Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/35876
There were two important influences on how this cocktail came to be: the spirit—Mill Six Citrus Infusion—and the location—Saddle Peak Lodge. Mill Six is a well-balanced and complex spirit with hints of orange, yuzu, lychee and grapefruit in the nose and whole lemon, yuzu and blood orange in the palate. Saddle Peak Lodge is hidden in the hills on the way to Malibu, CA. It’s one of the most unique restaurants I’ve been to and has been around for a hundred years or so (some say much longer). Today they offer fare from elk and wild boar to scallops and trout. It’s a high-end rustic restaurant that is, exactly as the name suggests, a cool comfortable lodge. With those two things in mind, I combined the Mill Six, roasted apple and pear purée, cinnamon, honey, ginger and lemon to yield an earthy, yet refreshing cocktail. Sipping this cocktail, which I call Hunter’s Pie, at the brass-covered bar, sitting in the handmade wooden chairs . . . I felt right at home. Hunter’s Pie For the drink: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 1¼ oz. Mill Six Citrus Infusion ½ oz. Whistle Pig Straight Rye 1½ oz. roasted apple and pear purée ¼ oz. honey ¼ oz. lemon juice 1 oz. Fever Tree Ginger Beer Add Mill Six, Whistle Pig, purée, honey and lemon juice to a mixing glass; add ice and shake well for ten seconds. Strain into a highball glass with ice; top with a float of ginger beer and garnish with an apple slice and lemon wheel. For the purée: ■ 2 Red Delicious apples, peeled and quartered ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 2 D’Anjou pears, peeled and quartered juice from one whole lemon 1 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 pinch salt 1 oz. honey 4 oz. water Mill Six is a well-balanced and com- plex spirit with hints of orange, yuzu, lychee and grapefruit in the nose and whole lemon, yuzu and blood orange in the palate. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Add apples and pears to a mixing bowl; add lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and salt and toss well. Spread apples and pears in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan; bake for 20–25 minutes, until the apples and pears begin to brown. Remove from oven. Place apples and pears, along with honey and water, in a blender; blend well; strain through a fine sieve and store under refrigeration. Saddle Peak Lodge’s Chris Barragan Saddle Peak Lodge Director of Beverage Chris Barragan has cre- ated a pre-Prohibition cocktail menu and has also revamped his list to express a nouveau theme. “It’s the cutting edge of what mixol- ogy is all about here,” he says, referring to Los Angeles cocktail culture. Barragan, a member of mixology group The Sporting Life, is an influential force on the scene. He is also heading towards becoming a Cicerone, a certified beer sommelier. Working hand-in- hand with Executive Chef Chris Kufek, Barragan pairs beer, wine and spirits with the game, fish and crafted rustic cuisine for which the Lodge is known. july 201 1 / the tasting panel / 73