We absolutely love cocktails. Part science project, part culinary wonder, part presentation wonder, they are endlessly interesting to us. National Cocktail Day is March 24. To get you in the, uh, spirit, here are some unique cocktail recipes from area restaurants to challenge and entice you. Bonus? You can make them any day of the year!
National Cocktail Day Recipes:
Farow Negroni Dell’ Etna
Recipe courtesy Farow Restaurant in Niwot, Colorado
From Farow’s Bar Manager John Adair: “We concocted this delicious spin on a negroni as part of our negroni week menu in September. Amaro is a fabulous swap for Campari, and especially this Amaro dell’ Etna as it has really bright orange undertones combined with bitter herbs and roots. It plays nicely with whiskey and is super fun to drink when the weather cools off.”
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Colorado’s Abbott & Wallace Rye Whiskey
1 oz Amaro dell’ Etna amaro
1 oz Lustau’s Red Vermouth
Directions:
Combine all ingredients and stir over ice in a mixing glass. Strain over a large cube and garnish with an orange peel.
Dueling Hongos – “Fighting Mushrooms”
Recipe courtesy OAK at Fourteenth in Boulder
From OAK at Fourteeth’s new Beverage Director, Collin Griffith: “Fat washing” has really only become popular in the last 20 years. Bartenders have tried all sorts of combinations from animal fats, nut oils, etc. to impart flavor to a spirit. I find that fat washing also imparts a textural element to a spirit as well giving it a rounder and more silky mouthfeel.
“In this cocktail, we duck fat wash a very cool spirit called Sol Tarasco Anejo Charanda con Hongos. Charanda, which translates to “red colored soil,” is a sugar cane distillate similar to rum that originates from the Michoacan region of Mexico. This particular Charanda is made with sugar cane that grows at an elevation of more than 4,000 ft. and is infused with local organic blue indigo and oyster mushrooms (or Cordyceps Sinensis, said to generate a sensation of well-being, energy and vitality), then aged a minimum of three years in bourbon barrels. This gives the spirit a bold umami flavor, which complements the sweet rich qualities of the sugar cane and toast of the barrel.
“Mushrooms were historically added to Charanda for their healing effects – they were thought to cure disease, reduce fatigue and stress and restore energy. This cocktail combines the duck fat washed Charanda with Law’s Whiskey House’ rye whiskey, amaro Montenegro, Aztec chocolate bitters, and OAK bitters for a rich silky savory sipper that is packed with richness and medicinal properties.”
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 oz. duck fat-washed Sol Tarasco Charanda con Hongos (or your favorite rum) – recipe below
0.75 oz Amaro Montenegro
0.75 oz Laws Whiskey House Rye Whiskey (or your favorite whiskey)
2 dashes Cocktail Punk’s OAK Bitters
2 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, fill with ice, stir for about one minute. Strain to a chilled coupe glass. Express orange twist and garnish.
Duck fat infusion:
Combine 16 oz. Sol Tarasco and 150g duck fat (can be obtained from specialty markets) and let it sit at room temp, covered, for 4 hours. Transfer to the freezer until all the fats solidify. Strain out all of the fat through a cheesecloth and pour into a bottle. Refrigerate.
Orange Honey Smash
Recipe courtesy Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey
Stranahan’s Orange Honey Smash is a spin on the traditional Manhattan with some extra sweetness added to elevate the drinking experience. It’s perfect for these early spring days when you still want some of the warmth of a whiskey cocktail but are looking for that sweet and fruity freshness of the orange and honey to preview the new season.
Ingredients:
2 oz Stranahan’s Original
.5 oz sweet vermouth
.25 oz honey liqueur
.25 oz amaro
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash Orange bitters
1 Orange
Directions:
Pour Stranahan’s Original, sweet vermouth, honey liqueur and add amaro, Angostura bitters and Orange bitters into a shaker and stir gently. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with an orange twist.
Honey Lavender Margarita
Recipe courtesy Richard Sandoval Hospitality
This cocktail is part of Chef Richard Sandoval’s Viva Abejas menu/philanthropic campaign at his restaurants, Toro and Tamayo, centered around helping the world’s bee population. Running March 21-April 22, 2023, food and drink specials are plant-based and incorporate edible flowers, bee pollen, honey, avocado, and other bee-centric products. Here is a cocktail served during that program.
Serves 1
Ingredients:
2 oz. blanco tequila
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. honey lavender simple syrup (see below)
0.5 oz. crème de violette (violet syrup liquor)
0.5 oz. triple sec
Directions:
Shake, Collins glass, garnish with lavender sprig and lime wheel
Sub-recipe – Honey Lavender Simple Syrup Ingredients:
½ cup filtered water
½ cup all-natural honey
1 tablespoon dried lavender
Sub-recipe Directions:
Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and turn to medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stirring consistently until honey dissolves into water. Pour into a glass container, cover and place into cooler. Let sit overnight or for at least 8 hours to let lavender infuse even more. Strain lavender before serving.
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