Don Camillo Recipe

Combine 8 oz Campari and 0.75 oz melted refined coconut oil in a jar. Cap and shake vigorously for 60 seconds to emulsify.

Let sit at room temperature for 4–6 hours, shaking once or twice. The coconut oil will bind with some of the bitter compounds.

Place the mixture in the freezer for 30–60 minutes. The coconut oil will solidify at the top.

Strain through a fine mesh and then a coffee filter (or cheesecloth) into a clean bottle. Discard solids. Yield ~7–7.5 oz of coconut-washed Campari. Label and refrigerate.

In a clean jar combine 8 oz blanco mezcal with 1 oz tamarind concentrate (strained of fibers). Stir or shake to combine.

Let infuse 4–12 hours, shaking occasionally. Taste after 4 hours — remove solids or stop infusion when desired tamarind brightness is achieved.

Strain through a fine mesh and coffee filter into a bottle. Yield ~8 oz tamarindo mezcal. Refrigerate.

Dissolve 1 tsp sea salt in 2 tbsp warm water to make a small saline solution.

If using a smoking gun: pour the saline into a small shallow dish, cover with a lid, and fill the space with smoke for 30–45 seconds. Let sit 1–2 minutes to absorb smoke. If using smoked salt, simply add a pinch to the dissolved saline to taste.

Store in a small bottle and use 0.25 tsp per cocktail. Keeps refrigerated for several days.

Chill glass

Place a rocks glass in the freezer or fill with ice water to chill while you build the cocktail.

In a mixing glass add 1.5 oz tamarindo mezcal, 0.75 oz coconut-washed Campari, 0.75 oz sweet vermouth, and 0.25 oz aztec chocolate mole liqueur.

Add 0.25 tsp smoked saline to the mixing glass.

Fill the mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir vigorously for 30–40 seconds until well chilled and properly diluted (about 20–25% dilution by mouthfeel).

Discard ice/water from the chilled rocks glass and place a single large ice cube in it.

Strain the cocktail over the large ice cube using a julep or hawthorne strainer.

Express the oils of an orange peel over the drink (skin side down) and rub the rim with the peel, then drop the peel into the glass as garnish.

Optionally, for an added smoky presentation: briefly smoke the finished cocktail under a cloche or with a smoking gun for 15–20 seconds and serve immediately.