CHAPTER 9 COCKTAILS
We tend to drink how we eat: we like our cocktails balanced and usually bold. If and when they are part of our meal, the two of us gravitate towards classic cocktails or riffs on the classics—as these tend to avoid being overly sweet or fruity and typically go well with food.
But there is a place for almost every kind of cocktail in a meal. Many of the versions we chose for this book are the result of collaboration from various bartenders and managers who have worked with us at Ox or its adjoining cocktail bar, the Whey Bar. Behind both bars, we carry a mix of locally produced and international distillates—from Argentina, Brazil, France, Italy, and more. A few of the drinks that follow can be made simply using these ready-made ingredients, while others incorporate from-scratch syrups, seasonal juices, or other contributions from your kitchen. These elements, which can be made in advance, are not only fun to concoct but are also great to have in your cupboard or refrigerator so that, whenever company calls, you are only a few steps away from stellar homemade drinks. If you go so far as to pre-mix a batch of cocktails that are ready to be shaken and poured when guests arrive, you’re that much more ahead of the game.
Just as there are no strict rules for which dishes we serve as starters, mains, or sides in this book, there are no real requirements for when or in which order to serve or consume these drinks. But there are a few that we do think work well for getting the appetite going at the beginning of a meal or party, and others that are darker, richer, and make a nice note to end on. As long as you’re enjoying what you’re drinking and having a good time, that’s all that really matters.
unfiltered vodka, grandma agnes’s pickles, vermouth
Our riff on a dirty martini and one of the most popular drinks on our menu, this sipper uses the brine of our favorite homemade pickles to tame down the vodka instead of jarred olive juice. The pickles were Greg’s grandma’s recipe, which he grew up with and loved as a child, and the addition of garlic and crushed red pepper gives the brine a light spiciness. We put a pickle spear in it for a bit of crunch and a fun presentation.
Here’s to you, Grandma Agnes.
MAKES 1
1½ ounces unfiltered vodka, such as Belvedere brand
¾ ounce brine, plus 1 pickle spear from Grandma Agnes’s Spicy Dill Pickles, for garnishing
½ ounce dry vermouth, such as Dolin brand
Ice
In a mixing glass, combine the vodka, brine, and vermouth; fill the glass three-quarters of the way with ice and stir the mixture for 30 to 45 seconds. Strain into a champagne coupe or martini glass. Garnish with the pickle spear.
mulled wine, fernet branca, cola
Calimocho is a cheap and cheerful drink seen around Argentina and elsewhere in South America and Spain, and it typically consists of red wine mixed with Coca-Cola. It’s commonly served over ice there, but first we warm and flavor the wine using mulling spices. Later, we top it with a Fernet Branca float. It’s our spiced-up twist on the classic—and a really fun drink to serve at a party.
MAKES 1
Ice
3 ounces Mulled Red Wine
About 4 ounces Coca-Cola, preferably Mexican, for topping
¾ to 1 ounce Fernet Branca (optional)
Lime slice, for garnishing
Pour the mulled wine into an ice-filled pint glass; top with Coke. Add the Fernet Branca, if using, to the top of the cocktail (this is called a “float” in the bar world). Garnish the glass with the lime slice.
MAKES ABOUT 3¾ CUPS (ENOUGH FOR 10 COCKTAILS)
1 (750ml) bottle inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec
½ cup honey
15 black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
3 sticks cinnamon
1 bay leaf
Zest of 1 orange
¼ cup brandy
In a small pot, combine the wine, honey, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, and orange zest. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low; let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the brandy, and let rest for 30 minutes for the flavors to marry. Strain, then refrigerate until ready to use.
pisco, smoked lemon, jalapeño oil, egg white
Egg whites give a smoothness and richness to a cocktail’s texture, and we like that about this drink because it means the texture can stand up to the smokiness and pepperiness of its flavors. First, you do a dry shake without ice, which helps break apart the membrane and albumen of the egg white and gives it a silky texture. You then do a second shake with ice to chill the drink and create an airy foam on top.
That foam is classic in a pisco sour, and this is our spicier, more complex version. The smoked lemon syrup really makes it, but if you don’t have the means to make smoked lemon rinds, skip the smoking step and make a lemon simple syrup (not smoked), then swap ½ ounce of the pisco for ½ ounce mezcal (such as Del Maguey Vida brand) for smokiness.
MAKES 1
1½ ounces pisco
¾ ounce Smoked Lemon Syrup
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce egg white (about ½ of an egg’s worth)
¼ ounce Jalapeño Oil
Kosher salt
Angostura bitters, for garnishing
In a cocktail shaker (with no ice), combine the pisco, lemon syrup, lemon juice, egg white, jalapeño oil, and a pinch of salt. Make sure the shaker is closed tightly (eggs tend to leak out and create a mess), and shake until the egg white is frothy, 30 to 45 seconds. Open the shaker and fill it with ice; shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Double strain the mixture through a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer into a champagne coupe or martini glass. Garnish with an Angostura swirl: Using a dropper, gently drop 3 to 4 drops of Angostura bitters onto the top of the cocktail. Using a toothpick, zig-zag through the drops, then do one final pull through the line of drops to create a flower design (optional).
MAKES 3 CUPS (ENOUGH FOR 32 COCKTAILS)
1 lemon, zest peeled into 7 to 10 strips
6 ounces vodka (100 proof)
18 ounces (2¼ cups) simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
Prepare a smoker with mesquite wood for cold smoking (see sidebar), or skip the smoking-related steps if making nonsmoked lemon syrup. Spread the lemon zests on a wire rack and transfer to the prepared smoker. Smoke for 1 hour, making sure the zests do not get dry or crispy. Transfer the zests to the vodka and let sit for 2 days; strain out the zests. The syrup will keep indefinitely when stored in the fridge.
MAKES 1 CUP
2 jalapeños, coarsely chopped
1 cup neutral-flavored vegetable oil
In a medium nonreactive pot, cook the jalapeños in the oil over medium-low heat until they start to discolor, 10 to 15 minutes (do not cover the pot, as this could cause the oil to boil over). Cool, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the jalapeños with the back of a ladle to extract all the juice. Store in a sterilized sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
rye, fernet branca, velvet falernum, house grenadine
All over Argentina—and coincidentally in Portland, too—people love Fernet Branca, a type of Italian amaro, or bitter herbal liqueur. In Argentina they drink it simply and at a variety of times and occasions, often either straight or mixed with cola.
This cocktail blends Fernet well, without leaving behind any over-powering medicinal quality. The name comes from an old Andean term from which the Creole lagniappe is derived: it refers to a little something extra that a shop owner gives to a customer to complete a purchase, or something one gives as a bonus—similar to getting a thirteenth treat after buying a dozen, or one for the road.
You can serve this cocktail at the beginning or end of a meal (or enjoy it all afternoon long).
MAKES 1
1 ounce rye, such as Old Overholt brand
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1½ ounces La Yapa Mix
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
In a cocktail shaker, combine the rye, lemon juice, La Yapa Mix, and bitters; fill the shaker with ice and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Double strain through a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer into an ice-filled rocks glass or old-fashioned glass.
LA YAPA MIX
MAKES 16 OUNCES (ENOUGH FOR 12 COCKTAILS)
4 ounces grenadine, homemade or store-bought
4 ounces Fernet Branca
4 ounces John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum
In a mixing glass, combine the grenadine, Fernet, and Falernum; stir well to mix. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Will keep indefinitely.
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
2 cups pomegranate juice
2 cups sugar
2 ounces pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional, but strongly suggested)
In a small nonreactive pot, combine the pomegranate juice and sugar and heat over medium heat (do not boil) until the sugar dissolves, 4 to 5 minutes; remove from the heat. Stir in the pomegranate molasses and orange blossom water. Let cool completely. Store in a sterilized sealed container for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
aged rum, bourbon, whey, lime, demerara
We make our own ricotta at Ox and end up with a lot of leftover whey—the milky liquid left behind once the cheese curds form. We started to use it in cocktails, realizing it adds a viscosity and texture without overwhelming the drink with a heavily creamed flavor. Now we have a whole series of cocktails that include whey (as well as an adjoining lounge called the Whey Bar), and with that, a slew of horribly punny cocktail names.
This one is a rum-based cocktail, and the natural acidity and saltiness of the whey plays well with rum’s dark, syrupy sweetness.
MAKES 1
1¼ ounces dark Jamaican rum, such as Appleton brand
¼ ounce bourbon, such as Evan Williams brand
1 ounce whey (see Homemade Ricotta)
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce Demerara Syrup
Ice
Lime slice, for garnishing
In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, bourbon, whey, lime juice, and demerara syrup; fill the shaker with ice and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Double strain through a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a lime slice.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
½ cup demerara sugar
½ cup water
In a small saucepan, combine the demerara sugar and water and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before using. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
bourbon, beet syrup, tarragon
The first thing people notice about this drink is its incredible color, so deep and unique it immediately makes you want to drink one. The source is fresh red beet juice, which has sweetness and earthiness that plays brilliantly with bourbon. To round out the juiciness, fresh tarragon adds a light bitterness and licorice flavor.
MAKES 1
1½ ounces bourbon, such as Buffalo Trace brand
1 ounce Beet Syrup
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Ice
1 sprig fresh tarragon
In a cocktail shaker, combine the bourbon, beet syrup, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt; fill with ice, seal, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Double strain through a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with the tarragon sprig.
MAKES ABOUT 10 OUNCES (ENOUGH FOR ABOUT 10 COCKTAILS)
1 cup red beet juice (from about 2 medium beets)
⅓ cup cane sugar
In a small nonreactive pot over medium heat, cook the beet juice and cane sugar, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Store in a sterilized sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (though the syrup is best when used right away).
