Suzdal Mule

I created this recipe in early 2010 while I was living in Moscow, Russia, just following a visit to the medieval town of Suzdal. Suzdal is renowned for its beauty, history and medovukha. So, this may not be an easy ingredient to find in the United States, particularly because in this recipe, you'll need two different kinds. At any rate, medovukha is a Slavic mead, the wonderful elixir made from, of course, honey. What must be understood about this product is that it comes in a variety of alcoholic strengths. Some are fermented to about 6% alcohol by volume like beer, others to 14% percent like wine and to add to the confusion, this could be distilled and made into a 40% alcohol spirit more akin to vodka. Plus, the manufacturer could make it into any strength in between. Regardless of their alcohol content, these are all called medovukha. I recall being in the snow, piled high to my waist, after a rather long medovukha tasting--trying each of these different alcoholic varieties and buying a few bottles of my favorites. My tastes and poor judgment got the better of me because then I was daunted with the task of carrying these heavy bottles completely across to the other side of town in the freezing Russian winter to get a bus back to the town of Vladimir and then to Moscow. Nevertheless, it was worth it and I had fun experimenting with my new found processions.

My goal in this recipe was to use and respect traditional Russian ingredients, blending them with traditional flavor parings and featuring it in nothing short of a remarkable American cocktail. Perhaps Jamie Oliver was right when he said that "Americans bastardize everything."

Ingredients

• 2 ounces 40% Medovukha
• 4 ounces 6% Medovukha
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish (optional)
• 3 dashes orange bitters (the heavy cardamom in Regan's goes particularly well)

Build this in a 10.5 oz. collins glass. Add the honey, horseradish, lemon juice, bitters and 40% Medovukha in the glass. Stir to dissolve the honey. Fill the glass with large cubed ice and top it off with the 6% Medovukha. Stir and serve with a lemon wheel and straw.

Notes

Producers of medovukha may vary considerably and the sweetness or age of the 6% variety might change the balance of this drink. Adjust accordingly. Also, if you are using horseradish, small white bits will probably float at the bottom of the glass. This has never bothered me but if professionalism requires strict aesthetics, feel free to shake and strain (or double strain) the concoction onto the ice in the collins glass. Just add the 6% medovukha after straining as it tends to have some kind of effervescence. The lower strength varieties of medovukha can be made at home like homemade beer. Check this site on mead to help you: http://solorb.com/mead/ . Vodka can possibly be substituted for the 40% medovukha in a pinch but it just wouldn't be the same.

--Benjamin Doty