Early summer in the Biscayne Corridor smolders. Not just because of the steadily rising heat index, but because there’s a steady aroma of burning embers in the evenings. Ribs are on the grill. Lechón is being roasted over coals. Fresh-caught mahi and wahoo are laid out in backyard smokers. Noon outdoors is uncomfortable this time of year – as it always is – but right around sunset there’s something super satisfying about sitting under the sky (or on a screened-in patio) and preparing a meal on an open flame or mini hibachi.
Being that it’s Father’s Day month, let Dad work the grill. He knows that smoke improves the flavor of everything. The Biscayne Tippler agrees, and knows that is especially true when it comes to – yes – adult beverages.
Using smoke in cocktails might seem, at first glance, like a bit of super-fancy molecular mixology. But it’s really as simple as catching smoke in a jar.
Smoke is already a key element in many aged spirits, which pick up a wealth of flavors from their time in charred barrels. But you can harness the same magic at home with nothing more than a lighter, a strip of aluminum foil, a mason jar and a chip of hardwood (you can buy applewood, or just wait until a neighbor is trimming live oak, Florida mahogany or Australian pine).
Fireproof a flat surface with the foil, then apply flame to the wood chip until it’s smoldering; not a flickering flame, but blackened, with one or two glowing orange spots. Place the jar over the chip until it fills with white smoke (you might need to leave a tiny gap at the bottom to keep air flowing to the ember). Then, smoothly lift the jar and, without turning it upright, screw on the lid. Congratulations, you have a jar of smoke.
Working swiftly, pour a premeasured amount of spirit in the jar and get that lid back on quickly. You can try anything from white rum to whiskey, aguardiente to aquavit, whatever you’ve got nearby. Shake it in the jar for a little less than a minute. The smoke will dissipate, but that’s fine. It is granting its flavor to the drink as it departs.
Finally, make your cocktail as usual.
Some of the best results are from standbys. Try a Manhattan with smoked rye or bourbon. A daiquiri with smoked rum wakes up that faint echo of molasses in the drink. And a smoked vodka bloody mary garnished with bacon becomes something supremely memorable.
If you’ve got guests, they’re bound to be impressed. Just don’t forget to bring one out to Dad, too.
For a step beyond the simple smoked cocktail, here’s something different that relies on the interplay of aged tequila and some smoky Scotch. Why shell out for Talisker or Laphroaig when you’ve learned how to smoke your own? A Mexican penicillin is not only smoky, but spicy, because of its ginger syrup. Not to be confused with a Moscow mule, this is a much richer, bolder drink.
Emily Cardenas for Biscayne Times
A Mexican Penicillin will cure whatever ails you.
MEXICAN PENICILLIN
INGREDIENTS
· 1 1/2 ounces tequila reposado
· 1/2 ounce agave syrup
· 3/4 ounce lime juice
· 3/4 ounce ginger syrup
METHOD
· Pour ingredients into shaker, fill with ice, cover and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds.
· Strain into an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice.
· Spray with smoky Scotch and garnish with candied ginger.