Chicago beverage director Jef Tate combines equal parts barrel-aged gin and wildflower honey spirit with sesame seed milk (sometimes called ajonjoli), lemon juice and a soda topper for a drink that reads like an alcoholic take on its name, Milk & Honey. “Best shouts to La Isla, the Boricua chicken spot on Broadway, for introducing me to ajonjoli,” says Tate.
Milk & Honey
Jef Tate | Chicago
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces ajonjoli (see Editor’s Note)
- 1 ounce barrel-aged gin, preferably Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat
- 1 ounce Prairie Sunshine honey spirit
- 1/4 ounce moscatel sherry, preferably Valdespino Promesa Moscatel
- 1 barspoon lemon juice
- soda water, to top
Garnish: powdered milk, salt, freeze-dried Manuka honey, freeze-dried PX sherry
Directions
- Rim half the glass in a combination of powdered milk, salt, freeze-dried honey and freeze-dried PX sherry (see Editor's Note).
- Combine all ingredients except soda water in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled.
- Strain into a Collins glass over a clear ice spear.
Editor's Note
Ajonjoli
3 cups water
100 grams toasted white sesame seeds
cane sugar
pinch of salt
Soak the sesame seeds in the water for at least 4 hours. Pour into a blender and blend on high speed for 1 minute. Strain the mixture, then weigh it. Add an equal amount of cane sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Add a pinch of salt and pour into a sealable container. Store in the refrigerator.
Cocktail Rim
1 tablespoon freeze-dried Manuka honey
1/2 tablespoon powdered milk
1 teaspoon freeze-dried PX sherry
1 pinch fleur de sel
Combine all ingredients and pulverize with a mortar and pestle.
Freeze-dried honey and freeze-dried PX sherry are both available from Rare Tea Cellar.