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Mike's Mix: The Alchemist

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Every Saturday, Mike Augustyniak dives into the local craft cocktail scene and brings you the best of the best. This week, he stopped by The Alchemist in White Bear Lake to try a few of the bar's most popular recipes.

Fire Woman

  • 1 oz gin
  • 1/2 oz blood orange syrup (Monin brand, or other)
  • 1/2 oz frozen orange juice from concentrate
  • Cava
  • Blood orange slices

Take a pint glass, fill it with 2/3 ice, then add an ounce of gin, the Blood Orange syrup and frozen orange juice concentrate. Empty it all in a shaker, then pour contents into an empty red wine glass, top with an ounce of cava (Spanish sparkling wine.) Garnish with some blood orange slices.

Straight Cash Homie

  • 1 tsp Turbinado sugar syrup
  • 2 dashes Angostura original bitters
  • 1 dash Angostura orange bitters
  • Orange peel
  • Brandy cherry

Take an empty pint glass, add a teaspoon of Turbinado sugar syrup, two dashes of Angostura original bitters, one dash of Angostura orange bitters (optional,) pour over a large ice cube to create a nice chill. Garnish it with an orange peel and brandy cherry on a skewer.

Salty Caramel Lemon Drop

  • 1 1/2 oz citrus vodka
  • 3/4 oz salty caramel syrup (Monin brand, or other)
  • 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 2 oz cava
  • lemon wheel (optional)

Add the vodka, syrup and juice in a shaker with ice, then strain it into a martini glass, should be around 2/3 full, top with 2 ounces of cava, garnish with a floating lemon wheel.

Taste Test

This recipe is the home version of the Salty Caramel Lemon Drop; it omits the lemon-foam garnish that is applied at the Alchemist, which is time consuming to make and requires access to a restaurant-style cream whipper. With or without the garnish this drink is a tasty balance between sweet and savory. The flavor reminds me a bit of key lime pie, or lemon meringue pie (particularly with the garnish applied).

The Alchemist is located in downtown White Bear Lake, and is open evenings Tuesday through Saturday.

You can buy the cream whipper here.

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