Coconut Milk, Gin, Cardamom Syrup, Black Bitters

One summer we had the opportunity to serve drinks at the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver. Clyfford Still was a highly influential American painter and a leading figure of the Abstract Expressionism movement of the 1940s and 50s. We find his simple, yet striking paintings to be very moving, and so we designed this cocktail to honor and emulate his art and life.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz good gin
• 1 ½ oz full-fat coconut milk (none of that “low fat” bullcrap)
• ½ oz cardamom syrup
• Squeeze of fresh lime
• 1 dropperful DRAM black bitters
• Ground turmeric root (for dusting)

For the Cardamom Syrup:

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup cardamom pods
• 2 tsp ground cardamom

Preparation:

1. Make the Cardamom Syrup:
   In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the cardamom pods and ground cardamom, then remove the pot from heat. Allow the cardamom to steep until the mixture has cooled. Strain the cardamom pods from the mixture and voilà! Cardamom syrup!

2. Prepare the Drink:
   In a cocktail mixing glass, combine the gin, cardamom syrup, a squeeze of fresh lime, and black bitters. Shake well and vigorously to prevent the coconut milk from curdling. If it does curdle, that is quite alright; it won’t kill you, it’s just the fat congealing because of the cold.

3. Strain the mixture into a fresh glass over ice. Dust with a pinch of ground turmeric. Enjoy while you read about the life of Clyfford Still!