Some notable spies like their drinks a fussy way—“shaken, not stirred.” You know how I like my drinks? Exploding! Show some chest hair, man! I want enough booze to knock my feet out from under me, and a little something special that will start a party in my mouth.

Secretly developed by the East Germans during the cold war, the Atomic Cherry Bomb is rimmed in rapid-fire Pop Rocks action. A splash of lemon-lime soda is added to ice-cold Kirschwasser (a cherry brandy), and the whole thing is garnished with a fiery-hot jawbreaker. The drink starts with a clear glassy hue, and as the fireball slowly dissolves in a mushroom-cloudy fizz, the Atomic Cherry Bomb takes on a shade of deep Communist red, and a sizzling cinnamon taste.

SUPPLIES

(Serves 1)

Pop Rocks (red matches the drink, but other colors are fun, too)

Martini glass

Lemon or lime wedge

Cocktail shaker

Ice

2 shots Kirschwasser

Lemon-lime soda

Fireball jawbreaker

HOW TO

1. Pour the Pop Rocks onto a shallow dish slightly larger than the rim of your glass.

2. Rub the lemon or lime wedge around the rim of your glass, squeezing out a little juice as you go.

3. Dredge the martini glass in the Pop Rocks. You’ll want to move quickly from here on, as your drink will become volatile at this point.

4. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.

5. Pour 2 shots of Kirschwasser over the ice. Cover the shaker, and shake several times to a catchy rhythm (“Shave and a Haircut” is a personal favorite).

6. Strain into the martini glass and top off with soda.

7. Drop the bomb and wait for the magic. The mushroom-cloud effect usually sets off about 30 seconds after the candy has been deployed into the drink. The longer the fireball sits, the darker the drink gets, though the Pop Rocks tend to mellow after a few minutes. Ideally, you’ll want to taste this treat in several stages, like a rocket booster.