Recipes

Fancy Footwork

By: The Local Palate

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The Fancy Footwork cocktail features Ford’s gin and Becherovka, with a harmonious blend of dry curaçao and tangy lime juice, elevated by the rich, smoky notes of grilled persimmon and cranberry syrup. Accented with cinnamon and vanilla tinctures and topped with a splash of club soda, it’s garnished with an orange peel flag and spiced brandied cherry for a sophisticated and aromatic finish.

recipe

yields

Makes 1 cocktail

ingredients

1 ounce Ford’s gin
½ ounce Becherovka
½ ounce dry curaçao
¼ ounce lime juice
¾ ounce Grilled Persimmon and Cranberry Syrup (recipe follows)
1 dash Cinnamon Tincture (recipe follows)
1 dash Vanilla Tincture (recipe follows)
Splash chilled club soda

Garnish:

Orange peel flag with spiced brandied cherry

Make the Grilled Persimmon and Cranberry Syrup:

½ pound persimmons
2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh whole cranberries

Make the Cinnamon and Vanilla Tinctures:

30 grams cinnamon sticks
3 whole vanilla bean pods
2 pints high-proof vodka, such as Smirnoff 100 or Everclear, divided

Special equipment:

2 pint mason jars

steps

In a cocktail tin with ice, combine all ingredients except soda water; shake and strain over fresh ice into a collins glass. Top with soda water. Garnish with orange peel/cherry flag.

Make the Grilled Persimmon and Cranberry Syrup:

Heat grill to medium-high. Halve persimmons and add to grill until charred, 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool.
Fill a stockpot with 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Add persimmons, sugar, and cranberries and simmer on medium-high for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let cool.
Transfer cool mixture to a high-powered blender and fully blend. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Strain mixture into bowl; result will be syrupy and viscous. Store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Make the Cinnamon and Vanilla Tinctures:

In a skillet, toast cinnamon sticks lightly until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Split vanilla pods open and scoop out beans. In each of two mason jars, separately add toasted sticks and vanilla seeds/pods. Add 1 pint of vodka to each jar, cover, and store in a dark place for 7 days. Strain out solids before using.

Date Published: 08.20.24