nuisance when using a straw. Perhaps muddling the seeds in a mixing glass, adding all but the ice and bitters, shaking, and straining through a tea strainer over the Collins glass filled with crushed ice might be a better option.

4 comments:

erik.ellestad said...

add some aquavit or kummel, then you won't get caraway seeds stuck in your teeth.

frederic said...

True, but you won't get the lovely toasted notes imparted in the drink. Although that might be the best suggestion for what to use my kummel for...

Unknown said...

the recipe in the book should have noted that the seeds be discarded after muddling for aroma.

frederic said...

The booklet lacked it, but a web recipe had it but the seeds were muddled alone and discarded so the aromatics remained (which made no sense).