Kitchen 56
Spice up your cocktail with gourmet eats
Chef Alec Collins
Chef Alec Collins
MOUTHWATERING AUTUMN JÄGERMEISTER PORK CHOP
Nate Laird's Cocktail Pairing
Hunter's Harvest
Nate's Cocktail Inspiration
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First, let me say Chef Alec has been a good friend since I first set foot on Texas soil. He was a sou chef at a restaurant my very close friend Madelyn Kaye ran the bar program at (RIP Vox Table). So it’s with great delight and excitement that I get to have him contribute to this month’s edition of Behind The Shot. Now for his dish, he wanted to let the pork sing, its own praises while allowing the amazing Jägermeister to incorporate sauces, glazes, and sides lift the pork up and harmonize together. With the cocktail, I followed suit to use simple ingredients to lift up the base spirits while also making sure it could hold its own against the fattiness of the pork, the creaminess of the butternut squash puree, and the intensity of the balsamic glaze. All while still being #FallAF. So we start off with a base of Laird’s Apple Brandy and Jagermeister bringing forth those fall flavors of tree-ripened apples, baking spices, and even just pouring the two together into the tin bring a great aroma. Then we kick up the baking spices a little more with some St. Elizabeths all-spice dram, a heavy dosing of fresh lemon so it can hold its own, and tying it all together with some grade-b maple syrup bringing with it a balancing sweetness and rich mouthfeel. I recommend sipping this cocktail while you eat as it can completely change and play off of the components of the dish. At times even transforming the puree from butternut squash to a faint memory of candied yams as the maple and baking spices wash over the palate. It really shines with the pork with the lingering acid from a sip prepping your mouth for the burst of fattiness from the pork combining on the palate for the perfect blend of ying and yang with a lingering sweetness from the spices being rounded out by the saltiness of the meat itself.
Recipe:
- 3/4 Part Jägermeister
- 3/4 Part Lairds
- 1 Part Lemon
- 1/4 Part Allspice Dram
- 1/4 Part Maple Syrup
Glass: Coupe
Garnish: Lemon Peel Expressed & Discard
Method: Combine all ingredients into a mixing tin. Fill with ice. Shake/Strain into a chilled coup & Serve
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Nate's Tips & Tricks:
Some easy ways to play with this cocktail:
- Give a smoked maple syrup a try! (you can find it at most stores)
- Can’t find Lairds? Sub another brandy or even try Calvados!
GRAB YOUR TOOLS & LET'S MAKE IT!
Growing up in Philadelphia, I was always surrounded by food. I was raised vegan, and from an early age, my mother taught me to cook simple meals for my family. My constant need to learn led me to teach myself more advanced cooking techniques. This ultimately led me to cooking as a profession. Food is no longer a means to an end. Every new dish, new restaurant, new vegetable can teach me something. Every meal adds to my experience. I've grown not only as a cook but as a person because of cooking. Simple skills like time management and prioritization were learned in kitchens. More importantly, I learned to appreciate simplicity over flair and understand nuance, not just in my food but also in daily life.
Nate got his bartending chops working in Dives, Clubs, and Craft Cocktail bars in Reno, NV.
From there, he went on to execute craft cocktails at some of the largest music festivals in the country, and in 2016 hung up his tins to join Jägermeister. He's an avid Cyclist, Gamer, and self-proclaimed funny guy.
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