Occasionally, I look in the fridge and find a forgotten something-or-other barely clinging to life, and I feel bad for the poor little thing, so I throw it in a pot with a few of its misfit friends stranded about the kitchen; sometimes it goes into a shaker. While this isn't advisable for creating an exquisite culinary delight, it is a great way to experiment and try things you wouldn't ordinarily, and of course, all that other stuff about saving money and reducing waste and bla bla bla.
So tonight, I had a few suspects that fit the description: a half-finished bottle of pineapple juice, a sad looking wedge of ginger, and a... well, the bottle of Evan Williams bourbon just seemed neglected. I had a peek on the internet for a little inspiration and was off to the girfriend's with ingredients in tow. Thusly, an imperfect but still very drinkable beverage was formed. I would recommend re-creating with ingredients purchased within a memorable period of time, but hey - smoke em' if ya got em'.
Hawaiian Julep
- 4-5ish large mint leaves
- 3 thin 1" slices of ginger
- A pinch or two of peppercorn
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 2 oz Pineapple Juice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Take your freshest looking mint leaves, your salvaged slices of ginger, and your pick of peppercorns in a glass (a julep cup if you have!) with your syrup and muddle gently, trying to focus mostly on pressing into the ginger without roughing up your other solids too badly. Fill the rest of the glass with crushed ice if you can, cracked ice works though (easiest way to crack your ice is to take an ice cube firmly in one palm, and hold a spoon at the end of the handle with the other, giving the cube a good whack with the back of your spoon. You'll get the hang of it). Give your pineapple juice a smell to make sure it's still good and pour it in with your bourbon (which is never not good). Stir it up a bit, slap your mint sprig across your hand a few times like it's been misbehaving, and then sit it down in your drink so you can have a little heart to heart.