I Got Your Horse Right Here: This Kentucky Clover Hits The Bourbonite's Trifecta!

In describing his already-ebullient nature the "Match Game" panel fixture Charles Nelson Reilly once said, "I'm usually at about a four. But with a little bourbon I can take it to 13." 

As a self-described bourbonite, I've yet to find a quote that better captures the spirit of my beverage of choice. Festive and feisty, bourbon can also be smooth and seductive. And, as years of imbibing have taught me, it has an adaptable year round appeal. 

Unlike Scotch which seems well-suited for winter, or vodka or tequila which, in my opinion, have an inherent chill making them perfect for summer, bourbon isn't a strictly seasonal pour. In every month on the calendar there are occasions that seem custom-made for the drink. So, it stands to reason that there should be drinks custom-made for those events. 

With May about to bloom, and with the Triple Crown at the gate, I wanted to christen a special cocktail in honor of this weekend's Kentucky Derby. In fashioning that drink, I turned to three different classics from the whiskey/ bourbon catalog and set out to create something new. I started with the basic ingredients of the Whiskey Sour, the Mint Julep and the Manhattan, and after a lot of shaking, stirring, steeping and pouring - down the drain as often as down the hatch, I have to say - I hit upon two formulas that made me, and those who shared them, quite happy. 

I approach making cocktails the same way I cook. I follow my instincts, marrying flavors and textures that I think complement each other. Just as I've never studied under a professional chef, beyond a few classes here and there, I've never taken a proper bartending class. There are several wonderful opportunities for the latter here in San Francisco, most notably the acclaimed courses offered at Bourbon & Branch. The classes are a little pricey, though, and while I'm not opposed to being taught by a master mixologist, I've already spent a great deal of time and money learning how to drink. It was at a place called Penn State. 

Relying on my instincts, and previous imbibing experience, I set out to concoct a drink this week that accomplished three goals: I wanted to enhance the inherent oakiness of the bourbon, reflect a bit of the Triple Crown's tradition, and also give a nod to the bright promise of spring. The result? A little cocktail I call the Kentucky Clover. 

I'll give a quick run down of its inception, then I'll get out of your way. I started the recipe with the idea of adding cloves and allspice to bourbon. The roundness of the allspice seemed a good match for the booze as did the bite and heat of the clove, but I was concerned they might be too warm for this time of year. I cooled them down with some ginger, orange peel and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. While all of these elements combined well, the sweetness of the drink was still overpowering. I cut back on the syrup - which I was relying upon for its viscosity - and then tried adding more lemon juice and also a jigger of vermouth. I liked both versions, while my taste-testers threw their votes behind the cocktail containing vermouth. 

Please ask any questions and please share your stories. The feedback is always greatly appreciated!

The Kentucky Clover 

For the spiced syrup.... 

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

13 whole allspice berries

7  whole cloves

peel of half an orange (or more if you prefer)

1/2 tsp fresh, minced ginger root

For the cocktail...

1 to 2 TBS fresh-squeezed lemon juice (I prefer more, than less)

2 oz bourbon of choice

2 oz vermouth 

1 to 2 oz of spiced syrup 

For the garnish...

Slice fresh lemon

Slice blood orange (or regular orange)

Sprigs of fresh mint 

Ice 

1. Make the syrup by dissolving sugar in water over medium heat. Stir frequently. Add spices, orange peel and ginger. (FYI: I used a vegetable peeler on the orange, pounded on the strips to help release the oils, then threw them in. I did not go down to the center of the fruit.) Bring to just a boil, turn heat down and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to steep for at least an hour. Let cool. Strain. (If you prefer a syrup with real zip allow the spices to remain in longer.) 

2. Place desired amount of ice into rocks glass. Pour in the bourbon, followed by the cooled syrup, then add lemon juice. Using a bartender's spoon or an iced tea spoon, stir to combine. 

* If you're not going to add the vermouth you can stop here. Garnish and serve. 

3. Pour vermouth into glass and again, stir to combine. Garnish and serve. Enjoy responsibly! 

NOTES: I used Maker's Mark for one version of this and Bulleit for another. I also had some Jim Beam on the shelf but didn't get around to making a version with it. The vermouth I used was sweet, but you can use dry if you prefer. If you choose to leave out the vermouth entirely the cocktail will lean more toward the flavoring of a Whiskey Sour. If you add the vermouth you'll have hints of a Manhattan. I also tried adding blood orange juice in one version but the color of the drink was not appealing and the flavor was a little too acidic. Juice from a navel orange was a nice addition but it boosted the overall sugariness of the drink to a level I wasn't happy with so I left it out in subsequent batches. 

Shaken & Stirred: This Hanoi Mojito Rocks!

Because I am not professionally trained, I'm more than just slightly hesitant to call myself a cook or a chef. I'm even less inclined to call myself a bartender. Or a mixologist. But I do believe that if you have a general understanding of the way flavors interact you can create a meal out of just about anything. Same goes for a cocktail. And last evening? I came up with a winner, if I do say so myself. 

First, let me set the scene by saying that yesterday morning I was a little mopey after learning that Morrissey had cancelled last night's show at The Paramount. And if I'm really being honest I will have to admit that I was still a bit disappointed that we weren't attending Coachella this year. So despite the beautiful weather, I was feeling kinda glum. By the time Lon walked in the door carrying the haul from yesterday's farmer's market, my mind was set: I was going to spend the day dicing, slicing, simmering, chopping, blending and boiling my sadness away. 

Like many people, I find great comfort in the kitchen when I'm feeling low. I can log - and lose - hours creating new recipes and fine-tuning old ones. And, on occasion, I've been known to turn my attention away from the dinner table and focus on the cocktail table instead. My endeavors have produced, ahem, mixed results. While I like to create signature cocktails to coincide with different events, it's doubtful that you've ever heard of The Orange Lotus (made in honor of a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner a few years back;) The Gentlemen's Prerogative (created on the fly with a limited liquor cabinet at the beach one summer while trying to recall my friend Larry's creation, The Handsome Gentlemen;) or, my favorite, The Bloody Nose (a horribly-named, but tasty, raspberry-based concoction I came up with when we had friends over to watch Liddell vs Couture II.) 

Like I said, it's doubtful you've ever heard of these, unless you were there to partake of them. 

Given our grounded status for the weekend, combined with the bounty Lon brought back from the farmer's market, the afternoon looked like a perfect opportunity to experiment. I called my taste-testers and asked them to have their palates, and opinions, ready by 6 PM. I flicked on the "Work In Progress" light over The Folsom Test Kitchen and got to work. 

Of all the produce that came in through the door yesterday morning, the thing that really caught my eye was something Lon said the vendor at the market identified as Vietnamese coriander. A little research informed me that it's also called Vietnamese Cilantro, or Rau Ram. (One of my favorite salads has Rau Ram and I now feel one step closer to recreating it, but more on that in a later post.)

There was something about the light texture of the herb's leaves and its clean but slightly peppery fragrance that made me want to use it in a cocktail. It looked and smelled so refreshing. And just like that, my decision was made. I was going to create a variation of a Mojito. Since I was using a classic cocktail template, I decided to call it the Hanoi Mojito (after briefly kicking around the name Hanoi Rox, because once a music geek, always a music geek.) 

I made two versions of the Hanoi. The first had lime, the second had lemon. The lime version won out, three to one, but I thought both were good. My vote went to the lime simply because I thought its citrus flavor balanced the other flavors out the best. 

The overall verdict? The drink was so refreshing, it just seemed to scream "Spring!" But of course since I hate shouting I had to silence its exuberance by quickly emptying the glass.  

OK, without any further rambling from me, here's the recipe! Enjoy responsibly, please!

The Hanoi Mojito 

For the simple syrup....

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup chopped ram rau leaves, loosely packed

1/4 cup lemon grass, chopped, outer stalks removed first

2 TBS fresh ginger root, chopped 

For the cocktail... 

1 Liter Vodka, chilled (I used Grey Goose just because that was what was on hand)

1 bottle Pellegrino mineral water or seltzer or club soda, chilled

herb-infused simple syrup from above

1 lime, cut into quarter wedges, then cut in half again (or 1 lemon, cut similarly)

1 bunch, approximately half cup, clean ram rau leaves, coarsely chopped (leave some whole if you want to add some drama to the glass!)

Crushed ice

For the garnish

Lime wedges, inner stalk of lemon grass as a swizzle, ram rau leaves left whole

1. To make the herb-infused syrup place the sugar and water in a pot over medium heat, stir til sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Stir in the ram rau, lemon grass and ginger. Bring back to a boil and cook for approximately a minute. Turn heat down to simmer, and allow herbs to infuse the syrup for approximately twenty minutes. Turn off heat, and allow to steep for at least an hour. Taste. If the syrup doesn't taste properly infused, then bring back to a boil, and repeat. Be careful not to over boil as the syrup will turn bitter. Set aside and allow to cool.

2. In bottom of a rocks glass place coarsely chopped ram rau leaves. Put lime (or lemon) wedges on top of leaves and pour in one jigger (approximately two ounces) of the simple syrup. Using a wooden spoon, the palm end of a hand-held citrus juicer, or even the bottom of a small shot glass, mash the lime and leaves so that the oils and juice are released from both. You should have a nice pulpy mess in the bottom of the glass when you're finished.

3. Add to the glass one jigger of mineral water or soda water. Add a few pieces of crushed ice. Stir.

4. Top with one jigger of vodka. Stir well. Garnish with lime (or lemon,) a thin stalk of lemon grass as a swizzle, and a few whole leaves of the ram rau. Enjoy! 

NOTES: While I used mineral water, I think seltzer or club soda might have actually been better. I think their higher sodium content would have mixed well with the peppery nature of the ram rau and the slight sting of the ginger and lemon grass in the simple syrup. Either way, the effervescence gave a nice buoyancy to all of the ingredients. I called this a mojito because of the similarities in their means of preparation, not because of similarities in ingredients.