I entered a cocktail contest where I was assigned the following three ingredients: Tequila, olives, and cilantro. I’d like to introduce you to my entry… The WSET Lobotomy!
It’ll help you remember a small part of the winemaking process before the exam AND it will help you forget how rough the exam was was after a few sips 
This is my version of a clarified milk punch, a cocktail dating back to 1711. Basically, an acidic alcoholic concoction is added to milk, which then curdles. The curds are then strained out, leaving behind a sexily transparent beverage, with just a hint of colour, and lots of flavour. If you’ve been studying for WSET 3, you might remember that the process of fining is sometimes used to clear up any haziness in wine and helps soften astringent-tasting tannins and other polyphenols. Casein (a milk byproduct) is the fining agent often used.
Milk acts similarly in this kind of cocktail. Besides clarifying the drink, it also softens the harshness of the Tequila, and leaves behind a pleasant, creamy mouthfeel. Milk punches are also convenient because they can be made in large batches and stored in the fridge for a loooooooong time (months or even years!).
In my case, I thought this was a great way to make an enjoyable cocktail out of my least favourite alcohol. Sweet smokiness from roasted pineapple mingles with the fresh spiciness of cilantro- cayenne syrup and a bit of tartness from citrus and raspberry. Olives give an interesting complexity by adding a hint of salt. It’s like summer vacation in a glass. Precise measurements are not necessary, it’s just about proportions. Enjoy!
Contest ingredients: Tequila, Cilantro, Olives
INGREDIENTS
For cocktail:
1/2 pineapple, cubed
1 carton of fresh raspberries
1 lime, zest and juice
1 lemon, zest and juice
250mL hot black tea
250mL tequila
100mL cilantro-cayenne syrup
250mL whole milk or crème légère (cannot use skim milk or anything lighter)
Extra cayenne to taste
Black olives
Optional: candied olives (just boil rinsed black olives in syrup for 30 minutes and let cool)
For cilantro-cayenne syrup:
100mL water
100g sugar
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems
1/2tsp – 1tsp cayenne
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make your syrup by bringing water and sugar into a boil. Add cilantro and cayenne. Remove cilantro from mixture after 2 minutes and discard. Continue boiling syrup until it can coat a spoon (about 10 minutes).
- Grill pineapple (either on a stove, in oven, or bbq) until caramelized (partially blackened is good). Remove from heat and let cool in a large bowl. Heat up milk until nearly boiling.
- Add raspberries to bowl and mash up the fruits. Add citrus juices and zests, tea, tequila, and syrup. Taste to see if you need more cayenne.
- Once milk is about to boil, remove from heat. Add cocktail mixture to the milk (not the other way around!) — this order is important, as it affects the way the milk curdles and therefore the clarity of the drink.
- Cover mixture and let sit undisturbed for several hours at room temp, overnight is better. Sediment will fall to the bottom, leaving liquid on top.
- Carefully pour mixture through a fine strainer or a cheesecloth. Discard sediment.
- Pour cocktail through coffee filters — I tried a few different methods and found that pouring through double filters worked best for clarification. The drink will become clearer the more you filter it. I did 3x for this glass. Finally, bottle and put in fridge.
TO SERVE
Spritz glass with olive brine, or cut a black olive in half and run along rim of glass. Pour in chilled milk punch. Garnish with candied olives.