“I draw pretty heavily on flavors from Jamaican cooking,” says Jef Tate. At Billy Sunday, his Permanently Closed stirs together brown butter–washed mezcal, elote liqueur and Gran Classico bitter liqueur mixed with small measures of aquavit, Ancho Reyes Verde and Angostura Cocoa Bitters. The finishing touch comes in the form of an asham rim, a pulverized combination of dehydrated corn, sugar and salt that is a common Caribbean dessert. As Tate explains, “It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever put on a menu.”
Permanently Closed
Jef Tate | Chicago
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces brown butter–washed mezcal (see Editor’s Note)
- 3/4 ounce Nixta Licor de Elote
- 1/2 ounce Tempus Fugit Gran Classico
- 1/4 ounce aquavit, preferably Gamle Ode Celebration
- 1 bar spoon Ancho Reyes Verde chile poblano liqueur
- 1 ml black salt solution (see Editor’s Note)
- 1 ml Thai chile tincture (see Editor’s Note)
- 3 dashes cocoa bitters, preferably Angostura
Garnish: asham, to rim the glass (see Editor’s Note)
Directions
- Rim a rocks glass with asham (see Editor’s Note) and set aside.
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled.
- Strain into the prepared rocks glass over a large ice cube.
Editor's Note
Brown Butter–Washed Mezcal
250 grams unsalted butter
750 ml mezcal, preferably Fidencio Joven
Cook the butter in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Remove from heat, then add mezcal. Stir to incorporate, then pour into a clean container. Place in the refrigerator or freezer overnight. Butter solids will form a layer at the top of the container. Remove it and strain the remaining liquid through a cheesecloth or paper towel. Bottle and refrigerate.
Black Salt Solution
3 parts water
1 part black salt
Combine ingredients in a sealable container and shake or stir until salt is fully dissolved.
Thai Chile Tincture
1 cup green Thai chiles, roughly chopped
750 ml neutral grain spirit
Combine ingredients and agitate daily for 1 week. Strain into a sealable container.
Asham
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill a quarter of a sheet pan with a single layer of dehydrated sweet corn. Roast for roughly 5 minutes, turning half way through until kernels are golden but not burnt. Place the roasted corn into a food processor with a handful of light brown sugar and two pinches of kosher salt. Process until no kernels remain but it is not super fine. Add more sugar or salt accordingly, to taste. It should be sweet and a little salty.