Amaizing Grays
Makes: 1 cocktail. Serving size as shown.
The season is wet;
The Indians call it the monsoons, but
it’s called fall in the Pacific Northwest.
While that haiku is (almost definitely) terrible, this riff on an El Padrino most definitely isn’t. I wanted to attempt to draw parallels between a true PNW rainy fall and what classifies for a season change in India at this time, a.k.a, the famous monsoons. And what better way than to celebrate a harvest period than with corn? Street corn vendors with their array of charred corn on the cob that drips with freshly squeezed lime juice, are almost synonymous with Indian monsoons, and to twist that emotion into a North American riff was just the challenge I wanted to undertake. Plus, I much prefer this ginnified version of a Padrino over the classic Scotch one, anyway. Now, go stir yourself this cocktail to make the seasonal greys seem utterly a-maize-ing.
ingredients
1 1/2 oz charred corn infused gin
1 1/2 oz amaretto
1 1/2 tsp charred lemon juice
1/3 cup small cubed ice, to stir with
Large ice cube, to pour over
Dehydrated orange wheel, to garnish
method
Make the infused gin: Add 1/3 cup corn niblets to an ungreased skillet and sauté on high heat till charred. Add to 1 cup of gin in a mason jar, shake vigorously, and let it steep overnight. The next day, strain the infusion, first through a mesh sieve, then through a fine cotton or muslin cloth to completely remove any charred particles. Discard the solids. Store in the refrigerator.
Charred lemon juice: Cut half a lemon into 3 thick slices. Char on a grill pan or an ungreased skillet, till well browned on the rind. Squeeze the slices to obtain the juice. Do not discard the rinds. Use them to make a charred lemon crème patisserie.
Make the cocktail: Add all the spirits, lemon juice, and small cubed ice to a large mixing glass and stir swiftly for 5 seconds. Strain the cocktail in a double rocks glass with a large ice cube in it. Place a dehydrated orange wheel over the ice. Sip immediately.
