Aw, Nuts! May's MxMo Challenge.

[elanabean]

This month's theme for Mixology Monday is Nuts! 

 

 

 

Your challenge is to utilize nuts (and since we’re NOT adhering to the strict rules of what are nuts, peanuts and walnuts both count) in any way you see fit to create a cocktail. Infusions, bitters, almond tinctures are all game. Amaretto, homemade nocino, Frangelico too. Go nuts!

 

If you would like to participate and don't have a blog or website, you can post on this thread. If you do, here's the full post for instructions! 

 

Hope you can join us!

[FrogPrincesse]

This might be the push I needed to make a fresh batch of orgeat!

[elanabean]

Yes! I'd love to see that!

[Plantes Vertes]

The walnut infusion recipe, as requested.

 

1 part by weight freshly chopped ripe (brown) walnuts

2 parts by weight rectified spirit

 

Infuse for 1-2 days, strain through muslin/coffee filter. Don't infuse for longer as this results in horrible bitterness.

 

I wanted to try adding nut flavours without extra sweetness so I kept the infusion undiluted/unsweetened, adding sugar and water as needed for individual drinks. I noted that somewhere or other recommended 3:3:1 infusion:simple:water to produce something potable but I don't know any more where I got that...

[FrogPrincesse]

Cool, and good to know about the bitterness (did you have to keep tasting it to figure this out? ).

I was thinking of infusing walnuts into alcohol as well, but I was looking at rum if you see where I am going with this.

[Plantes Vertes]

Cool, and good to know about the bitterness (did you have to keep tasting it to figure this out? ).

I was thinking of infusing walnuts into alcohol as well, but I was looking at rum if you see where I am going with this.

 

I did a series of mini versions some time last year and forced them down one by one before making the big batch   

 

I think I follow you ... I was considering the same thing, but I didn't get whether the Blind Pig version was made with green or ripe walnuts...? Ignorance has never stopped me crashing forward with misguided experiments before, though...

 

EDIT: Must be green walnuts, on reflection, as I remember being told that it took a matter of hours, and I can't see that being successful with ripe ones.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Plantes Vertes (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Just regular walnuts.

[Plantes Vertes]

Shows what I know!

[Tri2Cook]

I wonder if doing the walnut infusion and then fat washing it with the roasted walnut oil I have would be tasty or a disaster? I suppose there's one way to find out. Not so much for the purposes of mxmo, I'm just thinking I like the sound of roasted walnut bourbon.

[FrogPrincesse]

 

[EvergreenDan]

Oh Frog, with Smith & Cross?! I need a hug.

[lesliec]

A hug?  Hell, I need a glass.

[FrogPrincesse]

You are both welcome to a glass & a hug tonight, my place at 7.

[lesliec]

You're on.  I'll have my staff fuel up the Lear ...

[Rafa]

Be there in ten.

[FrogPrincesse]

You're a bit early but I am ready for you.

[Plantes Vertes]

I can't believe you guys are hugging without me.

[FrogPrincesse]

Group hug! :-)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I must say the infused S&C sure sounds good.  I don't even have a car.

[FrogPrincesse]

I probably should have infused a whole bottle, because it's going very fast.

 

I made my best attempt at replicating Gareth Evan's Rum DMC (walnut-infused S&C, Appleton, Cynar, lime juice, maple syrup, orange bitters) for the challenge, as Plantes Vertes had guessed.

 

 

 

Also I made a walnut Mai Tai with batavia arrack and more of the walnut-infused S&C, walnut orgeat, pecan bitters, etc.

 

 

Details here.

 

[Missy Koefod]

We live in Atlanta, Georgia and love all things local so we decided to use Georgia Peaches and Pecans for this recipe.  We call this drink the "On the Trolley". It has been rainy and chilly here recently so we decided a whiskey drink was the way to go.  We wanted a little warmth with the cocktail.

 

We started with a Georgia Peach and Salted Pecan Rich Simple Syrup and added 1 oz to 2 oz Bulleit Bourbon and 1 oz of Brandy and stirred them together.  Pour this over a large chunk of ice into a rocks glass and garnish with a Peach slice and enjoy!

 

 

[Plantes Vertes]

I like the local angle Missy. Welcome to eGullet!

[Rafa]

Welcome Missy!

 

I seem to have missed the deadline, distracted as I was by other cocktailing matters, and incidentally by other nut matters. I'll have to enjoy this hazelnut orgeat + nocino + Demerara rum cocktail as a tribute to those of you who did participate, and get working on my Smith & Cross walnut infusion.

[Adam George]

Any chance you could post the walnut orgeat recipe?  I need to make some orgeat.

[FrogPrincesse]

Sure. It's in your inbox now.