Todd Thrasher, the self-proclaimed “liquid savant” of Old Town Alexandria’s Restaurant Eve and PX, celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with a Peppermint Paddy cocktail. Served in a tall Irish coffee glass, the warm drink tastes more like a rich dessert with an appropriately Irish kick.
At Eve, chef/owner and Dublin native Cathal Armstrong will celebrate on Saturday night with a seven-course Irish tasting menu featuring black pudding and house-cured corned beef and cabbage. Though he grew up in Virginia, Thrasher also has Irish ancestry. Plus, he says "they tell me I’ve developed an Irish accent after dealing with Chef for the past four years."
For those inclined to play mixologist at home, Thrasher shares the recipe for his decadent–if labor-intensive– concoction. For everyone else, you can taste the special drink at Eve through Tuesday.
Todd Thrasher’s Peppermint Paddy
For each drink:
1/2 ounce Meyer's rum
1 ounce creme de cacao
5 ounces white chocolate mixture (see recipe below)
2 to 3 tablespoons chocolate foam (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon peppermint dust (see recipe below)
In the glass, combine the rum, creme de cacao, and the warm white chocolate mixture. Top with chocolate foam. Sprinkle with peppermint dust. Serve immediately.
Make the peppermint simple syrup:
4 cups water
2 cups sugar
1/4 pound peppermint leaves, stems removed
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and add the peppermint leaves. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the sugar until it's dissolved. Return to the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the peppermint leaves from the liquid and set them aside to make the peppermint dust. Refrigerate the simple syrup.
Make the peppermint dust:
Take the 1/4 pound of peppermint leaves strained from the simple syrup and let air-dry in a warm place for 5 days, or until they are completely dry. Powder them in a coffee grinder. Set aside.
Make the white chocolate mixture (makes enough for 8 drinks):
2 cups white chocolate chips
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup peppermint simple syrup
Bring the milk and the cream to a simmer. Add the white chocolate chips in small batches, whisking constantly. When the chocolate has been incorporated, stir in 1/2 cup of peppermint simple syrup. Remove from heat and keep warm (Thrasher uses a thermos). If not using right away, refrigerate then reheat before using.
Make the chocolate foam (makes enough for 8 drinks):
2 cups dark chocolate chips
4 cups heavy cream
4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup peppermint simple syrup
Bring the milk and the cream to a simmer. Add the chocolate chips in small batches, whisking constantly. When the chocolate has been incorporated, stir in 1/2 cup of peppermint simple syrup. Remove from the heat and let cool. Using either an immersion blender (set the blender in the liquid and skim the foam with a spoon) or an N2O whipper (mix the foam in the canister and refrigerate for 1/2 hour), make the foam.
