"Damn Thistle" Cocktail July 10, 2015 05:00

Recipe By: Samantha Carroll, Chef / Owner, Sac-a-lait Restaurant, New Orleans, Louisiana
Makes 1 Cocktail

This recipe was submitted as part of the official Tales Of the Cocktail Competition 2015, New Orleans, LA, USA  

"This cocktail is served in the restaurant every day and the Wild Hibiscus is actually the star. It was recently featured in New Orleans Magazine! It is our top seller! Thank you for putting out a great product!" Samantha Carroll
2 oz of Oryza Vodka
3/4 oz elderflower liqueur
1/4 oz fresh pineapple juice
1/4 oz fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon Wild Hibiscus syrup
Shake vodka, elderflower liqueur, pineapple and lime and strain over a glass filled with crushed ice. Drizzle the Wild Hibiscus syrup and garnish with a flower. (hint: they will open up fully in the glass if you turn them inside out!)

Inspiration:

Being an avid Louisiana sportsman, this drink was inspired by the Thistles that grow and become a nuisance on our family farm here in Louisiana. When in bloom they resemble a hibiscus flower. I named this drink "DAMN Thistle" after the frustration you have when you come across these plants while hunting, because they have prickles that stick all over your clothes. Also, this drink is so cool and refreshing to enjoy during our Louisiana bird hunting season, that nothing will keep you from ordering another DAMN Thistle.