Pearl of Wisdom
1 oz. dry white sake
1 oz. cherry brandy
1 oz. gin
2 oz. sweet and sour mix
Approx. half a lime's worth of juice
(just enough to add tartness & a little pulp)
Splash of club soda
Place a Maraschino cherry
or pearl onion (the pearl) in the bottom of a tall pilsner glass and cover
with a couple inches of crushed ice.
Shake all ingredients (except
club soda) with ice and strain into the prepared glass. Add club soda.
Garnish with a lime wheel
and a pair of chop sticks. Place a fortune cookie on the rim of the glass.
Once served, the idea is
to retrieve the "pearl" with the chop sticks then learn your fortune from
the cookie.
This one comes direct from tiki enthusiast
and carver extraordinaire Finkdaddy. In addition to creating incredible
carvings & sculptures, Finkdaddy is a fan of adult beverages, and he
recently submitted his original recipe, 'The Pearl of Wisdom."
This drink is outstanding.
Finkdaddy himself describes it as a variant
of the Singapore Sling, and says it has been a big hit with friends and
family. After trying it, I can easily see why.
The Pearl of Wisdom is a great example of
a tiki-style drink, striking a wonderful balance between tart and sweet.
The cherry and lime match up well, and combine to form the main flavors.
There is a great citrus taste throughout, and the whole thing is unbelieveably
refreshing.
The secret weapon here is the sake. It pulls
the other ingredients together and puts a soft, dry tone on everything.
As for brands, Finkdaddy recommends Momokawa Diamond, but not being able
to find it locally, I substituted their Ruby and it was fantastic nonetheless.
Also, I'm generally not a fan of bottled mixes,
but the sweet and sour works very well here. Just make sure you get some
fresh stuff- this isn't the time to use up the remains of that derelict
bottle that's been in the back of the fridge since last Summer.
Overall, if I had to choose between this and
the Singapore Sling, I'm certain I'd take this one almost every time. The
Pearl of Wisdom is drier and crisper, whereas the Sling is sweeter and
fruitier. They're both great drinks, but I found the subtleties of the
Pearl of Wisdom more appealing.
If you've been looking for incentive to buy
a bottle of sake or cherry brandy, this is it. I can't recommend it highly
enough.
And if you have a few minutes, check out Finkdaddy's
excellent work in this thread
over at the Tiki
Central forums.
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