Drink RECIPE

Californian Light

This recipe is perfect for traveling, as you can prepare the mixer at home and take it with you on the road. Making your own mixtures is a fun option worth exploring. You’ll be surprised at how many fruits can be dehydrated! It makes for light travel and your ingredients don’t go off while on the road. All you have to do is add some water to the jar of dehydrated ingredients, wait a few hours for it to infuse (like tea) and you’re good to go!

INGREDIENTS

1 mandarin orange, sliced into 5 disks
1 blood orange, sliced into 5 disks
½ vanilla bean
5 sugar cubes
2 ounces (60 ml) Desert Door Original Texas Sotol
Fresh cilantro (coriander), optional
Ice

Equipment:
Dehydrator

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Dehydrate the mandarin and blood orange disks at 140° F(60° C) for 6 hours. Reserve 2 citrus disks for garnish. Add the remaining dehydrated fruit to a clean jar with the vanilla bean and sugar. Keep this ready for the adventure. When you’re ready to make the drink, simply add 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water to the jar and let it steep for 3 hours or up to 24 hours. 

2. To serve, place some ice in your cocktail shaker. Add the sotol, along with 4 ounces (120 ml) of the mixer and a sprig of fresh cilantro. Shake, pour over ice in a cup, and garnish each drink with a citrus disk.

   Recipe from my cookbook Open Skies.