Hello Friends,
I am popping into your inbox to let you know what we’ve been up to over the past few months. We have been busy hosting our virtual classes and in-person cocktail events and whimsical cocktail hours. We've also been busy working on our signature line of elixirs, so expect to see more on that coming soon.
On a personal note, I am excited to share that my love of spices and healing has led me down the wellness path and that I'm now a Certified Ayurveda Wellness Coach! What a fascinating world, to learn more about holistic life science, please check out my website and first blog here.
As we welcome Autumn, nights are becoming chilly and the cozy season is upon us, here is one of our signature fall cocktails, 'The Cari Poulet’ which is creole for curry leaves that my parents introduced into our household from their homeland of Mauritius.
In Ayurvedic medicine curry leaves have a multitude of benefits, most notably lowering high blood sugar levels which can have a positive effect on people with diabetes. The paste from the dried leaves has anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties which are potent agents against infections whilst also having a soothing effect on digestion. This savory sweet cocktail is made with roasted pumpkin an Ayurvedic favorite fall vegetable known for energizing the body.
We used a dark rum, that is aged in charred oak for at least a year, which brings out a bolder flavor that compliments the spicy profile of the curry leaf. To balance the drink with some sweetness we added a syrup infused with calming cardamom pods, and a dash of citrus to add some zing.
So cheers and check out the recipe below!
Cheers
Nandini & Yusef Austin
See you soon in one of our classes.
INGREDIENTS & METHOD
Add all ingredients below into a shaker tin
1 oz Cardamom Syrup
¾ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
2 oz Dark Rum
1oz Pumpkin Puree
Shake and strain over fresh ice into a Rocks glass.
Garnish: Lemon wedge
DIRECTIONS
Recipe for Cardamom Syrup
Take 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water, bring to a boil
Add one tablespoon of cardamom seeds
Simmer for 15 minutes.
Let cool. Strain.
Suitable for a month in your fridge.
Directions ( Pumpkin Puree)
Cut and wash pumpkin, scrape out the seeds.
Spray with olive oil, 5-7 fresh curry leaves ( if dried then crumble over)
Add a sprinkle of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Roast in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 Celsius) for 45-50 minutes or until soft.
Allow cool then remove skin and add flesh into a blender or Nutri bullet with a splash of water to create a paste.
Blend to create a pumpkin puree