Don’t Spill This on Your Dress
A pickled martini, beet sangria, and other savory cocktails from local drink-makers.
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Mr. Miyagi, The Supersonic, Michelada, Beet Sangria, and Smoke 'N' Spice
(Photo: Brian Doherty) |
Smoke ’n’ Spice
A stiff and smoky offering from Casey Wallin, bartender at Decoy.
1 bottle of Thai-chile-infused Sombra mezcal1 oz. pineapple juice
½ oz. Aperol
½ oz. lime juice
½ oz. simple syrup
10 drops Brooklyn Hemispherical Sriracha bitters
1. Chop a handful of Thai chiles and infuse into a bottle of Sombra for 15 minutes to an hour (to taste—more time means more heat). Strain out chiles.
2. Combine 2 oz. of infused Sombra with the rest of the ingredients and shake with ice. Double-strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. (For an extra flourish, garnish with a pineapple leaf and a hit of fumes from a food smoker.)
The Supersonic
A pickled twist on a martini from Kyle Storm, bartender at French Louie.
2 oz. New York Distilling Company’s Perry’s Tot gin
½ oz. Dolin vermouth bianco
1 jar of giardiniera pickled vegetables from Brooklyn Brine
1. Stir cocktail ingredients with ¾ oz. of pickle juice and ice. Strain and serve up in a coupe, with a lemon twist or pickle garnish.
Michelada
A Oaxacan version of the morning-time favorite from Marisa Cadena, co-owner at Lucky Luna.
½ oz. Salsa Valentina¼ oz. Worcestershire sauce
½ oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
¼ oz. Maggi Jugo
Pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
Tajín chile seasoning
Light lager or pilsner
1. Moisten the rim of a Collins glass with citrus juice and dip into a dry mix of Tajín and salt.
2. Build the cocktail in the glass, fill with ice, and top with lager (or pilsner). Gently stir.
Mr. Miyagi
A peppy Bloody Mary with wasabi heat from Phoebe Waterson, head bartender at Miles.
For the Mr. Miyagi Mix:
12 oz. low-sodium soy sauce
3 oz. fresh ginger juice
4 tbsp. wasabi powder
For the Cocktail:
2 oz. saffron-infused gin
5 oz. Bloody Mary mix
1 oz. Mr. Miyagi mix
Dash of Sriracha
Wasabi salt (2 parts wasabi powder, 1 part salt)
Nori
1. Add ¼ teaspoon of saffron to a 1-liter bottle of gin; infuse overnight, then strain.
2. Combine Mr. Miyagi–mix ingredients thoroughly (no lumps).
3. Mix everything together and pour into a pint glass rimmed with wasabi salt. Garnish with a sheet of nori.
Beet Sangria
A juicy, earthy number from Eben Freeman, bar director at the Butterfly.
¼ cup sugar
1 oz. lime juice
3 oz. orange juice
4 oz. Fever Tree ginger beer
1 oz. triple sec
6 oz. Fundador brandy
8 oz. house red wine
11 oz. beet juice
Salt (preferably infused with dried orange peel)
1. Combine first four ingredients; stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add final ingredients. Pour 5 oz. into an orange-salt-rimmed wineglass. Fill with ice and stir.