Judas and the Black Messiah

 For the last couple of years, I've been turning Oscar Night into my Superbowl, with a menu inspired by the year's Best Picture Nominees. This year's menu included Paul Masson (Aaaahh the French) Brandy Apple "Mank" tarte Latin, Deep dish Chicago Seven Ingredient pizza, Nomadland ramen noodles served in a travel mug, Promising Young Woman Fun-Fetti cupcakes with Twizzler garnish, and stir fried Minari. For Judas and the Black Messiah, instead of a dish, I made a cocktail (yes, this means I accidentally forgot a Best Picture nominee!):

I wanted something smoky, ashy and bitter, to represent the film. I was offered help at the Total Wine, and asked the helpful employee for his recommendation on the smokiest scotch. Pairing that with Compari to give it the bitter, ashy undertone, I needed a bit of sweetness to tame the cocktail, and chose Cafe Granite's coffee liqueur to do the job. Served with a blood orange twist, the result is indeed a slightly sweet, bitter, ashy, smoky delight. It's not for everyone, but hits me right in the middle of my palette.

Congrats on the well deserved Oscar win, Daniel Kalluya. And way to go to your parents for having sex.

Judas and the Black Messiah

1.5 oz Shieldag Islay Scotch (or similar Islay scotch)

.75 oz coffee liqueur

0.5 oz Campari

blood orange twist

Combine all ingredients, except for the blood orange rind in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Stir for 20-30 seconds, and strain into a rocks glass. Add ice cube, and orange rind twist.

Less Aviation

Robert turned to face Less. "It was the Pulitzer committee," he said evenly. "It turns out I've been pronouncing it wrong all these years."

"You won?"

"It's not Pew-lit-sire. It's Pull-it-sir.' Robert's eyes took another survey of the room. 'Holy f*ck, Arthur, I won."

I wonder whether Andrew Sean Greer's reaction to winning a Pulitzer mirrored the characters in his novel, Less. I do have a moment of disbelief with the above exchange, however. No one seriously pronounces it "Pew-lit-sire", do they?

The novel's titular character, Arthur Less, is about to turn 50. He's a novelist who can't get his latest book published, and he just receives an invitation to his long term former boyfriend's wedding, that's too awkward to attend, but what would it look like if he declined. He needs a good excuse, he needs to skip town. So he accepts all of his invitations to b-list literary events around the world.

The draw of a man of modest success facing his 50th birthday was too strong for this 49 year old ignore. On the other hand, how much do I have in common with this character? This blue suited, blonde haired, gay man who has a better piece of Bay Area real estate than I do. The flashbacks to his past reveal that Arthur and I have very little "shared" histories or parallel experiences.


The novel opens with his first literary event, with Arthur staring at a clock, not wanting to be late to meeting his handler. Only thing, is that the clock is broken. Greer is adept at amusing comedic moments (the clock is actually not the punch line of that story), and we begin, silently laughing at this character. He does seem a bit clown-ish, moving through his life without steering it, his decisions weak, until he finally finds himself, 49, not where he wants to be. Maybe we're not so different. The decision to accept all of the invites around the world might seem bold, but he's also running away from conflict. Less is a hapless world traveler, sticking out with his blonde hair, and signature blue suit. In any case, we get hints of the exotic locales, but we're not immersed in them. Instead, we're immersed in Less' journey, and history, in the myriad of flashbacks, as our omnipresent narrator takes on a character of his own. We learn to love Less along the way, and in a way, ourselves. The ending, folks, had me in tears.

For this novel, I riffed off of the Aviation, a stunning cocktail when well executed, as blue as the sky. Typically made with gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, and a splash of crème de violette, the Aviation is a pre-prohibition cocktail you normally won't find on most menus. This can be a delicate cocktail to balance.  In the Less version, I swapped out the gin, for genever and mescal. Genever is an ancestor to gin, based on malt wine, with a mixture of botanicals including juniper. It's a very well balanced liquor, sweeter than gin, restrained in it's use of juniper, with a smooth, malty mouthfeel. Pairs quite nicely with Mezcal, that lends some smokiness to the cocktail. Keeping the lemon juice, maraschino liqueur , creme de violette, from the Aviation, this cocktail starts off slightly sweeter, becomes more complex in the middle, and finishes cleanly and satisfying. Much like the novel. With the blue color and added lemon peel garnish, it's a visual reminder of Less' cover.

Less Aviation 
INGREDIENTS
1 oz genever
1 oz mezcal
1/2 oz lemon juice
3/4 maraschino liqueur
1/4 creme de violette
brandied cherry, with a lemon peel garnish

Combine all ingredients, except for the garnishes (cherry and lemon peel) in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds, and strain into a martini glass. Serve with the brandied cherry and lemon peel garnish.

Holes

I finished this book in the dead of (Calfornia) winter, which means no fresh peaches to be found. If you've read Louis Sachdar's novel, Holes, or seen the movie of the same name, you'd know canned peaches would be more in theme anyways. But I still waited until summer to undertake this project.

Holes is a Newberry award winning "young adult" novel, part mystery, part comedy, all enjoyable. Stanley Yelnats is a teen who carries a family curse. A series of mishaps sees him serving out a term at Camp Greenlake. There is no lake in sight, and Stanley joins other teens in building character by digging holes in the desert. Stanley begins to think that there is more to the hole digging, and the mystery begins to unfold. Sachdar deftly interweaves a story of a relationship between a school teacher and a seller of onions, a generation before, when there was still water in the lake.

Holes is a very satisfying read. Although the family curse is a bit more comedic than oppressive, watching the Yelnats family persevere under its shadow is inspiring. The tale of Kissin' Kate Barlow starts off as old west legend, but turns out to be the emotional core of the novel.

I put "young adult" in quotes, because it's not limited to young adults, it's just accessible to them. I recall that Sachdar first became inspired by driving through a hot, dusty desert, not a speck of water in sight, and began wondering what it would be like having to dig holes in such an environment. What he weaves around such a simple idea is truly wonderful.


Two of the things that bridge the Kissin' Kate Barlow timeline with Stanley Yelnats' are peaches and onions. Can those two things go together? I first tried a peach infused bourbon, with a pickled onion garnish, which was fine, but decided that a) what I create should really be satisfying after a long day of digging holes and b) it should probably be accessible to children. I decided to make a granita.

A granita is essentially Italian shaved ice. Made with water, some sugar, and fruit, the mixture is basically scraped, and fluffed as it freezes. For my "Holes" inspired dessert, the flavors are naturally, peaches and onion.

Holes Granita 
INGREDIENTS
4 ripe peaches, quartered
1/4 red onion, cut into thick slices
1 cup of water
2/3 cup of sugar
3 sprigs of basil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
whip cream (optional)
sweetened bourbon (optional)

Combine the water, sugar, and basil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until all the sugar is dissolved, and allow to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

I added the lemon peels from the lemons that I squeezed for the juice to the syrup as well

In a blender, add the peaches, lemon juice, red onion and salt. Blend until pureed. Push the mixture through a fine mesh sieve over a mixing bowl. Pour in the basil syrup, and still well. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly cool (about an hour).

Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish (I used a rectangular dish, around 7x10").  Place the dish in the freezer for 2 hours. The bottom and sides should be slightly solidified. Using a fork, break up the frozen pieces into smaller ice crystals. Put back in the freezer, and repeat this procedure in an hour, and again an hour after that.

When ready to serve, use a fork to break up any larger chucks, the granita should have a light, feathery structure.


Serve with whip cream, and for older adults a small pour of sweetened bourbon (1 oz bourbon, 1/4 oz simple syrup, stirred, and poured over the granita)

The granita is very surprising! The addition of the red onion seemed gimmicky (just a tie in with the novel), but in truth, with the basil, it adds a delicious, savory complexity to the dessert. Sort of a more adult subtext to a kid-friendly frozen treat.

If you're wondering where I got the awesome, and appropriate, shovel spoons, check them out here!

American Gods

With the Starz series starting, I decided I should tackle what looked like a monstrous book, but the type was large enough that this book turned out to be kind of a quick and easy read.

Strangely, this was my first real and complete reading of Neil Gaiman, other than the comic book mini series "Death and the High Cost of Living." My first impression is that Neil Gaiman is the master of fantasy pulp fiction, and I mean that as a compliment. The concepts and ideas are pretty celebral, but the writing is extremely accessible.

And as such, the cocktail itself, practically pours itself. Mr. Wednesday likes his Jack Daniels, and of course Mead itself is instrumental in his bond with Shadow. I played around with those flavors for awhile, and decided to go with a sour...adding Meyer lemon and sweetener to the Jack and Mead. The result is quite refreshing, and between a Bees Knees, with the hint of the mead, and a Whiskey Sour.

American Gods

2 oz of Jack Daniels

1 oz of mead (I used Runratty Meade, imported from Ireland, pour an ounce for Mad Sweeney)

0.5 oz of simple syrup or oleo saccharum

1 oz lemon juice (Meyer lemon preferred)

Pour into a shaker, and shake. Strain, and serve in an Old Fashioned glass with a giant ice cube, garnish with a small clunker and a lucky gold coin.

Ward Milk Punch

My good friend, Matt Ward is turning 60 this year, and there's going to be quite the party.  I'm volunteering to make some custom cocktails for the event, including what I have named, the "Ward Milk Punch."  This recipe is a milk punch version of the Ward 8 Cocktail.

What's a Ward 8 Cocktail?  Well, it's named for a former political district in Boston, which was crucial for delivering a victory for Martin Lomasney in 1898.  He had a 50 year political career as state senator, state representative.  This cocktail is served with a maraschino cherry, often with the Massachusett state flag.

The Ward 8 is a whiskey sour variant.  A common recipe for this cocktail is as follows:

- 2oz of rye whiskey

- 1/2 oz lemon juice

- 1/2 oz orange juice

- 1 teaspoon grenadine

ward 8 cocktail, pre-milk treatment

This is what I tried to adapt, but with this particular recipe, it's too sour.  I've seen other versions with some simple syrup, or more grenadine, and it makes it significantly more palatable.  All that citrus, however, and the fact that the cocktail shares a name with my friend, it makes a perfect base for a milk punch.  I just sweetened it with simple syrup and oleo-saccharum to taste.

Ward Milk Punch

4 cups of bourbon (I used Evan Williams)

1 cup of lemon juice

1 cup of orange juice

1 1/2 oz of grenadine syrup

1/2 cup of simple syrup

1/4 cup of oleo-saccharum (using lemon and orange rinds)

2 cups of milk

In a large mixing bowl, combine the bourbon, lemon juice, orange juice, simple syrup, oleo-saccharum, and grenadine, and stir.  Pour the milk into another container, 3 quarts in capacity.  Pour the cocktail mix into the milk, while stirring . The milk will curdle.

\

pre and post pour

Cover, and store in the fridge overnight.   Line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter and place over a bowl or measuring cup with at least 3 quarts capacity.  Slowly pour the milk punch mixture into the filter, allowing it to drain before reaching the edges of the filter.  Repeat as necessary.

post filter punch

I actually let the mixture sit, and pour off the mostly clear liquid, and then strain the curd mix.  Then, I take the strained, and poured off liquid and run it through the strainer/coffee filter 2-3 times.  This helps compress the time needed for filtering.

The resulting milk punch is significantly mellowed out from the originating cocktail.  Very tasty.  The different flavors are melding making somewhat difficult to identify each component.  There is a surprising bite at the end.  It's really something in between a punch and a cocktail, that I believe is a function of not adding a tea or coffee mixture to recipe.  

ward milk punch trio: left is made with about 1/3 of the orange juice being from a blood orange, the right is all navel oranges, and the middle is a blend of both batches

The Gardener and the Carpenter Milk Punch

I first heard about Alison Gopnik's The Gardener and the Carpenter on NPR, and when she uttered the line, (paraphrasing from memory) "The day before your child is born, stuff is just stuff.  The day after, it's a Mad Max dystopia," I was sold.  Alison Gopnik is a professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley, and a leader in child development.   This book contrasts "parenting" with being a parent, and discusses how trying to construct your child into a certain individual (the carpenter aspect) can be the wrong way to raise a child, choosing instead, the model of a gardener, who tends to their needs, protects them while they develop, but gives them freedom to flourish.

Gopnik backs this up by examining how children learn through different stages of life, often outlining experiments and showing the results from her own research.  It's fascinating to realize that how their brains work may be significantly different from how an adult's brain work, but it operates exactly how it needs to. For example, a child who is distracted might actually be focusing on exactly what they have the most to learn from in that moment.  Also, how the adult interacts with the children can change the way the children approaches something.  "Let's see what this does" can be quite different from "Let me show you what this does." I know in my own interactions with my children, I have gotten frustrated because one of them isn't thinking along the lines I think they should, and this insight is helping me change my behavior.  Another thing I've tried to change in my interactions is to view them less as a student, and more as an apprentice.

One evening, I was on the train sitting with two other commuters at a table, reading this book, and I turned to the only American at the table, and asked if he switches his fork to his other hand when he uses a knife.  He doesn't, because it slows down the process of getting food to his mouth.  Gopnik uses this ritual as an example of not helping you eat, but rather "tell you something about who I am, about my ethnic, religious, or national affiliation, and about whether I know and follow the rules of my group or defy them."  We discuss exactly that, and I enjoyed that moment of community after a busy work day.

This book was a truly fascinating read.   I was stunned by the role of pretending in allowing babies to develop a theory of mind; the ability to learn how different people may think and believe differently.  I don't think I've ever asked myself why children need to pretend at a brain level, just attributed a general value to it. She presents a refreshingly optimistic take on technology, and "screens", comparing it to what used to be the new technology of "reading."  I thoroughly enjoy when Gopnik gets philosophical.  She writes something that I've mulled over many times since, "We don't care for children because we love them; we love them because we care for them."  Her writing style is not dry, nor overly scientific, and using examples from her own life helps to make this an easy read.

It so happened, that about the time I was finishing up this book, I went to my favorite cocktail restaurant, Orchard City Kitchen, and finally ordered their milk punch out of curiosity.  Their menu only says, "secret blend, 3-day process, just order it."  They delivered this clear pale straw colored drink, seasoned with nutmeg, in a ceramic milk carton.  It didn't seem milk based at all, but rather was a clean, lightly fruited punch.  I figured the milk part was a joke, until I started doing some research, and suddenly a whole new world opened up to me.

So what the heck is a milk punch?!  Spirits weren't nearly as sippable back in the 1700's as they are today, and a surprising method was developed for making punches more palatable: using milk to clarify the concoction.  The oldest recorded milk punch recipe, dated 1711, is attributed to housewife Mary Rockett, although even before that Thomas Brown William Sacheverell mentions the drink in his 1688 account about the Scottish island of Iona.  Benjamin Franklin had his own recipe that he included in a 1763 letter to James Bowdoin.  When Charles Dickens (who is referenced in The Gardener and the Carpenter!) died, he had bottles of milk punch in his cellar, apparently very drinkable when later auctioned off.  Which also speaks of another benefit of the milk punch, it is shelf stable, and ages gracefully over time, not unlike wine.

How does it work?  Similar to consomee, which uses egg whites to clarify a broth, this technique uses the curdling of milk to collect the impurities within the beverage.  Once filtered, the resulting liquid is clear, and often has much of the original color removed.  Not only that, the flavors of the punch meld together, and any harshness is removed, resulting in an incredibly smooth drinking elixir, with a hint of creaminess.

before and after the milk treatment! 

A milk punch seemed to perfect for a cocktail inspired by a book about being a parent, and child development.  You've got milk representing childhood, port and bourbon to get you through raising children, espresso for those sleepless nights.  The meyer lemons came from a friend's garden.

One of the themes of Gopnik's book is how children can build upon previous generations' knowledge and experience.  And with that, I will point you to Camper English's excellent article in Cook's Science, The Key to Crystal-Clear Cocktails? Milk. (Really.),  The author and Cook's Science team has already done the homework on clarifying issues such as do you use hot milk, or cold milk?   Add the punch to the milk or the milk to the punch?   He also has within a black tea-port milk punch which I borrow heavily from for my recipe.


The Gardener and the Carpenter Milk Punch

INGREDIENTS
1 oz Oleo-Saccharum (made from the peel of 4 meyer lemons)
1 cup ruby port
2/3 cup bourbon (I used Bulleit's)
1/3 cup of sugar
1/3 cup of meyer lemon juice
1 cup of water
1 shot of espresso
1 cup whole milk

In a one quart measuring cup, add the shot of espresso, water, and sugar, and stir to dissolve the sugar.  Add oleo-saccharum, ruby port, bourbon, and lemon juice.  Stir.

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with 2 quarts capacity, pour in the cup of whole milk.  Pour the punch mixture into the milk, and gently stir curds.  Cover, and refrigerate overnight (or up to 24 hours).

pre and post pour into the milk

Line a mesh strainer with a coffee filter and place over a bowl or measuring cup with at least 2 quarts capacity.  Slowly pour the milk punch mixture into the filter, allowing it drain before reaching the edges of the filter.  Repeat this process with a new coffee filter with the filtered punch (at least one more time).

curds settling after sitting for about 2 hours

final filtering

Store in an airtight container, preferably in the refrigerator (although cellaring is possible too) until ready to be served.  Recommended serving size, 1/2 cup.

The resulting cocktail is remarkably smooth, complex, with a significant forward facing coffee component, fading into a smooth port like finish.  My first version used a little more espresso, and less port.  While I really enjoyed that punch, this version is a little more balanced in flavors, and yields a prettier color.

Once a Runner

Runner's World calls John L. Parker, Jr.'s, Once a Runner, the best novel ever written about running.  I personally attest that it's the best one I've ever read.  However, I have to admit the only running novels I've read are the three by Parker, Jr (I have read other running related books, however!)



Once a Runner was self-published by Parker in 1978, and became a cult classic among runners.  The novel follows the adventures of college runner, Quenton Cassidy, as he pursues his goal of running a sub 4-minute mile.  Parker's writing style sits somewhere between popular fiction and literature.  Some of the common complaints about this novel is that he doesn't quite fit the term literature.  While I feel similarly about his two follow ups, I find this novel to be pure joy.  His anecdotal stories about collegiate life are fun and humorous.  When he writes about the singular focus about training for a world-class athletic feat, it's absolutely inspirational.  But he truly shines when he puts you right in the race.  The climactic race reduces me to tears every time I read it.  It's electrifying, and it used to be said that copies of Parker's book should be banned as a performance enhancement drug.  I know for me, my training nudges up a couple of notches when I read this novel.

The road to victory is not an easy one.  One of the themes of this novel is that there is no secret to success.  It is hard work, and a lifestyle full of sacrifice.  The trials of miles.

In the end, running one single footrace is pretty easy.   You've still got to pace it correctly, or it could be disastrous, just like drinking cocktails.  What I wanted to capture with my cocktail, is a sense of all the work that comes before.  So assembly of the drink itself is simple, but the components take some effort.  I'll give you the recipe first, and then we'll talk components (and their recipes).

Once a Runner

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Bushmills Irish Whiskey

0.5 oz Oleo-Saccharum syrup

3 dashes coffee bitters

2 dashes turmeric tincture

orange peel garnish

In a mixing glass, combine whiskey, syrup and bitters.  Add ice, and stir for 20-30 seconds.  Strain into a chilled coup.  Garnish with orange peel.

The resulting cocktail is quite deliciously complex, with subtle layers of citrus coming through, melding nicely with the coffee.  It's surprisingly light, and the initial sweetness completely disappears.  It's obviously riffing on an Old Fashioned, with the Irish Whiskey replacing the rye or bourbon, Oleo-Saccharum syrup in place of the sugar, but comes out tasting significantly different.

(Revision 1 of the cocktail to test out the flavor profile)

Cassidy is a beer drinker, but he does have one low point where he delves quite deeply into a bottle of Irish Whiskey.  That made it really obvious what to choose for the base spirit, although Irish whiskey isn't commonly used in cocktails.  It's smooth, but not generally as complex as bourbon.  It turns out to be perfect in this cocktail, because it lets those other flavors from the other ingredients to shine through. 

Once a Runner is set in Florida, and the Oleo-Saccharum, as well as the orange peel were included as a nod to the state.  

The remaining two components, the coffee bitters and turmeric tincture speak more about my experience as a runner, and in reading this book.  John L Parker shines brightest when he's describing races.  I get completely lost in the moment, my body physically reacting to what I'm reading with increased adrenaline levels...it's like a shot of literary caffeine!  My (very tiny) dose of caffeine is literal in this drink.  Now, as a runner, I'm always combating inflammation, so here's a great opportunity to add an anti-inflammatory with flavor, and color.

Now, about the oleo-saccharum, and bitters.  Here's where the prep work comes in.  

Oleo-saccharum is an ingredient made from citrus rinds, and sugar.  More commonly used in the 19th century, it is a fantastic way to give this cocktail that citrus note and aroma  (and the nod to Florida) without overwhelming it with juice.   It makes a great base to a punch, or will kick up your lemonade game.  It's fun to make, and you'll never want to waste a peel again.  Start by peeling the zest from a couple of oranges, trying to avoid the white pith.  Bruise the rinds with a muddler.  Cover with sugar (approximately same amount of sugar as zest).    The sugar draws out that oil over about 6 hours.  You can then strain, but I put the peels and sugar in a pan, add water, equal to the amount of sugar, heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Strain off the peels, and cool to room temperature before use.  It'll store up to a month in your fridge.

The tincture and bitters are made by combining flavor and aroma ingredients with high proof alcohol. For the turmeric tincture, I took 2 oz of fresh turmeric, sliced them, and put them in a jar with 4 oz of Everclear (150 proof vodka).  I shook the jar once a day for about 3 weeks.    The contents were strained through a coffee filter, and the solids heated in a pan with 3 oz of water, and two tablespoons of honey.  After simmering for 5 minutes, that mixture was strained through a coffee filter, and combined with the original liquid.   The water dilutes the tincture to around 43% alcohol.  I did try the undiluted tincture in the cocktail and the sharpness of the alcohol content is too noticeable.

I tried a couple of different recipes for the coffee bitters, but liked Jacob Grier's version the best (so far).  Here's a link to his recipe.  Mine was made in much smaller quantities, and used Everclear, instead of rum.  Similar to the tincture, the ingredients are combined in a jar with Everclear, shaken once a day for about 3 weeks, strained, with the solids simmered with water, to dilute the final product.  I used two tablespoons of molasses for the sweetener. 

Full recipes of bitters and tinctures to follow.

In the spirit of going the distance, I went the extra mile and roasted my own coffee.  Did you know that you can do this with just a popcorn maker?  I took green coffee, from Sweet Maria's, and roasted to what's known as Full City+ (a dark roast, but not as dark as French).    I like to wait a few days before using my coffee, since it lets the CO2 from the roasting process vent.

So there you have it.  A cocktail that was a month in the making!  My mixology equivalent to running a 60 quarter workout.  May your miles bring you smiles.

Cheers!