Eastern Market

If you live somewhere with seasons, you’ll probably join me in celebrating the coming of sunshine, warmth and the joy of Farmers Markets. I’d say it’s likely thanks to my grandfather that I get unreasonably excited for any locally produced consumable goods, the more obscure the better. One of my favorite stories is of my grandfather hiking the Carpathian Mountains to track down a honey farm he heard of in town, successfully finding it and then somehow accomplishing having a barrel of honey delivered to his apartment in Kyiv.

I can’t say I have similar levels of dedication, but I do love the experience and adventure of uncovering local goods. Following a homemade cardboard sign to eventually buy homemade maple syrup out of a friendly couple’s home is much preferable to aimlessly wandering the grocery store.

This cocktail is inspired by local produce with a bit of a twist - an East meets West of early summer flavor. Since I built this drink around a Japanese gin I wanted to start with seasonal local flavors I was familiar with then add something new to me. The rhubarb and strawberries this time of year have been rich, red and absolutely gorgeous, so it was an easy choice to start with a strawberry rhubarb base. If you’re in Chicago, I recommend you grab some rhubarb from Seedling Farm because it’s deep red all the way through and bursting with flavor.

I then went back to the gin for more inspiration. 135 East Gin is a fantastic blend of Eastern and Western botanicals. Building on a traditional London Dry Gin style, Master Distiller Kimio Yonezawa added sencha, yuzu, shiso leaf, ume and sansho pepper, as well as a bit of distilled Junmai sake. The result is a gin with a delicious blend of leafy, citrus and spice flavors.

Shiso leaf is a botanical I had heard about but had never played around with, so I figured I’d give it a try. You can most easily find it at an Asian grocery store (I grabbed mine from Mitsuwa Market). The flavor is truly unique - think a mix of basil and mint with a hint of anise sweetness. I blended the shiso leaf with sugar to release more of the oils and then added the herbal sugar once the rhubarb and strawberries had fallen appart and fully steeped in my syrup. This allowed the flavor to stay fresh and vibrant.

Finally, I added a farm egg and lemon to create a satisfying foam and meld the powerful flavors of this cocktail together. The resulting cocktail was perfectly tart and jammy with uplifting notes of herbal brightness and spice.

Eastern Market

• 1.5 oz Japanese gin (135 East Gin recommended)

• 1 oz strawberry rhubarb shiso syrup*

• 0.5 oz lemon

• 1 egg

• 1 shiso leaf, for garnish

Press shiso leaf into a coupe glass for garnish. Add all other ingredients to a shaker without ice and shake to build foam, releasing pressure as needed. Add ice and shake to chill, then strain into coupe glass. Enjoy along with all your other tasty Farmers Market finds.

*To make syrup, add 1 cup of water, 1 cup strawberries and 1 cup rhubarb to a pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the strawberries and rhubarb fall apart when pressed with a spoon. While this is cooking, blend 1/2 sugar with ~10 shiso leaves. Remove strawberry rhubarb mixture from heat and stir in shiso leaf sugar until dissolved. Use a fine mesh strainer and a spoon to strain. Allow to cool and store excess in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Philosopher's Path

In spring of 2011, I finally realized one of my dreams – visiting Japan. My curiosity with Japanese culture was spiked by the book Shōgun and Miyazaki movies (extra Valcohol points if you’ve seen Totoro). I went on to take an elective Japanese history course at college and one of the themes that stood out to me most was celebrating the beauty of the fleeting moment. So many aspects of the culture center on this concept and teach the indispensable patience it takes to appreciate that beauty.

I was lucky to have a friend teaching English in Fukuoka so I started my voyage there and then continued on to Kyoto and Osaka. One of the most ephemeral yet timeless spots on our journey was the blooming Philosopher’s Path in Kyoto. Walking along the cobbled pathways by the side of a babbling canal and surrounded by flowering trees and ancient temples, I truly lost myself to the breathtaking beauty of the moment. While the cultural site has so much history behind it, the state of the path is always changing as nature works it course. 

I wanted this cocktail to evoke the transience of nature and the richness of Japanese culture, so I chose to craft it with matcha tea and a likeness to cherry blossoms. Matcha tea is a powdered form of green tea leaves traditionally used for the Japanese tea ceremony. Similar to other Japanese green teas, matcha is bold, grassy and vibrant in flavor. Because the leaves are actually consumed in the powdered form, matcha is especially high in antioxidant and vitamin content. Matcha can range considerably in price depending on its intended use. I recommend selecting a less expensive, culinary grade variety for a cocktail application. 

Natural cherry blossom flavoring is surprisingly difficult to find outside of Japan, so I had to get creative with my substitutions. I knew I needed a floral element, a hint of cherry and a sweet aroma. The combination of rose water and Bittercube's Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters was the perfect solution. Note that there's no need to overpay for rose water since it's a common component of Middle Eastern cooking and therefore available in much more cost effective form than what you would find at a gourmet grocery store. 

To emphasize the grassy and floral notes of the cocktail, I used a base of Death's Door Gin. Simple and always delivering in quality, Death's Door has been one of my favorite gins since I first started exploring the spirit. Of course, I especially love that it hails from Wisconsin. 

I finished the cocktail with egg white and fresh lemon to smooth the boldness of the matcha and the strength of the floral flavor. Lemon balanced the sweetness of the matcha syrup and gave the drink a pleasant, lingering tartness. The resulting cocktail is truly one of my personal favorites with its lovely marriage of grassy tea, bright botanicals, aromatic blooms and creamy finish. 

The Philosopher's Path

• 1.5 oz Death's Door Gin
• 0.75 oz matcha syrup*
• 1 barspoon rose water
• 6 drops Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 egg white

Dry shake all ingredients (without ice) for 10-15 seconds, popping the cap occasionally to release the pressure from the egg white. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a fresh blossom. Enjoy while losing yourself in the transient beauty of spring.

* To make matcha syrup, heat 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves. Add 1/2 tbsp matcha powder and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Excess can be stored in the fridge for several weeks but should be shaken before use as some settling may occur. Try adding the leftover syrup to some almond milk for a matcha latte or using it in baking if you're feeling adventurous!

Thanks to Belen Aquino for the stunning cocktail photography and to Gather Vintage Tablescapes for the tray, spoon and lovely vintage coupes.