The Smokin’ Barrel

This month’s Recipe Redux challenge title made me laugh–‘Start Smoking in the New Year’.

NO, WE DO NOT WANT YOU TO START SMOKING CIGARETTES. They are bad for you.

Rather, we are heating things up in the kitchen with smoke and spiciness using smoked salts, harissa, spices, or actual smoking techniques. Have you seen this trending on the web? This article in the Huff Post lists smoked foods as a top food trend for 2015.

Because I don’t own a smoker, a grill, or one of these fun little gadgets, I chose a different approach for this smokin’ cocktail—-smoky chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Yee-haw!

The other smoke-inspired component of this cocktail is barrel-aged gin. Wood…smoke…barrels…gin….anyone else follow my thought process or am I alone on this? Either way, this drinky drink happened and I feel pretty proud of myself because it tastes like something you’d order at a restaurant where cocktails cost at least $10 bucks. Give me $10 and I will be more than happy to make one for you. As long as you’re over the age of 21, of course. NPR has a good read on barrel-aged gin if you’re now just as fascinated with it as I am.

Corsair Distillery is based here in Nashville and if you come to visit, you should take a tour. They do some pretty cool things and as you can see, this barrel-aged gin is a part of their ‘Experimental Collection’. If you can’t get your hands on Corsair’s Barrel Aged Gin, there are other brands out there.

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The Smokin’ Barrel

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

1/2 oz Smoky Maple-Chipotle Syrup

1 oz barrel-aged gin

1 oz ginger beer

Smoky Maple-Chipotle Syrup (makes 2.5 oz of syrup):

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

2 oz Grade A maple syrup

1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, skin removed

1 oz water

1. To make syrup, add all ingredients to a small saucepan and heat over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow syrup to cool. Keep stored in an air-tight container.

2. For cocktail, pour syrup into a coupe glass or martini glass. Add liquor and mix. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a slice of ginger if you're feeling extra fancy!

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https://thenutritionadventure.com/the-smokin-barrel/

Keep things smokin’ by checking out the other recipes in this collection. Just click on the blue frog below!