Workshopping

This was actually the first crystal star cocktail recipe that I began workshopping for Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. In my search for inspiration, I came across a recipe from Difford's for a cocktail called the Star. It's a riff on a Manhattan.

I tasted the Star cocktail swapping the applejack with Cognac, the gomme syrup with honey syrup, and the Strucchi Rosso Vermouth with Carpano Antica. The recipe was okay, but it didn't capture the energy that a drink called Power Lift should imply (nor one inspired by the championing chapter 3 where Mario and friends kick Grubba's power-hogging ass).

It occurred to me that while workshopping some garnish concepts that I could take the garnish fruits (star fruit) and turn them into a syrup! Restructuring back to the original recipe and including star fruit simple syrup was exactly what I needed to lift the Star to the next level! The simple substitution for star fruit syrup and specifically Carpano Antica vermouth, gave a better balance of flavors than my original modifications. It seems that sometimes, simple swap-outs are the way to go.

Star Fruit Syrup

To create a simple star fruit syrup, combine in a 2:1 ratio by weight raw cane sugar and filtered water. Bring the syrup to a low simmer and add in one whole star fruit, washed and sliced. When the syrup begins to change color from the star fruit, remove from heat, filter out, and then bottle.

You can eat the star fruit right away or you can keep them simmering until transparent. (by that point they've candied and can be dehydrated to stiffen them up)

Flavor Analysis

Right on the nose, this drink has such a pleasant and aromatic smell from the inclusion of the Carpano Antica sweet vermouth. Combined with the applejack it is almost raspberry-like. The flavor on the other hand is shockingly star fruit-forward! The flavor of the vermouth brings about a savory component that has notes of dark fruit and cacao nibs.

Star Garnish

To create a candied star fruit that looks orange, slice up your star fruit and simmer in a simple syrup with a few extended dashes of a red liqueur. We opted for Aperol in this case and it worked well!

If you've got any spherical ice cube molds, take one of the candied star fruit and place it in the mold with ice. Once frozen, the star fruit will be locked inside the center!

If you struggle with getting clear ice cubes I'd recommend a directional freezing apparatus. Not sure what that is? Feel free to reach out and I can provide recommendations! (I'd provide them now, but at the time of writing this xblog post I've only used one. I assume a future Cameroxn will be much more well-versed)