Warren Bobrow’s Cocktail Hour: Me & My Uncle Cocktail

Photo: Warren Bobrow, Leica M8

I’ve been experimenting with ice recently.  Partially to cool off, partially to test my culinary prowess, and partially because the ice that I’ve been creating comes from an unlikely source.  This source is the Inspired Water Pitcher from Mavea.  I love the design of this curved, sensual water vessel.

Fortunately for you, my dear readers, you can easily duplicate my results. Williams-Sonoma sells the Mavea pitcher both on their lovely website and in their stores located all over the land. May I suggest trying the water?  At least try it, I think you’ll be very surprised.

I like to freeze my ice cubes made from this “inspired water” and add them to my cocktails.  But how do I get my ice cubes perfectly crystal clear?  Well, the easy answer is to boil the filtered water- twice. Voila!  Your ice cubes will be glistening in the sunshine!

Spodee is a new alcoholic product to the marketplace.  Known in some circles as “Wine and Shine,” it is a collaboration between a full-bodied, sweet chocolate infused red wine and moonshine!  Sure this sounds like a cheap buzz (and it can be) but I found that Spodee is just marvelous with Sailor Jerry Rum and AZ Bitters Lab Mas Mole #2 Cocktail Bitters with the addition of grilled oranges.

I love the spark of citrus fruit in this cocktail.  Using citrus gives the drink an almost Sangria quality.

That pitcher of Mavea water isn’t just there for show.

I created some inspired ice to go in my cocktail.  Nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and hot chili peppers are chopped extremely finely, then into the ice cube tray they go. The inspired water goes on top and into the freezer to harden. Then after a while, when the ice is perfectly frozen, I crush the ice in a towel with a mallet.

I fill two short cocktail glasses with the inspired ice and then add two shots of Spodee plus two shots of Sailor Jerry (92 proof) spiced Rum.

A final scraping of fresh nutmeg completes this drink that I call:  Me and My Uncle.

Me and My Uncle

(Makes two blisteringly strong drinks for the kind of weather that takes your breath away)

Ingredients:

Spodee (Wine with Shine)

Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

Grilled Oranges- Cut oranges into rounds and grill until charred

AZ Bitters Lab Mas Mole #2

Crushed “inspired ice” from Mavea with the addition of nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and your choice of hot peppers

Preparation:

Muddle a few grilled orange slices in a Boston Shaker

Add to the shaker- 1/4 fill with regular ice

Add 2 shots of Spodee

Add 2 shots of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

Add 10 drops of the Mole Bitters

Shake! Shake! Shake!

Add the crushed inspired ice to your short cocktail glasses and strain into these glasses

Get ready to go round and around.