Alcademics

I stumbled across two cocktails made with sweet potatoes in one week.

The first one I actually tried. It was served at Beso, Eva Longoria-Parker's restaurant that recently opened in Las Vegas. It was surprisingly drinkable.

The Jimador Spice contains Chinaco Reposado tequila, Orange Curacao, Sweet Potato Puree, Lime Juice, Maple Syrup, and Angostura Bitters, with a Cinnamon Sugar Rim.

The second was a contest winner for Benedictine, created by Daniel Victory of New Orleans. If you know how to make sweet potato au jus and have unflavored pop rocks sitting around, the rest is a cinch.

Daniel Victory – New Orleans

BÉNÉDICTINE Harvest Sensation
1 1/2 part BÉNÉDICTINE Liqueur

1 part sweet potato au jus
Splash of heavy cream

 

In a mixing glass, stir above ingredients with ice.  Next, pour into a pony glass with a “Rim of Magie”*.  Finally garnish with a sweet potato chip.

*Rim of Magie
Sweet potato hay
Sea salt
Unflavored pop rocks

But it turns out these aren't the only sweet potato cocktails ever invented. I found two others from 2008.

The first is by John Kinder of Chicago, and you'll see it's slightly complicated, involving Homemade Grilled Sweet Potato Spirit, Homemade Demerara-fino Sherry Syrup, Homemade Cinnamon-Pecan Tincture, and Homemade Pumpkins in Demerara Syrup.

The second was printed in the Washington Post, and was created by Tiffany Short at PS 7's in Washington DC. The recipe is here. It involves a sweet potato reduction, rum, and cream.

So when you have leftover sweet potatoes during the harvest this year, you'll know what to do with them.