Janus
I’m doing a yearlong series for Keap, a maker of fine candles based in Kingston, NY. It’s been a really fun project to work on, especially because they let me design the drinks around the Labors of the Month, a cycle common in medieval art that I’ve long been obsessed with. Here’s the recipe for January 2022, a stirred Cognac and amaro cocktail topped with Champagne.
INGREDIENTS
1½ oz. Cognac
½ oz. Braulio Amaro
½ oz. walnut orgeat
1 dash Angostura bitters
Tiny pinch of salt (not coarse)
2 oz. Champagne or other dry sparkling wine, to top
Coffee bean, for garnish
ABV LEVEL
Combine the Cognac, amaro, orgeat, bitters, and salt in a mixing glass. Fill it three-quarters of the way up with ice and stir rapidly for 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe or stemmed cocktail glass (preferably chilled) and top with 2 oz. Champagne. Using a microplane, (very!) carefully shave coffee bean on top.
