Sloane's Jungle Bird
Kelly AllenThis is the first in our cocktail series "Will it Cocktail?" in which we find novel ingredients at our local farmer's market and try to find a way to make them into delightful drinks. We kicked things off with brown sugar and cinnamon poptarts from Rolling Sloane's, a micro-bakery in Del Ray, Alexandria.
The cocktail centers on a pop-tart-infused gold rum. Don't be deterred by the infusion process. It may look a little messy, but once it's strained, the result is a clear, aromatic, cinnamony-toasty spirit.
If you catch Sloane at the Del Ray market, be sure to buy two poptarts for this recipe: one for the cocktail, and one to eat.
Ingredients
- 1½ oz brown sugar and cinnamon poptart-infused rum (recipe below)
- 1½ oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz Thai basil-demerara simple syrup (recipe below)
- ¾ oz Artemisia Thistle
- ½ oz lime juice
- For the garnish, some combination of the following: Thai basil sprigs, fresh mint, maraschino or pickled cherries, pineapple wedge, lime or orange wheels
Preparation
- Combine rum, syrup, thistle, and lime juice in a shaker over ice. Shake until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish as desired.
- Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Poptart-Infused Rum: Chop 1 Rolling Sloane's brown sugar and cinnamon poptart into small squares. Transfer to a large, sealable jar and top with 1½-2 cups gold rum (depending on the size of the poptart). Infuse for 24 hours at room temperature, stirring occasionally. Strain the solids through a basket strainer and discard. Strain the remaining liquid through a coffee filter, repeating the process as needed until the spirit runs clear. The rum may cloud when chilled.
- Thai basil-demerara simple syrup: combine 1 cup water, 1 cup demerara sugar, and 1 cup of Thai basil leaves and blossoms. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 30 minutes. Strain, discarding the leaves. Store in the refrigerator.
