Pandora

Cristiaan Röllich, A.O.C. | Los Angeles

AOC pandora radler beer cocktail

A.O.C.’s Christiaan Röllich looks to the kitchen for the inspiration behind his Pandora, which builds on a base of housemade cherry compote (which had been mistakenly placed on his back bar) and finishes with blonde ale and pisco.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 1 ounce pisco, preferably Campo de Encanto
  • 1 ounce pisco, preferably Campo de Encanto
  • 1/2 ounce Peychauds bitters
  • 1/2 ounce Peychauds bitters
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 3/4 ounce A.O.C. cherry compote (see Editor's Note)
  • 3/4 ounce A.O.C. cherry compote (see Editor's Note)
  • 1 1/2 ounces blonde ale
  • 1 1/2 ounces blonde ale

Garnish: brandied cherries

Directions
  1. In a shaker tin, combine all ingredients and dry shake.
  2. Add ice and shake again until chilled.
  3. Fine strain into a coupe glass.
  4. Garnish with brandied cherries.
Editor's Note

A.O.C. Cherry Compote:
1/2 vanilla bean
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 pound cherries, washed, stemmed and pitted
1 1/2 tablespoons good quality brandy
1 1/2 tablespoons port or red wine
1 inch wide strip of orange zest
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and pulp. Place the vanilla seeds, pulp and pod in a medium pot. Add the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil on medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes, swirling occasionally, until the mixture is a dark amber caramel color. Add half the cherries, the brandy, port and orange zest to the pot. The sugar will harden. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4-5 minutes more, until sugar dissolves and the cherries release their juices. Strain the cooked cherries from the juice, reserving the juice. Add cooked fruit to the remaining uncooked cherries and mix well to combine. Combine the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of reserved juice in a small bowl. This "slurry" will help thicken the compote. Return remaining juice to the pot on the stove. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Pour the thickened juices over the cherries and stir well to combine.

Excerpted from The A.O.C. Cookbook by Suzanne Goin. Copyright © 2013 by Suzanne Goin. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Tagged: AOC, beer, radler