Bottega - Michael Chiarello [94]
Note: Tomato Passata
Passata means “to pass” in Italian—in this case to pass tomatoes through a sieve or a press. At Bottega, we use an imported tomato passata (see Resources) because the taste and texture is consistent, season after season. You can also make your own passata by puréeing one 28-ounce can of whole organic peeled tomatoes with their juice in a blender or a food processor. Measure just what you need for this recipe and refrigerate the rest.
Manhattan
MAKES 1 COCKTAIL
It’s a blustery day in NYC. There’s a gal on your arm walking way too many blocks. Not a cab in sight. You burst through the doors of an Upper East Side bar, pour yourselves into a couple of cush chairs, and beckon for two Manhattans. This is a classic cocktail that I love to sip and savor.
Though the Manhattan was originally made with rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters, my favorite version these days is made using a wheated Kentucky bourbon such as Buffalo Trace or Maker’s Mark. I like a very botanical vermouth, such as Antica Formula or Punt e Mes. You don’t want to add tired bitters to exceptional liquors. Michael Iglesias found an amazing organic bitters blend at a farmers’ market in Vermont. Called Urban Moonshine, it’s the freshest-tasting bitters we’ve tried (see Resources). If you can’t get your hands on some, Frei Brothers or Reagan’s Bitters are reliably good.
2 ounces wheated bourbon such as Buffalo Trace
1 ounce sweet vermouth such as Antica Formula
2 dashes orange bitters
Ice cubes
1 amarena cherry (see Resources) or orange slice for garnish
Pour the bourbon, vermouth, and bitters into a heavy tumbler half-filled with ice. Stir vigorously with an up-and-down motion until the outside of the glass feels ice-cold to the touch. Strain into a martini glass. Drop in the cherry or an orange slice.
Strawberry Pazzo
MAKES 1 COCKTAIL
Our wine director, Michael Iglesias, created this drink after trying my Strawberries Pazzo and Torte Sabiosa. (Since I first tasted the combination of strawberries and black pepper with Lorenza De’Medici decades ago, this flavor combo has been a part of my cooking repertoire, so I like seeing it represented in a cocktail.) Iglesias created the pepper-infused gin so the flavors would be distinct. First you taste the sweet strawberries and then you get a sophisticated, peppery gin finish.
Don’t pass over this recipe just because we ask you to infuse gin with peppercorns. This infusion only takes 24 hours, and it’s as easy as pouring peppercorns and liquid into a bottle.
1½ ounces black pepper-infused gin (at right)
¾ ounce fresh lime juice, chilled
3 ounces strawberry purée, chilled
½ ounce Simple Syrup, plus more to taste
Ice cubes
1 large, perfect fresh basil leaf for spanking
Mix the pepper gin, lime juice, strawberry purée, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Taste and add more simple syrup if you like a sweeter drink. The character of strawberries changes from month to month, so add more syrup or lime to adjust the flavor. Spank the basil leaf and float it on the drink.
Black Pepper–Infused Gin
MAKES 2 CUPS
Michael Iglesias recycles spirit bottles explicitly for infusing spirits with spices and herbs, so a clean, empty wine or vodka bottle is ideal here, or use any clean glass container. Michael doesn’t measure his black peppercorns; he just pours them into a standard-size wine bottle until the peppercorns are about 1 inch deep.
After 24 hours, the pepper gin should be the color of good old Scotch. If you let it sit longer than 24 hours it will become much darker, and the pepper flavor will be overwhelming. Don’t toss it if it’s gotten too dark; just add more gin to temper the spiciness.
2 cups gin, preferably Tanqueray 10
½ cup (4 ounces) black peppercorns
Pour the gin