Eastern Julep

Recipe

1 slice of Orange,

Mint sprig

2 pieces Jalapeno

2oz- Angel’s Envy Bourbon

½ oz pavan

¼ oz lime juice

Bitter Bitches Mango Curry Bitters

Muddle mint, orange, and jalapeno. Add Bourbon, Pavan, lime juice and bitters. Shake well and strain over ice in a copper julep cup. Garnish with jalapeno and a twist or mint sprig.

Inspiration

Nice years ago, I journeyed to India for the first time in search of my heritage and my calling. For 40 days, I journeyed from the north to the south with no more than a small bag. I wore my father’s linen robe from the 1970s and through simplicity, attempted to step into his story.

At half point of my journey with my companion and friend, Bill, we drove up to Kanya Kumari at the crack of dawn. While Bill set up the camera for a splendid shot, I wet my feet at the shores staring out into the horizon. It was a sacred body of water to the locals. The Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabic Sea met at a point here and the sun chose to rise like a ball of fire from the tip.

I will never forget the surge of empowerment that surged within my soul as the sun cast a vibrant orange glow over the sky. While I did not know it at the time, my life was about to take a significant turn. That moment was my awakening and what followed led me to the woman I eventually married, peace at finding my calling as an activist for the orphaned and marginalized, and wisdom, adventure and spice in the destiny that awaited me.

Creation

The strong oaky tone of Angel’s Envy bourbon distilled in Louisville, Kentucky lays the foundation for this drink. It is softened with Pavan, a liqueur from the South of France created with orange blossom, which is symbolic of marriage and fruitfulness, and muscat grapes, which are symbolic of peace and security. The orange signifies the splendid sun that washed over me at Kanya Kumari, and gave me signs of adventure and health ahead. Complimented with the spicy jalapeno, the hospitality of mint and the exotic Indian flavor of mango curry, it provides an exotic merge of the eastern and western worlds just as my life was destined to be. The Eastern Julep is an affair to remember.