We’d bet good money that bar maven Gillian Georges of Léon 1909 would stand out from the cocktail crowd in any major metropolitan area, but out here on the East End? Her smart, creative, layered creations are nothing less than revelatory.
Case in point: Her late-summer sipper, Colonel Corn.
“The Colonel Corn is a little tropical and a little East End. My M.O. is trying to do culinary-inspired cocktails and making it a little bit unique but also really familiar,” says Georges. The uniqueness here comes in the myriad ways she uses local Balsam Farms corn both within and atop the drink.
Corn, of course, is the main distillate in certain spirits — American bourbon, first and foremost, which much have a minimum of 51% corn in its mash bill by dictate of federal law. Another popular spirit made from corn: vodka (think Tito’s).
But corn as a modifier and garnish? Now that’s interesting.
“I definitely wanted to do a corn cocktail because the Hamptons are so corn-obsessed and because it’s so delicious out here,” Georges says. “Initially, I was thinking about doing a corn piña colada-type thing and it morphed into what it is now.”
Georges crafted a simple syrup from fresh corn that not only imparts that sweet, rich summer-carb fave flavor, but also adds the vegetable’s sunny yellow hue into the mix. “It’s so corny and yummy, and the salt really rounds it out,” she says.
To complement corn-off-the-cob flavor, she layered a mix of reposado (aged) tequila and rum, highlighting the vanilla and pineapple-like notes as well as the funk in those spirits.
As to the toasty little corn rib garnish? “I really wanted to do a garnish that you could eat — it’s like a little corn amuse buche, if you will!” she laughs. “I fire-roast the corn ribs every night and dust them in a little olive oil, lime and Tajín.”
The final touch? “I do a little roll of the fresh husk with the silk fibers and tie it off so it looks like a corn stalk!”
Colonel Corn
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Casamingos Reposado Tequila
- 1/2 oz Planteray 3 Stars White Rum
- 3/4 oz Balsam Farms corn syrup*
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 roasted corn rib dusted with Tajín*
Balsam Farm corn syrup
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels, shaved from the cob
- 1/2 cup corn water (see instructions below)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/8 tbsp salt
Directions
- In a shaker with ice, combine all liquid ingredients.
- Shake until well-chilled and strain over fresh ice in a double rocks glass.
- Garnish with a roasted, Tajín-dusted corn rib
Balsam Farm Corn Syrup
- Fill a medium sauce pot three-quarters with water and heat to boiling. Boil the corn kernels until bright yellow and tender. Strain the kernels, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid.
- In a blender or food processor blend the kernels with the reserved liquid until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth.
- Add sugar to the corn puree and blend in until fully dissolved. Stir in the salt.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Roasted corn rib
- Carefully shave off a 3-inch slice of corn. Brush with a little olive oil.
- Using the flame of a gas grill or burner on the stove, and using heatproof tongs, gently heat until kernels are lightly browned; you can also place the rib or ribs (if you're making more than one cocktail) on a pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and dust with Tajín.
