Fast Car Recipe

Warm milk and combine with citrus

Gently warm 4 cups whole milk in a saucepan to about 120°F (warm but not simmering). Remove from heat. Stir in 2 oz fresh orange juice and 1 oz fresh lemon juice and 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon until combined. The milk will begin to curdle — allow the mixture to sit 20–30 minutes at room temperature so curds fully form.

Filter curds from whey

Line a large funnel or fine sieve with cheesecloth (or a coffee filter) over a clean container. Slowly pour the curdled milk through the cloth, allowing the clear whey to pass through. Do not press the curds; let gravity drain for 30–45 minutes. The collected liquid (whey) is the clarified citrus infusion. You should yield roughly 6–8 oz; measure out 1 oz for each cocktail and refrigerate remainder up to 48 hours.

Store clarified infusion

Transfer clarified citrus to a sealed container and chill. Discard curds. Note: clarified infusion will be slightly cloudy and silky, not milky.

Combine base spirits and clarified citrus

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz Beefeater gin, 0.75 oz Cointreau, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz fresh orange juice, and 1 oz chilled clarified citrus (from the Milk Clarification section).

Add clove tincture

Add 2 drops clove tincture to the shaker. Clove tincture is potent; start with 2 drops and adjust in future pours if you'd like more clove presence.

Dry and wet shake

Dry-shake (no ice) vigorously for 10 seconds to emulsify. Add ice to the shaker and shake again vigorously for 12–15 seconds until well chilled and slightly frothy.

Double strain into chilled glass

Double-strain the cocktail through a fine-mesh strainer (and an optional cheesecloth) into a chilled Nick & Nora or coupe glass to remove any remaining solids and ensure silky texture.

Garnish and finish

Express an orange peel over the drink, rub the rim, and drop the strip in as garnish. Optionally grate a small amount of fresh nutmeg on top. Serve immediately.

If clarified citrus yield is more than needed, refrigerate up to 48 hours and use within that time. For a stronger cinnamon presence, toast a small cinnamon stick in warm milk during the warming step and remove before curdling. If a clove tincture is unavailable, substitute by steeping 2 whole cloves in 0.5 oz neutral spirit for 24 hours and then use 0.25–0.5 tsp of that infusion instead (taste carefully).