Mike's Mix: Tijuana Brass Smash
Every Saturday, Mike Augustyniak picks up a new cocktail recipe from a local mixologist. This week, he headed over to Lyn 65 in Richfield for a drink that will get you in the spirit to head south of the border.
Tijuana Brass Smash
2 oz Sobieski Vodka
1 barspoon coarsely chopped avocado
¾ oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
½ oz cucumber-basil syrup*
½ oz pineapple syrup**
1 pinch cilantro
Combine ingredients and shake vigorously over ice. Double strain into and Old Fashioned glass.
Add fresh ice and top with 6 drops of Centennial Hop tincture***, and 1 piece of cilantro.
*To make Cucumber Basil Syrup
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Add 1 cucumber & 1 large bunch basil
Heat gently until sugar dissolves
Remove from heat and let steep
Transfer into a container and refrigerate for 48 hours
Strain
**To make the pineapple syrup:
2 ½ cups pineapple juice
2 cups sugar
Heat sently until sugar dissolves
***To make Centennial Hop tincture
Fresh Centennial Hop leaves (available from Northern Brewer)
Add everclear & let sit for 3 days
Strain
Taste Test
First let me say I don't like avocado. On a good day I'll have a little guac with my chips… but, as "superfoods" go, avocado is my last choice. That said, I'm glad I didn't let my fear of avocado stop me from trying what might be my new favorite drink of spring.
The Tijuana Brass Smash is in the same drink family as the Mint Julep – where the recipe, at its core, is spirit, fruit, herb, and sugar. Avocado takes the role of 'fruit' in the TBS at Lyn65, providing a little color, a little flavor, and a little thickness or viscosity to the drink. Bright pineapple, cucumber and cilantro provide the high notes that make this drink sing.
Plus it's green; so, it looks healthy.
Lyn65 is an independently owned and operated chef driven restaurant located in Richfield. They proudly craft simple, yet creative bar fare inspired by the many diverse cultures around the world, using seasonal and local ingredients.