It translates to “act of faith”—or a public act of penance—and it’s synonymous with burning at the stake. Auto-da-fé was a punishment imposed during the Spanish Inquisition, and it’s also the name of Velveteen Rabbit’s standout new cocktail, a sacrilegious, tongue-in-cheek libation as sinister as it is delicious.
Owners and sisters Christina and Pam Dylag unveiled the cocktail in March, among 11 offerings on the bar’s new spring menu. Three years since Velveteen’s opening, the Dylags continue to set the standard by reinventing their eclectic, imaginative elixirs every season.
While the Spanish Inquisition hardly encouraged imbibing, this auto-da-fé most certainly does. With a brandy base and a delectable mixture of sugar and goat cheese, pomegranate-infused red-wine vinegar and a sprig of rosemary, the dessert cocktail is garnished with a communion wafer—as if it wasn’t blasphemous enough already. With it’s creamy texture and cheesecake-like richness the result is something reminiscent of eggnog, yet light and indulgent enough to be enjoyed all year. You won’t need to repent for drinking it, but it’s so good, you might want to. Velveteen Rabbit, 1218 S. Main St., 702-685-9645; Monday-Saturday 5 p.m.-2 a.m., Sunday, 5 p.m.-midnight.
