Last Thursday while twin tornadoes ripped across Brooklyn knocking down over 1,000 trees, Team Embury was setting up for its first event of the fall at ne0-retro furniture outfitters The New Traditionalists, in their cozy--and safe--showroom in Soho. Despite a late start due to city-wide apprehension over the intense storm the faithful still made the trek and by 7 p.m. the party was in full swing. I had the chance to demo a new cocktail I'd come up with called "Indian Summer", using Cynar, Beefeater Summer Edition and a puree of equal parts fresh red peppers and pickled sweet and sour mixed peppers--pretty damn tasty, if I do say so myself, and several guests declared its potent foodiness to make it a great alternative to a Bloody Mary. Huge respect to Nic Hirsch of Cellar Bar at Andaz 5th Avenue for his recipe Cynar Rosso (see our post here) that's the source of my original inspiration, and to John Byrd for suggesting the addition of the sweet and sour peppers. Hirch's original recipe calls for Martin Miller's Gin and the crisp, almost biting citrus notes partnered beautifully with the red pepper he muddled it with. But the elderflower, hibiscus flower and blackcurrant notes of the Summer Edition give the sweet and sour vinegared peppers something complex and earthy to work with, and the Indian Summer feels like a great late harvest drink.
INDIAN SUMMER
3/4 ounce Cynar
2 ounce Beefeater Summer Edition Gin
1.5 ounce puree of fresh red peppers and sweet & sour peppers*
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce turbinado syrup
I made a punch with the recipe and shook individual servings. As a
combination garnish and ice cube I froze some colorful habaneros in a
take-out container.
*I used "Peperoni in Agrodolce" from Il Mongetto-can be purchased at
BuonItalia in Chelsea Market--they don't seem to be on the website yet
but can be ordered by phone at 212-633-9717, and they're about $12.
Amy McNally of Brooklyn's Camp bar and Embury's main man Mark Buettler were on hand. Mark was mixing up something we'd worked on together, a spicy riff on a Paloma, using our still-in-development sriracha bitters.
Clicking on the recipe cards below should give you a nice big printable file.
Jaime Salas of Milagro manned a station, serving up the Mora y Sylvia with blackberries and Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters.
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