Forestal
Named the Galician word for forest, this cocktail was a result of playing around with a Galician gin that, when I first smelled it, took me back to a damp forest floor I had walked through with my family on the coast of California. My background as a chef leads me to push savory flavors into sweet and vice versa. This martini-style drink is no exception.
1.5 oz Nordés Gin
0.75 oz Lustau Emperatriz Eugenia Very Rare Oloroso
0.25 oz Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur of the Alps
.25 oz Rosemary Syrup
40 drops Padrón Pepper Tincture
Garnish with rosemary and orange Twist
Place all ingredients into a stirring glass. Fill with ice and stir 40-50 times until properly diluted. Pour into Nick & Nora glass and place garnish on far edge of glass.
MOPs
Rosemary Syrup
100 g rosemary leaves
500 g granulated sugar
500 g filtered water
At room temperature, combine sugar and water and stir until 1:1 simple syrup is made and all sugar is dissolved. Bring a gallon of water to a boil in a large pot. Blanch Rosemary for 90 seconds until vibrant and green. Strain rosemary and shock in ice bath. Remove rosemary from ice bath and place on towel until just slightly damp. Blend rosemary while slowly drizzling in simple syrup until all syrup is used and mixture is homogenous. Strain through a conical mesh metal strainer followed by a coffee filter.
Padrón Pepper Tincture
50 g Padrón peppers (shishito is fine but it will not be quite the same)
30 g Spanish olive oil (ideally from Galicia)
2 g Spanish sea salt
150 mL of 190-proof grain alcohol (e.g. Everclear or Gem Clear)
Heat a sauté pan on high. Add 15 grams of the olive oil, all of the peppers and all of the sea salt. Cook peppers until blistered and collapsed. Pour into sealable container and pour the grain alcohol over the top. Muddle with a tool to break all the peppers open and seal the container. Let sit at room temperature for 4 hours, occasionally agitating the mixture. Strain through conical mesh metal strainer using a ladle or spoon to press the peppers. Transfer to freezer-proof container and place in freezer overnight. Strain through a pre-wet coffee or cellulose filter. Should last indefinitely in the fridge.