By KATE CHERNOFF

My Uncle Jamie is an excellent chef, baker, and bartender. He embodies hospitality in every way when he hosts us for the holidays. I think the epic festivities, parties, and holidays hosted by my family are what led me to pursue hospitality as a career, so I’m dedicating this boozy, sweet, and funky cocktail to him. I hope to show him the hospitality he’s shown me my whole life at my bar one day.

Recipe:

2oz Reifel Rye
¼oz 1:1 honey syrup
6 dashes chocolate banana bitters
6 dashes salted creme de absinthe

Method:

Combine ingredients into a stirring vessel. Add ice to the top of the tin and stir until chilled and diluted (about 3o rotations). Strain into a frozen stemless glass. Express a lemon zest over the drink and discard. Skewer a round slice of banana, then sprinkle brown sugar on top. Flambé with a torch until caramelized. While it's still warm, place a few flakes of maldon salt on top and allow to set. Place picked banana on the rim of your glass. Enjoy!

Prep:

1:1 Honey Syrup

Combine equal parts by volume of your favorite honey and boiling water in a heat safe container. Stir until integrated. Let cool without covering. Seal, label & date, and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Salted Creme de Absinthe

Combine 30ml creme de menthe, 10ml absinthe, and ⅛tsp salt. Stir until integrated, seal, label & date, and store at room temperature indefinitely.

Chocolate banana bitters ISI Instructions:

Combine 1 bottle of Angostura Cacao bitters and 100g of sliced banana in an ISI whip dispenser, ensuring you don’t breach the maximum fill line.
Ensure the rubber ring is secure, then firmly screw on the lid of the dispenser.
Add a Nitrogen charger to the charge access point. Screw on firmly and quickly to ensure a proficient charge.
Shake for at least 30 seconds (pointing nozzle toward the floor incase of any discharge) , then repeat: remove Nitrogen charger, replace with a fresh charger, screw in quickly and firmly, shake for 30 seconds, remove nitrogen charger.
Hold ISI upright, and cover the nozzle with an empty cup. Quickly release all NO2 from the ISI by firmly pressing down on the trigger and waiting until all gas is released from the ISI. It will start loud, and will completely empty a few seconds after the gas release noise ends.
Unscrew the lid of the dispenser. Fine strain infused bitters through a co ee filter.
Seal, label & date, and store in a cool dark place indefinitely.