I know it is probably too early to be talking about cocktails but hey, it is 5 o'clock somewhere, right?
When Marx Foods approached me a few weeks back asking whether I would be interested in creating a cocktail I was excited. When I heard about the secret ingredient, I was a bit apprehensive.
Szechuan Buttons was the secret ingredient which I had never heard of before, but buttons in a drink? Well, as I read more about the ingredient, I found out they were aso known as Buzz buttons or electric buttons because once a few of the flower petal hit the tongue a tingling occurs on the tongue and in the upper palate.
Remember the famous Pop Rocks that came in different fun colors and made the weirdest but exciting sensation in your mouth? Well, these flowers do the same thing and I feel are heightened by whatever one is ingesting.
Ryan and I both tasted the buttons FIRST before adding them to anything. Yes, when was the last time I ate a whole flower? Well, it tasted grassy for sure but we waited a few seconds and Ryan's eyes lit up and then mine did and we were astonished that these little flowers could give off such a strong sensation. We smiled and laughed and thought how cool it was so on I went to create a cocktail.
I actually already knew what ingredients I wanted to use but I was not quite sure if that was the flavor that needed to accompany the effect of the Buzz button. After having tasted the button I decided I was going with my gut feeling.
I created a cocktail that represents MSU in color and the electricity of the flavors goes perfect with winter and static. I also thought that bringing in citrusy and minty flavors would bring a semblance if summer.
I ground up a Szechuan button in a mortal and pestal with 2 Tablespoons of sugar. This was going to rim each of the glasses. Here is entry #1 for the button's effect to take place.
I then made a granita from Meyer lemons, limes, and lots of mint. I blended it well in my Vitamix and froze it overnight. The next day, I poured some Pimms #1, extra-dry gin, and 3-4 Tablespoons of the lemon-lime granita and served it. Ryan and I really really liked this. I thank Ryan for inspiring me with such a great title for the drink! Thanks honey! To us it was the perfect cocoction.
Electric Green
Makes 4 cocktails
Lemon-lime granita
10 limes
5 Meyer lemons
¾ cup mint leaves, packed
¾ cup agave nectar
1 1/2 cups water
Juice the limes and lemon in a bowl and add to a blender. Add the mint, water and agave nectar and blend mixture well in a blender until smooth. Freeze overnight.
Additional ingredients for each glass
2.5 ounces Pimms #1
1 ounce extra dry gin
3 Szechuan Buttons, crushed in a mortar & pestle
Mint leaves for garnish
4 Cocktail or Martini glasses
Sugar-Rimmed Glasses
1 Szechuan Buttons
2 Tablespoons
Crush button into sugar with pestle until finely ground. Place sugar on a plate ready to rim the glasses.
Assembly
Remove the granita from the freezer to sit out for a bit.
Dampen the edge of each cocktail glass with water one at a time and place the glass upside down on the plate with sugar and Szechuan button until the mixture is evenly rimmed on the glass. Repeat with the other 3 glasses.
Crush another 3 Szechuan buttons in the mortar and pestle and divide the buttons between the 4 glasses.
Add the Pimm #1 and gin to each glass.
Scrape out 4 Tablespoons of granite and add it to each glass. Use a stirrer to mix ingredients.
Garnish with mint. Drink.
Labels: agave nectar, alcoholic, appetizers, candied ginger, cocktails, Contests, drinks, extra dry gin, lemon, lime, marx foods, mint, pimms, starter
