The Rồng Đỏ (Red Dragon)
By Richard Watson, barman at Catch Restaurant
This Vietnamese cocktail is inspired by the red dragon to give good fortune. The Momentum International Gin I use has a cardamom flavor to it. Its partner, the Momentum Limoncello, has lemongrass flavors in the background. Together they give this cocktail an amazing Asian feel. The pink Szechuan peppercorn syrup I make with local honey adds sweetness and a mild stinging heat the peppercorns are known for. The bitters, berries, lemon and basil make this cocktail bright and sweet, with savory spices and herbs.
Cocktail
- 3 Lewis Farms strawberries
- 2 large basil leaves
- 1 ounce Momentum International Gin
- ½ ounce Momentum Limoncello
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- ¼ ounce Szechuan and Pink Peppercorn Honey Syrup *
- 1 ounce Fever-Tree ginger beer
- 2 dashes of cardamom bitters. I use Scrappy’s.
Szechuan and Pink Peppercorn Honey Syrup
- 2 tablespoons of pink peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon of Szechuan peppercorns
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup honey
For the cocktail: In a pint glass, muddle the strawberries and basil. Fill the glass with ice, and add the rest of the ingredients. Shake for 10 seconds, then strain into a rocks glass over ice, or into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a strawberry and/or basil sprig. Float some pink peppercorns on top.
For the syrup: In a medium-size saucepan, toast the peppercorns on low heat. Toss them around so they don’t burn. Once they get a little color, add the water, sugar and honey. Bring to a boil. Let cool and strain. Save the peppercorns for garnish. The peppercorns can be found at Cape Fear Spice Merchants or the Saigon Market on Kerr Avenue.