At tiki bars, drama guidelines all—and few drinks are extra theatrical than one which’s set on hearth. Much less widespread, nonetheless, are scorching cocktails, which are usually an anomaly on lists on the tropical, beachy venues typical of the style. However on the New York Metropolis bar Paradise Misplaced, which opened in October, a flamed espresso drink served scorching is already stealing the highlight.
“We dwell in New York; we get colder winter months,” explains Ray Sakover, beverage director and companion. “[And] we felt the Espresso Grog is an underappreciated drink.”
A mashup of the Espresso Grog served on the Mai-Kai in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (itself impressed by the Don the Beachcomber traditional), a Scorching Buttered Rum and an Irish Espresso, the Khali’s Espresso Grog is Paradise Misplaced’s personal tackle the drink, named for a fictional character who narrates lore on the bar’s cocktail menu. “We like to think about Khali as our Jiminy Cricket,” Sakover says.
Although the drink appears easy—4 elements, mixed shortly earlier than being set aflame theatrically in entrance of friends—there’s rather more to it than meets the attention. Together with a mix of high-proof rums, the recipe facilities espresso, Gardenia Combine (basically a spiced honey butter) and jasmine-accented coconut cream.
Workshopping the recipe started a pair years in the past. The toughest half was getting the espresso proper. “It’s the majority of the drink,” Sakover acknowledges, so it needed to be completely dialed in. After sampling varied single-origin brews, he settled on Cosa Nuestra, a mix sourced from Lengthy Island Metropolis roaster Sweetleaf. Concentrated into a chilly brew, it turns into a “heartier, extra savory, daring espresso that withstands the overproof rums” and different flavors, “so the espresso doesn’t get misplaced.”
After that, it was all about creating the creamy flavorings. “We’re very heavy-handed with the coconut cream and Gardenia Combine,” Sakover says. Making up a few third of the drink, these components steadiness out bitterness from the espresso and the power of the bottom spirits. The Gardenia Combine, a traditional ingredient within the Pearl Diver and different tropical drinks, was loosely based mostly on science-minded bar professional Dave Arnold’s Chilly Buttered Rum specs, utilizing xanthan gum to stabilize the honey butter so it doesn’t crumble within the drink. Chris Stanley, head of prep and manufacturing at New York bar The Lifeless Rabbit, developed the Gardenia Combine recipe, and offered pointers based mostly on The Lifeless Rabbit’s iconic Irish Espresso service.
The coconut cream, which will get a dose of jasmine oil, got here subsequent. “Jasmine provides a floral and slight inexperienced notice,” Sankover says.
Whereas perfecting these three components took some trial and error, discovering the right combination of rums was “a no brainer,” in accordance with Sakover. “We needed one thing sturdy, daring and flammable: Demerara 151 was the transfer.” Together with a full ounce of Hamilton 151, three-quarters of an oz. of Smith & Cross Jamaican rum provides extra taste and funk.
The presentation of the drink is impressed by the Mai-Kai’s tableside grog service, the place the cocktail is poured and flamed in entrance of friends. At Paradise Misplaced, friends watch as a “Grog Combine” (the espresso and Gardenia Combine) and the jasmine coconut cream, that are preheated in a water bathtub, are mixed in a heated mug emblazoned with a decal of the impish Khali, who appears kind of like a wolf with wings—plus a bomber jacket and sun shades.
After these elements come collectively, a bartender combines the rum alongside orange and lemon peels in a Turkish espresso pot, then ignites the combination, pouring it into every visitor’s mug. “We like to play with hearth right here,” says Sakover. Utilizing chopsticks or tweezers, they add the citrus peels to the mugs as a garnish alongside a “very massive, very gaudy” stick of Chinese language cassia.
Though the construct of the drink is comparatively baroque, all of it melds collectively right into a lush, harmonious complete with loads of visible aptitude. And whereas the incendiary facet is a key a part of the drink’s enchantment, Sakover emphasizes that it’s purposeful, too.
“It’s half present, but it surely additionally caramelizes the citrus oils and the flavors of the rum.” The top result’s a drink with “advanced layers of flavors with some savory tropical fruit, and an entire lotta rum.”
