Improptu Mixology

 As a gentleman of science (not to be confused with a gentleman of leisure, whom also tend to have colorful - if not slightly less toxic - stains on their clothes), I am a sucker for experimentation.

So.

After haphazardly whipping up a batch of tellicherry peppercorn simple syrup* inspired by the first episode of Good Eats (how I love you and your bald spot, Alton), I decided to invite another fellow gastrochemist, Trenten, to aid in finding new and delicious ways to exploit it.  Here are the highlights from the night:
The New Fashion

•  3 fresh pitted cherries

• 3 oz pikesville rye whiskey

• 1 barspoon tellicherry simple syrup

Muddle fresh pitted cherries with black pepper simple syrup.  Add the rye with 4 cubes of ice and stir with bar spoon briefly.  Strain into a lowball with fresh ice.

Basil Martini

• Tellicherry simple syrup

• Junipero gin

• 4 springs fresh basil

Muddle syrup and basil leaves briefly and add ice and shake with 1 jigger gin. Strain into cocktail glass and garnish with small basil leaf.

*Black Pepper Simple Syrup

Dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water by boiling in a medium saucepan.  Once all the sugar has dissolved and the water is at a rolling boil, remove the pan from the heat and quickly add 1 cup tellicherry or other desired (whole) peppercorns.  Stir briefly, then let sit and cool while intermittently stirring the peppercorns around every couple of minutes.  Once at room temperature, pass the syrup and peppercorns through a fine mesh strainer (or cheesecloth) into an airtight container. Refrigerate. Voilá.
Naturally, failures are an integral part of discovery, and I’d be a right git if I left you thinking that my cocktail-making abilities were somehow infallible (that cliché about learning from your mistakes? Very true).  That being said, I bore witness to a couple of horrors which - for the sake of your sensibilities and my ego - I will not share here.  I will note - however - that if you’re going to use barrel-aged balsamic vinaigrette in a drink, make sure you do so using a bottle that costs at least $40.

Dang.