As great as your classic Manhattan and Gin & Tonic may be, it’s always fun to experiment with new cocktail recipes and ingredients. And, of course, there’s an ever growing list of new, interesting, sometimes straight up bizarre things to throw in a cocktail –from peanut butter to oysters to bacon. (Though not all three at once. Seriously, don’t drink that.) Well, get ready to add one more weird but enticing item to your list –Greek yogurt.
Ok, so I imagine your first thought is probably something along the lines of “ew.” Full disclosure, I was wary, too, but hang with me, it’s worth it. Greek yogurt is a great way to add a frothy texture and creamy taste to many cocktails. Bonus: it saves you (and that poor, overworked, Saturday night bartender) a whole bunch of shaking, trying to froth a more traditional cocktail recipe. Double Bonus: Greek yogurt is healthy and totally counts as breakfast, right? And a merry morning to us all! And unlike some of the more outlandish and/or pricey cocktail add-ins (I’m looking at you sirloin steak garnish), greek yogurt is cheap and easy to come by. I mean, let’s face it, you totally have a big ‘ol tub of the stuff sitting in your fridge right now that you bought because of your New Year’s resolution to eat healthier. But, it’s okay. You don’t like it. I don’t either. I think it tastes like wallpaper paste, and is surprisingly similar in texture. But now, hallelujah, there is a way to get rid of it –throw it into a cocktail. And, trust me, it actually taste good!
Feeling at a loss as to how exactly to incorporate greek yogurt into your next alcoholic treat? Never fear –Forknplate’s very own master bartender, Davina Thomasula (one of the top 10 in NYC if you didn’t know!), has whipped up an easy and extremely yummy cocktail for you to try. It’s a, um, Gin Honey Rosemary Yogurt drink… Hmm, maybe the “Creamy Honey Badger” or “Dairy Good Morning”. Ok, so the name needs work, but the recipe is perfection.
Check out the video below to learn how to make the drink (or if you need just a bit more convincing that yogurt will actually work with alcohol). Trust me, you’ll be replacing that boring old Sunday brunch mimosa, with this kicker of a cocktail.
1. Place the water, honey, and rosemary in a pot on the stove to make honey simple syrup.
2. Bring mixture to a boil and let simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Pour mixture into a glass and allow to cool (remove rosemary sprigs).
4. Put a few dollops of Greek yogurt, a few shots of gin (Bulldog’s always a good choice) to a shaker with some ice in it.
5. Add the simple syrup.
6. Shake it up, baby.
7. Strain drink into a glass.
8. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary, and enjoy!
And there you have it –breakfast of champions. Bottom’s up!
Lauren is a New York based actor/singer/writer. She is a graduate of the American Repertory Theater/Moscow Art Theater School Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University as well as the College of the Holy Cross. She’s a fan of beer, pasta, and academic establishments with unnecessarily long titles. Find her on stage, or online– she’s there often.
