Cheese Pleaser

We got this idea from amazing food writer Natalie Foy, who described a similar cocktail as “the best cocktail experience” she’d ever had. The perfect after dinner cocktail – it’s the cheese course in a glass!

Combine in a cocktail shaker:

• 1 ½ oz Blue-Cheese-Washed No.12 Vodka*

• ½ oz Spiced Pear Simple Syrup**

• ¼ oz tawny port

• ¼ tsp honey

Add ice, shake to chill and strain into a cocktail coupe.

⁠⁠*Blue-Cheese-Washed No.12 Vodka

Fat washing is an easy technique for adding flavour to your spirits, though it takes time as you need to properly chill the spirit to remove the fat. Just add the equivalent of 2 1-inch cubes of aged cheese (we used Bleu Benedictin from Québec), sliced into small pieces or crumbed, to 250mL of vodka in a sealed, freezer-safe container. Allow to steep for an hour at room temperature, occasionally swirling gently. Place container in the freezer overnight, then remove and immediately strain out the solidified fat using a fine sieve while the mixture is still frozen. Strain again through a fine filter (ie. paper coffee filter) to remove any remaining sediment.

*⁠*Spiced Pear Simple Syrup

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup water

• ½ cinnamon stick

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

This is a versatile and easy to make syrup that we’ve used in a few of our seasonal cocktails where it brings a warm spice and silky texture. Add water and sugar to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears and cinnamon stick, then simmer for 15-20 minutes, occasionally stirring gently to prevent sticking. Strain into a covered glass jar, being careful not to press the cooked pears (to avoid giving your syrup a cloudy texture). Add vanilla extract to the mix and store in the fridge.⁠

Prep Time: 12 hours
Difficulty: 4/5