Garret Richard, chief cocktail officer at Brooklyn’s Sunken Harbor Club, believes he’s stumbled on not only a better Don’s Mix, but perhaps a more period-correct version, too. Inspired by the techniques outlined by Darcy O’Neil, a chemist and drink-maker and the author of Fix the Pumps, a history of America’s soda fountains, Richard applies the same flavoring techniques used at soda fountains to create what he’s calling Antica Don’s Mix. This means flavoring simple syrups with essences (essential oils cut with alcohol), extracts (spices rested in high-proof spirits and then strained off) and acid powders. The result is a flavor-packed product, with all the brightness of its fresh juice counterpart in a more shelf-stable package.
NB: For safety reasons, the quantity and ratio of grapefruit essence should not be adjusted.
Grind the cinnamon bark into a fine powder, then dampen it with a splash of the high-proof spirit. Stir the grounds until the powder is thoroughly moistened. Let the powder sit for 1 hour. Combine the powder and the alcohol in a container, and let sit for at least 24 hours, up to 48 hours. Fine-strain through a paper coffee filter.
