Well Fed Network

Posted by Robert Hess on The Spirit World.

The objective of this exercise is to re-examine some of the slightly more obscure products which might be gathering dust on the shelves of bars across America (if not the world), and to see if our intrepid little band of explorers can uncover some forgotten gems of recipes which might breathe new life into those products. Maraschino Liqueur was once a forgotten spirit, and now, thanks mostly perhaps to the “Aviation,” this product has once more taken a more prominent position on the backbars across the country.

Strega has always been one of those products which has captured my fascination. Not only is the bottle quite exquisite in a retro-classic sort of way, but the product itself has a tantalizingly complex sweet flavor. However, it never seemed like there were many cocktails which availed themselves of it as an ingredient. Perhaps Strega was a little too much of a challenge for this first time out, but I figured we might as well start large!

Fortunately, we had several excellent submissions of recipes which were uncovered, discovered, and even arrived at through a little alchemy.

I’ve spent the last several days going through all of the submitted recipes, and have made an executive decision as to which one I feel deserves to be presented back to the world and used to bolster the position of Strega as a celebrated ingredient.

The recipe is one that Anita submitted:

Strega Sun Witch

• 1 oz Strega liqueur
• 3/4 oz white creme de cacao
• 3/4 oz orange juice
• 1 oz whipping cream
• Orange slice, for garnish

Shake with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of orange.

Dessert cocktails aren’t normally my style, but they are useful to have as part of your repertoire so that you are ready when the situation might call for it. This drink provides a fascinating example of such a drink, being not too sweet, but just sweet enough.

Anita talks about this particular drink over on her blog.

As runner up, I feel it necessary to also highlight a second drink that Anita presented:

Strega-nator
published in “Food & Wine Cocktails 2006″ and credited to BLT Prime, New York City

• 2 oz Strega
• 1 oz fresh orange juice
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 2 oz chilled club soda
• 1 orange wedge, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the Strega and juices, and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, and top with club soda. Garnish with the orange wedge.

While the original directions called for this to be served simply in a rocks glass, I felt that it really needed to be in the more stately Collins/Fizz glass in order to better reflect its refreshing nature. This drink would fit in quite well with a Tiki inspired theme, and it’s refreshing allure would work wonders on a hot summer afternoon.

You can find Anita’s commentary about this recipe on her blog as well.

I’d also like to include the other recipes which were submitted. First one by Thomas, where he took his inspiration from the Aviation, and simply made it with Strega instead of Maraschino Liqueur:

The Someone-Must-Have-Thought-Of-This-Already Cocktail

• 2 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. Strega

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.

And lastly Anita’s third recipe submission, a variation of the above Sun Witch, but a version which apparently had previously been served at Seattle’s Troiani restaurant… although none of the current staff there knew the actual recipe, which left Anita to balance one out herself.

Sun Witch a la Troiani

• 1 oz Strega liqueur
• 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/4 oz white creme de cacao
• 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz whipping cream
• vanilla extract or vanilla liqueur, to taste

Lightly whip the cream with the vanilla; set aside. Shake the remaining ingredients with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with the vanilla cream, and garnish with a light grating of orange zest.

A drink which Anita includes in her discussion of the Sun Witch on her blog.

So there we have it, the results of this first round of “Raiders of the Lost Cocktail.” Who’s up for round two?

Editor’s Note: As winner of the first Raiders of the Lost Cocktail, Anita has the dinstinction of choosing the cocktail ingredient for our next round, which will be announced in the next few days.  Once it becomes known, you’ll have the month of November to serve up your delicious concoction.  Until then…