Fairy’s Door

The Fairy's Door Cocktail

Like prior Fairy Doors, we must turn to the Green Fairy for a worthy potion to offer the forest spirits. For this toast I turned to an old favorite, the Old Cuban, an elevated version of the classic daiquiri invented by famed mixologist Audrey Saunders. That modern classic combines aged rum, lime, mint, and sugar, all topped off with champagne. It’s incredibly delicious. I took these cues and built a version including absinthe (the Green Fairy) and sparkling orange wine. The absinthe adds a complex and mysterious element that’s perfect for the fairies.

A magical potion

The final touch to the drink references the origins of this puzzle box. In place of the champagne found in the original, I used a special bottle from Greece. Paleokerisio is a unique semi-sparkling, semi-dry orange wine made from indigenous white Debina and red Vlahiko grape varieties. The wine is a revival of the traditional semi-sparkling wine of Ioannina and brings a deliciously magical finale to the toast. Here’s to original inspirations, magical moments, beautiful creations and losing oneself to the lights. Στην υγειά σας!

an a-door-able pair

Fairy’s Door (adapted from Audrey Saunders)

1 ½ oz aged rum

½ oz absinthe

¾ oz lime

1 oz simple syrup

8 mint leaves

1-2 oz sparkling orange wine

Shake ingredients except wine together with ice, strain into a favorite glass, and top with the sparkles. Garnish with a citrus fairy’s door*.

* this fairy must be a bartender – there’s a barspoon and shaker door handle, a jigger knocker, a cocktail coup bell and some Hawthorne strainer hinges!