I stumbled upon the photography of Jeff Wall and boy is it up my alley. It also feels perfect for the semi-ongoing series: "Fit for a Room" - an exercise in which I try to determine the cocktail that should be drunk in the particular room. The photo above has me thinking "Is there a cocktail called Dust?", "Is there a grey-colored cocktail? And if not, how can I make one?" and finally "What does beer and ketchup taste like?"
I should workshop some of the above cocktail ideas, but until then I give you what Gourmet calls the Provencal Sage Cocktail, which looks musty and forgotten.
2 cups vodka
1 2/3 cups sugar
Crush the sage in a mortar with a pestle until it is fragrant and transfer it to a 1-pint jar. Rinse out the mortar with some of the vodka, pour all the vodka over the sage, and let the mixture stand, covered, shaking it occasionally, in a dark place for 8 days.
In a saucepan combine the sugar with 2/3 cup water and simmer the mixture, stirring, until the sugar is just dissolved. Transfer the sugar syrup to another 1-pint jar and chill it, covered, for 8 days.
Pour the sage mixture through a dampened coffee filter into a 1-quart jar or 750 ml bottle, stir in the sugar syrup, and seal the jar or bottle tightly. Shake the cordial and serve it at room temperature or chilled. Make about 3 1/2 cups.
I can almost see the jar in a corner of the room.
Below are more Jeff Wall photos to perhaps elicit more ideas filled with pine, grease, rope and salty air.
And now the variation... we tried this drink with an aged non-spiced full bodied rum (7yr Flor de Cana from Nicaragua) instead of the above recipe's dark Jamaican rum and brandy combo. The dark Jamaican rum makes for a sweeter spicier punch while the Flor de Cana brings the pumpkin flavor to the foreground. But whichever recipe you choose we recommend fresh shaved nutmeg for the perfect seasonal garnish.
We came up with a variation of the Satan's kiss below. Instead of the Pinot Noir float, use a bit of Port in the bottom of the glass to start then pour the base on top and do an alternate float. Because the Port is fortified, it's a thicker wine. It also adds additional sweetness if your using only the lemon juice.
