Restaurants›The Ozark Mill Restaurant at Finley Farms›Spring Date Season Cocktail Recipe

Spring Date Season Cocktail Recipe

Inspired by The Ozark Mill Restaurant at Finley Farms
Time20m
Serves1

Make Spring Date Season Cocktail Recipe in just 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Cocktail

Date Syrup (if making from whole dates)

Garnish

Method

Date Syrup (if making from whole dates)

1

Soak and blend

Place pitted Medjool dates in a small heatproof bowl and pour 1/2 cup hot water over them. Let sit 10 minutes to soften, then transfer dates and soaking liquid to a blender. Add vanilla extract if using and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon hot water to reach a syrupy consistency. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small container to remove fibrous bits. Cool to room temperature. Yield: about 1/2 cup (use 1/2 oz per cocktail).

Cocktail

2

Dry shake (if using egg white)

If using the egg white, add 2 oz gin, 1/2 oz date syrup, 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice, 1/2 oz elderflower liqueur, 1/4 oz dry vermouth, 1/2 egg white, and 2 dashes orange bitters to a cocktail shaker. Seal and shake vigorously without ice for 15–20 seconds to emulsify and build foam.

3

Wet shake

Open the shaker and add 6 ice cubes. Seal and shake hard for 12–15 seconds until the shaker is very cold and slightly frosted. This chills and dilutes the drink to balance sweetness and acidity.

4

Strain and serve

Double-strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh sieve to remove ice shards and any date solids. If not using egg white, simply combine all liquid ingredients with ice and shake once before straining.

5

Finish

Express a lemon twist over the surface to release oils, run it around the rim, then drop the twist into the drink or perch on the rim. Skewer a halved date (or float an edible flower) and place as garnish. Serve immediately.

6

Variations & tips

Adjust date syrup to taste: increase to 3/4 oz if you prefer sweeter, decrease to 1/4 oz for drier. Substitute vodka for gin for a cleaner base, or omit elderflower for a more straightforward date-lemon profile. If you made date syrup ahead, store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Garnish

7

Prepare the lemon wheel or twist and halve a pitted date. Skewer the date half on a cocktail pick and rest it across the glass, or float the lemon wheel and drop the date into the drink. If using an edible flower, place gently on the foam (if egg white used).