Nothing signals the arrival of spring quite like asparagus. With the humble vegetable only in season until the end of December, Café Hanoi created this seasonal asparagus tipple – the Scent of Spring, celebrating our short-lived love affair with the delicate spears.
Inspired by fresh, seasonal produce, mixologist Dan Sullivan of Cafe Hanoi has concocted this herbaceous cocktail.
By simply infusing asparagus into a blanco tequila, the Scent of Spring marries the liquor’s clean, spicy and earthy notes with the vegetable’s crispness. A margarita-style beverage, it’s a blend of dry vermouth, agave syrup, aquafaba and lime juice, paired with Vietnamese mint to add a spicy kick.
Ingredients
– 30ml asparagus infused El Jimador Blanco Tequila
– 30ml Dolin Dry Vermouth
– 20ml agave syrup
– 15ml lime juice
– 30ml aquafaba (brine from a tin of chickpeas)
– 2 sprigs of Vietnamese mint (one for garnishing)
Method
1. Cut the asparagus into 1cm long pieces, then cut them in half again lengthways.
2. Place the asparagus into a 4l container, then pour over the bottle of El Jimador Blanco Tequila and leave for 24 hours.
3. Once the asparagus has infused the tequila, strain the vegetables out and rebottle the infused liquor
4. Pour 30ml into a Boston cocktail shaker, along with all other ingredients.
5. Shake, then strain over ice.
6. Garnish with Vietnamese mint and asparagus spears and enjoy!
