Sunday, July 17, 2011

The Uncle Steve

Ingredients:
3 oz Bourbon - Bulleit Bourbon
1 1/2 oz Lemon Juice - Fresh

1 1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice - Fresh
1/2 oz Orgeat - Small Hand Foods

Preparation:
Add bourbon, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, and orgeat to a cocktail shaker with crushed ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into a highball or double old fashioned glass.

Description:
This drink is named in honor of my uncle Steve Jobs.  He loves it.  It's a very gentle introduction to bourbon cocktails.  The overall effect is not unlike a true Mai Tai (please no pineapple or grenadine!).  The Bulleit has a relatively high rye content, giving it a spicy smooth finish.  The grapefruit adds some floral notes and breadth to the citrus flavor.  And the orgeat adds sweetness, great smooth mouthfeel, and nutty complexity, which plays well with the bourbon.

As an even gentler option, you could try topping off the glass with a plain seltzer (about 1 1/2 oz) and giving it a gentle stir.  And what the hell, add a grapefruit twist.

A note on orgeat:
Please don't use that Torani syrup.  Maybe it's ok to doctor up your mocha, or in some cookie dough, but in a fine mixed drink you want to use an actual orgeat.  The difference is like Kraft slices vs a fine Double Gloucester.  Yes, the Small Hand Foods Orgeat is very expensive.  But it is top notch, and it's local to me.  And of course, for that rare occasion when The Baron wants a drink made with that other brown liquor, a good orgeat is required for a Mai Tai. 

I've read about Trader Tiki's Orgeat which is less expensive, but haven't yet tried it.  If you have, please let me know what you think.

Disclaimer:
No, Steve Jobs in not my uncle.  And as far as I know he has never tried an Uncle Steve.  I don't know if he drinks anything other than bottled water.  If you are Steve Jobs: please try this drink and let me know what you think.  I hope it cures whatever ails ya.

[EDIT] I don't have words to express how sad Steve's passing makes me.  Everyone that knows me knows how much reverence I had for Steve.  And I'm somewhat confused by the number of visitors that are arriving at this page having searched for "Steve + Jobs + cocktail".  Hopefully no one thinks this was written to somehow deride him.  If anything, I regret the drink not being worthy as a tribute to the man.

No comments:

Post a Comment