Inspiration comes in many forms, and at Downtown Cocktail Room, fun ingredients left in plain sight can bear delicious results.
As the story goes, bar manager Kevin Gorham left a bottle of Trader Joe’s Cocoa Almond Spread in the DCR kitchen, where bartender Jeff Grindley spotted and sampled it. Inspiration struck. Grindley added a little of this, a little of that, and after feedback from the whole DCR team, the Open Campfire ($9) was born.
A silky, Valentine’s-perfect combo of chocolate, spice and roasted almonds, the Open Campfire is, according to Grindley, “a sweet cocktail, buttery, with a deliciously clean finish that leaves you lingering for another ... like a good kiss. Not the sloppy kind where you are wiping your face afterward.”
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. bourbon
½ oz. Tuaca Vanilla Citrus Liqueur
½ oz. Amontillado sherry
1 dash of Bittermens ‘Elemakule Tiki Bitters
½ oz. simple syrup
¼ oz. Trader Joe’s Cocoa Almond Spread
pinch of salt
bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped roasted almonds and fresh whipped cream (garnish)
Method: Combine all ingredients and stir. Strain into a coupe glass. Top with fresh, unsweetened whipped cream and almonds. Shave bittersweet chocolate on top.
