Millennium Bridge

Pairing this puzzle box with a cocktail provided a pleasant puzzle for me, and allowed me to feature one of my favorites from a local Houston bar.  Chris Frankel’s bar Spare Key is a local gem and has received many awards and accolades for his innovative creations and projects, such as his “Unlock the States” menu with a cocktail for every state in the US and a passport you can get stamped on your travels.  I wrote about Spare Key before, with its alluring “hidden” nature (it sits above a popular restaurant but has no signage save a neon key hanging on the side of the building).  We went on location there a few months back and Chris created a special cocktail to compliment Randall Gatewood’s “Keeper’s Key Safe” box.  

The Millennium Bridge by Chris Frankel

One of his other fantastic creations is the “Millennium Bridge”, and it turns out to be a great pairing for Tom Lensch’s Open Side Bank.  Why this is a great pairing is the pleasant puzzle I mentioned earlier.  I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun and explain it – it’s not very hard to figure out while you sip on one of these delicious drinks.  Chris shared the recipe with me and I mixed one up here at B+B headquarters.  The Millennium Bridge uses an unusual liqueur known as rakia, which is a traditional type of fruit brandy originating in the Balkans.  This particular rakia is made by the Dorćol Distilling Company, a boutique craft distillery based in San Antonio, Texas.  Their Kinsman Apricot Rakia is a gold medal winning spirit which embodies the essence of perfect, ripe apricots in a balanced American brandy.  It’s smooth and delicious and makes a fantastic base for this cocktail.  Added to that is a citrusy Italian amaro like Amaro Montenegro or Amaro Nonino.  Amaros are traditional Italian bitter digestives meant to taken after a meal. In a cocktail they can add layers of flavor, balance and complexity.  It works incredibly well in the Millennium Bridge.  So whether you’re in London, Houston, Dayton, or elsewhere in the world, if you’re feeling puzzled, this bridge may take you where you need to go.  Cheers!

A perfect pair ... but why?

Special thanks to Chris Frankel for the Millennium Bridge recipe:

1 ½ oz Kinsman Rakia

½ oz Amaro Montenegro (or can substitute Amaro Nonino)

¾ oz fresh lime juice

½ oz rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar:water)

Handful of mint leaves

Shake together with ice, double strain to remove mint bits into a cocktail glass and garnish with a whole mint leaf.