The Adler Beet


Makes 1 cocktail

As I embarked on my creation process for a cocktail concoction for Tamar Adler’s last class in her  wonderful series  based on her best selling book at Ger-Nis, An Everlasting Meal, I knew it had to be vibrant, down to earth, secretively refined and smart, just like she is.  I knew it needed to be local and seasonal and utilized things we typically have on hand as home cooks.  So for this special cocktail created just for Tamar, I thought about the heavenly pairing of beets and oranges, one of my favorite couples, and knew a drink that emulated all of Tamar’s qualities and philosophies could be achieved.  So here it is, I think we captured her essence, at least for now.

Ingredients

Shaved or cracked ice
10 fresh mint leaves, torn into itty bitty pieces
1 tablespoon sugar
2 ounces fresh orange juice, cara cara preferably
2 ounces local gin  (Brooklyn Gin, New York Distilling Co.)
½ ounce lemon juice
1 ounce Ginger Beet Honey (recipe follows)
Orange Peel
Bittermans Ginger, Black Pepper All Spice Bitters (ore equivalent, peppery spicy exotic bitters)
Few dashes of gratitude

Directions

In a shaker filled with shaved ice, combine the mint and the sugar and shake vigorously muddling the mint into the sugar and ice.  Add the orange juice, gin and lemon juice and shake vigorously again.  Add the ginger beet honey into the shaker and stir.  Strain into a low ball glass that has had the rim rubbed with the orange peel and with one ice chunk inside.  Garnish with the orange peel and 3-4 drops of the bitters.  Then add a few dashes of gratitude towards all the good folks who made your ingredients and of course to the chef who made your drink.  Bottoms up.

Ginger Beet Honey

Makes 2 cups of syrup

Ingredients

½ cup ginger pieces, sliced into thin slices (peels on)
2 beets, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
¾ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup honey


Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the ginger, beets, zest, black pepper, water and sugar and bring to a boil.  Reduce the temperature to simmer and cook for approximately 10 minutes.  Take off heat and allow standing until totally cool.  Strain and discard the beet and ginger pieces.  In a mason jar, combine the honey and the beet syrup and shake until incporporated.