September is National Mushroom Month!
Earlier this year the National Mushroom Council teamed up with mixologist Danny Childs, owner of Slow Drinks (New York City) to craft cocktails with mushrooms as the signature ingredient. Check out the recipes below as you celebrate National Mushroom Month.
Yield: 1 Experience the rich and savory flavors of the Shiitake Old Fashioned, a captivating cocktail that marries two different bourbons with a luscious shiitake-demerara syrup. Enhanced with two dashes of Angostura bitters and garnished with an orange peel and cocktail cherry, this sophisticated libation presents a harmonious blend of earthy and citrusy notes, perfect for savoring over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. Ingredients 1 ½ oz bourbon Method Add all ingredients to an ice-filled mixing glass and stir until well-chilled. Strain over a large cube in a rocks glass and garnish with a skewered cocktail cherry. Express the oils from the orange peel over the glass and drop the peel in the glass. Ingredients for Sesame-washed bourbon 1 oz sesame oil Method Add ingredients to a food safe container and stir well to incorporate. Cover and move to the freezer and allow to sit for 48 hours, until the oil has frozen and risen to the top of the liquid. Remove the frozen oil and discard. Pass the remaining bourbon through a cheesecloth-lined strainer to remove any residual sesame oil. Will keep in the refrigerator for one month and in the freezer for longer. Ingredients for Shiitake-Demerara Syrup 2 cups demerara sugar Method Bring the water and demerara to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour over the shiitakes and allow it to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow it to infuse. Strain out and discard the mushrooms before moving the syrup to the refrigerator. Will keep for approximately 2 weeks.
Shiitake Old Fashioned
½ oz sesame-washed bourbon
½ oz shiitake-demerara syrup (recipe below)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Orange peel, cherry for garnish
1 cup bourbon
2 cups water
3 cups shiitake mushrooms
Last of Words
Yield: 1
Indulge in the intriguing Last of Words cocktail, a captivating blend of gin, Faccia Bruto Centerbe (or Green Chartreuse), Kirschwasser, and a delightful beech mushroom and citrus cordial.
Ingredients
½ oz gin
½ oz Faccia Bruto Centerbe (or Green Chartreuse)
½ oz Kirschwasser (preferably Schladerer)
½ oz beech mushroom and citrus cordial (recipe below)
2 oz dry sparkling wine (like prosecco)
1 oz club soda
Beech mushroom cluster for garnish
Method
Add the gin, Centerbe, Kirschwasser, and cordial to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and quickly shake to chill. Strain over fresh ice in a wine glass and top with sparkling wine and club soda. Garnish with a beech mushroom cluster.
Ingredients for Beech Mushroom and Citrus Cordial
8 ea. lemons, peeled
1 ½ cups sugar
300 g beech mushrooms
2 cups lime juice
Method
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Peel 8 medium-sized lemons trying to remove as little of the white pith as possible. Place peels in a bowl along with sugar and muddle to release the peels’ oils. Cover and let sit overnight at room temperature.
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The next day, use a rubber spatula to scrape the peels and sugar into a medium saucepan along with the beech mushrooms and lime juice. Gently heat to a simmer stirring every few minutes to help sugar dissolve (do not let it boil). Turn off the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow it to infuse.
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The next day, strain out lemon peels and beech mushrooms, being sure to try and squeeze as much liquid from them as possible. Discard the peels and mushrooms and pour the cordial into an airtight container. Will keep in the refrigerator for approximately 2 weeks.
Yield: 1 Elevate your cocktail experience with the King Oyster Martini, a unique blend of vodka, fino sherry, and tantalizing mushroom brine. Served in a chilled Martini glass and adorned with a pickled king oyster mushroom disk, this sophisticated and flavorful drink is sure to impress and delight your taste buds. Ingredients 2 oz vodka Method Add the vodka, sherry, and brine to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake well to chill. Double strain through a cocktail strainer and mesh cone strainer into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a skewered king oyster disk. Ingredients for Pickled King Oyster Mushrooms 3 cups king oyster mushrooms cut into ¼” disks Method Blanch mushrooms in salted water for one minute, then transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking. Use a slotted spoon to allow water to drain before transferring mushrooms to a heat proof container. Next, bring remaining ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. One boiling, pour over mushrooms and cover. Move to the refrigerator once cool and allow to sit overnight. Will keep for up to one month.
King Oyster Martini
½ oz fino sherry
½ oz mushroom brine (see below)
Pickled king oyster mushroom disk for garnish (recipe below)
2 cups water
1 cups white vinegar
½ cup sugar
2 T salt
1 T mustard seed
½ bunch thyme
3 bay leaves
1 ½ tsp allspice
¾ tsp cloves
