Throughout history, numerous varieties of cocktails have emerged, ranging from the rather simple historical roots to the liquid equivalent of haute cuisine. That does not necessarily mean that modern cocktails usually offer more of extravagance than their classical counterparts. However, today’s cocktail is one of these drinks. It has loads of extravagance and hullabaloo.
The Storm on Earth is a drink I came upon through the highly recommended video series Local Flight. Moderator Shawn Thomas leads the audience to a variety of different bars in different states of the US in this series, presenting and tasting some really fancy drinks. The series was realized in cooperation with Grey Goose Vodka, so it is no wonder that Grey Goose vodka also finds a place in the Storm on Earth cocktail.
The Storm on Earth is a drink that really features a lot of unusual ingredients and accessories, so it definitely cannot be made in a hurry or without the profound equipment. Fortunately, by this time I own the necessary equipment and ingredients so nothing stood in my way to mix my own Storm on Earth. The most striking feature certainly is the really fancy glass in which it is served. To be precise it is the “Halm” glass of Czech design brand Jakobsen Design, founded by mastermind Martin Jakobsen. It is a glass sphere provided with a small glass tube to insert a glass straw with a silicone plug as the base. Thus, the glass can be filled and then turned over without overspilling any liquids. So we’re dealing with a wonderful glass for which many decorating ideas are imaginable. I will certainly proudly present a few more here in the future.
In addition, the drink is working with the smoke of oak and lemon zest, for which I used the smoking gun, as it is described in the original recipe. Of course you can produce your smoke in other ways. Then there are berries, Yuzu juice (a very expensive and rare juice of the Japanese Yuzu fruit – you can substitute it by lime juice), oak infused Grey Goose Le Citron vodka, ginger-apple-thyme syrup, Decanter bitters, absinthe mist and coffee bitters. As you might realize: This one needs some preparation!
The drink was invented by Eddie “Lucky” Campbell from the Parliament in Dallas, Texas. According to Mr. Campbell the cocktail represents the typical flavors of the state of Texas with its wild berries, BBQ inspired smoke tones and an overall oak accented character. Regardless of whether the Cocktail achieves this goal: It is a bombastic taste experience that definitely rewards the effort. A mystical orb filled with blasting flavors!
Recipe (in US-typical ounces):
2 oz oak-infused Grey Goose Le Citron (see below)
2 blackberries
4 Blueberries
0.75 oz Yuzu juice (lime juice as a substitute)
0.75 oz ginger-apple-thyme syrup (see below)
5 drops The Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters
2 drops Bittermens New Orleans Coffee Bitters
Absinthe mist (from an Absinth filled spray bottle)
Oak & lemon smoke (see preparation)
Oak-infused Grey Goose Le Citron:
Put a thin, long piece of oak (approx. 15 cm) into a bottle of Grey Goose Le Citron. After a few hours the wood gifts much of its flavor to the vodka. Therefore I’d recommend to leave it inside the bottle for no more than 2 or 3 hours.
Ginger-apple-thyme syrup:
Give zest of one lemon, 500 g diced apple, 4 sprigs of fresh thyme and a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger into a pan, add 300 ml of water and bring to the boil. Then let it simmer for about 10 minutes without a lid. Finally stir in 500 g of sugar and let it cool overnight with the lid on. The next day, filter through a sheet of muslin.
Preparation: First, gently muddle the berries with a muddler in a stirring glas, add Grey Goose Le Citron, Yuzu juice, syrup and bitters and stir on ice until cold. Put the garnish into your Halm glass, then add the content of the mixing glass, fill with crushed ice and spray with a little Absinthe mist. Now light up some oak chips and a teaspoon of lemon zest in your Smoking Gun (or alternate smoking devices) to blow the smoke into the Halm glass. Seal with silicone plug, turn Halm glass upside down and put the glass straw into the small tube.
Glass: Halm by Jakobsen Design
Garnish: Some diced apple, blueberries, lemon zest and thyme
Buying sources: in order to get your hands on all the necessary ingredients and the equipment you won’t probably be able to avoid ordering stuff online. You might also have to visit a specialized retailer.
