Thai with Brazil

A riff on the "For Goodness Sake" cocktail, built on the same martini template but stripped of its lemon juice. Sake can bring far more to a cocktail than neutral alcohol — depending on the style, it can contribute rice, fruit, florals, acidity, umami, and a soft textural quality. Junmai sake in particular holds its own alongside savory or aromatic ingredients, staying present beside ginger, herbs, tea, citrus, sesame, and restrained sweetness. Thai with Brazil is a stirred drink made with chilled Junmai sake, pickled-ginger brine, and simple syrup. A few measured drops of sesame oil add a nutty aroma, while the pickled ginger reinforces the drink's savory character.

Ingredients

• 3 oz chilled Junmai Sake

• 0.25 oz simple syrup

• 3 bar spoons ginger brine (from a jar of pickled ginger)

• Sesame oil

• Pickled ginger, for garnish

Steps

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass.

2. Add ice and stir to your preferred dilution and chill.

3. Strain into a coupe glass.

4. Drop in a few slices of pickled ginger.

5. Finish with a few drops of sesame oil to bring out the nuttiness.

Paired With

White Chocolate with Lemongrass by Baianí Chocolate

A savory white chocolate bar made with lemongrass harvested from Juliana, the chocolate maker's backyard in Brazil. This is the chocolate that inspired the recipe in the first place — its creamy cocoa butter, aromatic lemongrass, ginger, and sesame-adjacent nuttiness set the flavor path for the cocktail itself.