Balsamic vinegar. That’s just for dipping, right? Or fancy desserts? Caprese salad, certainly. Despite its mix of sweet and tart, it’s not the ingredient one associates with cocktails. But as we found out the other night, vinegar is slowly making its way back onto the menu of many mixologists, who are starting to figure out the versatility of this ingredient.
That’s a long introduction for one of our Drink of the Week friends, Sean Sepulveda, who wants everybody to know that Cadiz is now open on Monday evenings, and doing quite well, thank you very much. This section of State Street (Cota to Haley) is bustling even on this slowest of days.
The drink is called the Andalucian, but it ain’t no dog of a drink, dawg. It’s a sweet combo of Dickel Rye Whisky, blackberries, basil, balsamic syrup and a bit of lemon juice. The drink itself is dark and moody to look at, the taste heavy in the balsamic and berry profiles. Worried about vinegar? Don’t be. The cocktail with soothe any fears of puckered lips and squinted eyes — balsamic is your friend, not your enemy. The garnish of basil leaf and blackberry give one last taste sensation to this, our Drink of the Week.
ANDALUCIAN
3 to 5 basil leaves
3 to 5 blackberries
2 ounces Dickel Rye Whisky
1/2 ounce balsamic syrup (see note)
1 ounce lemon juice
Muddle basil and blackberries in shaker. Combine liquids over ice in shaker, shake and strain over ice in a lowball (or wine) glass. Garnish with basil leaf and blackberry. Bartender’s note: To make the syrup, using a 1:1.2 ratio (yes, just a little more than 1:1), add balsamic and sugar to saucepan. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Bottle and refrigerate.
Yield: 1 drink
Cadiz
509 State St.
770-2760 or www.cadizsb.com