Sunday, October 31, 2010

indian summer julep

1 oz Calvados
1 oz Old Monk Rum
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 barspoon Allspice Dram
2 sprig Mint

Muddle mint in a rocks glass. Add rest of the ingredients and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint, grated nutmeg, and straws.

On Monday, Andrea and I visited Eastern Standard for dinner and cocktails. One drink that caught my eye was on their menu's Calvados section called the Indian Summer Julep. With the temperature dropping closer each week to a killing frost temperature and thus threatening the local mint population, I figured that this could be my last chance to celebrate the beverage style until late spring next year (excluding imported and hothouse mint, that is). Bartender Hugh Fiore described how the drink was created on a recent Friday night perhaps by Kit Paschal, and it was such a hit that Jackson Cannon put it on the menu.
The julep started with an aroma of mint coupled with the freshly grated nutmeg. A rich rum and apple brandy sip gave way to cinnamon and allspice on the swallow. Moreover, the mint provided a lingering flavor that continued throughout the drinking experience. Andrea similarly had an autumnal drink, but hers fell outside of the Calvados section. The drink she asked Hugh Fiore to make for her from the menu was one of his originals:
Farm House Flip
• 1 1/2 oz Walnut-infused Whiskey
• 3/4 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
• 1/2 oz Maple Syrup
• 2 dash Angostura Bitters
• 1 Egg
Shake once without ice and once with. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. The walnut infusion was done for 48 hours.
Besides being rich and delicious, this flip contained a delightful walnut flavor from the infusion that complemented the sherry and maple syrup rather well.

4 comments:

Tony Harion said...

That julep sound pretty good, I need to find a rum to sub there and give it a try.

Any suggestions?

frederic said...

Something dark and rich. Lemon Hart or a non 3-year El Dorado. Perhaps an Appleton. Goslings or Myers seems a bit too dark and rich but you could probably cut that 50:50 with an amber rum.

It's a pity you can't get Old Monk -- it's a good bargain up here (about $16 or so for a 750).

Tony Harion said...

Thanks! I´ll give that a try...

You have no idea how hard it is to find good rum around here..

Most of the good stuff needs to be brought on special orders.

Only the havana club line is widely found + a bunch of stuff i dont care about.

Cheers,

Tony Harion said...

Thanks! I´ll give that a try...

You have no idea how hard it is to find good rum around here..

Most of the good stuff needs to be brought on special orders.

Only the havana club line is widely found + a bunch of stuff i dont care about.

Cheers,