Make the most of citrus season with this drink, implores Natasha David in her book Drink Lightly. Fresh blood orange is the star of the show: “Besides being glorious to look at, it is beautifully sweet and possesses an intoxicating, almost overripe, raspberry taste,” she says.
Crimson Sour
Adapted from Drink Lightly by Natasha David
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces full-bodied sweet vermouth
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce fresh blood orange juice
- 1/2 ounce cacao nib Campari (see Editor’s Note)
- 1/2 ounce vanilla lactic syrup (see Editor’s Note)
Garnish: blood orange crescent, lemon wheel
Directions
- Combine all ingredients with ice, and give it a short shake.
- Strain into a double rocks glass over crushed ice. Top with more ice, mounding it like a snow cone.
- Garnish with the blood orange crescent and lemon wheel. Serve with a straw.
Editor's Note
Cacao Nib Campari
25 grams cacao nibs
750ml bottle Campari
Spread the cacao nibs in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and dark brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool. Combine with the Campari in a large resealable container. Cover and let sit for 24 hours. Strain through a chinois, then bottle and refrigerate.
Vanilla Lactic Syrup
500 grams simple syrup (1:1, sugar to water)
4 grams Tahitian vanilla extract
2 grams lactic acid powder
1 pinch kosher salt
In a medium bowl, combine the syrup, vanilla extract, lactic acid powder and salt. Using a whisk, combine until the lactic acid and salt are dissolved. Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 4 weeks. Makes about 2 cups.