Strawberry Rhubarb Kir

Kir – nothing tastes quite like it. It’s simple, elegant, palate-cleansing and the cassis makes the drink. That juicy, viscous peppery “bite” to the liqueur is the quintessential characteristic associated with this cocktail. So here’s what I did – I changed the cassis.

This cocktail is an adaptation of the classic black currant cassis and still-wine combination that’s been around since late-late 1800s.
Kir refers to the cassis (Felix Kir is the man it’s named after, the mayor or Dijon France, where the cocktail began and owes its popularity to, even to the present day), and usually uses a still wine from the surrounding region – either aligote, or chardonnay

Recipe:
1/3 oz Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb “cassis” style syrup**
Top with Chardonnay or Aligote

Glass:
Champage Flute

Garnish:
No garnish, however if you have the time and your team can put something interesting together that is lemon based, that’s ideal

Method:
Want to make it “royale”? Using a soda-siphon, pour the wine in, charge with 2 x CO2 cartridges and chilled down for 24 hours – typically a siphon holds 750mL – 1L of liquid, so for each cocktail you’ll need 120mL of carbonated wine (4 oz) depending on how many guests you’re expecting, plan accordingly as all soda-siphons for maximum use without wasted product needs at least 24 hours of chilled and charged time.

To make the syrup – Ingredients:

4000 mL fruit – strawberry and rhubarb (1L:3L ratio), either fresh or frozen mashed
750 mL cups super jammy red wine – in this case, Zinfandel or Primitivo
2000 mL “tea” sugar – you should spike with complimentary flavours :p
1500 mL cane sugar
1400 mL regular proof vodka
2g green cardamom
2g long pepper
2g cinnamon stick
2g white pepper
2g star anise

Combine the fruit and red wine and leave for 96 hours.
Purée the mixture, strain it through a cheesecloth. Your hands will turn purple, of that I can assure, but you had better squeeze every single drop out. Spend a good 20 minutes with the big red cheesecloth ball.
In pot whisk sugar and wine together, with whole roasted spices. Add the vodka.
Heat gently, stirring at all times on low until the sugar has dissolved.
Do not let the liquid come to a simmer, as you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.
Leave at the lowest heat for an hour or more, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced a little and become slightly syrupy.
Chill down.
Store in clean bottles, and chill for 24 hours before serving.

Recipe for cocktail:
1/3 oz Liqueur (depending how sweet you want the drink)
3.5 oz Really really really cold Chardonnay or Aligote