NOLA Espresso Martini
WRITER Adrian Spinelli
PHOTOGRAPHER Melody Saradpon
Every year in the run-up to the summer solstice, I look forward to long San Francisco days perfect for throwing daytime barbecues in my backyard. A monthly cookout at my place is a ritual that my friends and I look forward to when that first invite of the season hits the Partiful app.
Nothing brings me joy quite like cooking for everyone on the grill: My signature wings, marinated shrimp, Brazilian-style picanha, and a bevy of grilled veggies—my friends know the classics and what to look forward to when they come over. But when the flames cool down, there’s a cocktail that’s become a tradition at every one of these functions too: My NOLA Espresso Martini. Sure, I love filling everyone up with luxury meats and more, but I also want people to leave with some pep in their step after eating for hours—especially on a Saturday where life after the barbecue awaits in the city at night.
There’s a game-changing ingredient that’s been a staple in my espresso martini for over a decade, and that’s the NOLA Coffee Liqueur from Alameda’s St. George Spirits. It’s made with Ethiopian coffee beans, Madagascar vanilla, and most importantly French-roast chicory. The latter gives the drink an invigorating earthiness that takes me back to a countertop brunch at Stanley in the French Quarter, having way too many refills of New Orleans–style chicory coffee along with cornmeal-crusted fried oysters eggs benedict.
I like a tight 1 oz shot of actual espresso in this drink as well, to give you a proper jolt along with a uniquely robust and almost velvety flavor that’s categorically balanced. Use a clean, pure vodka like the local and affordably priced Hideout from Scotts Valley. But make no mistake about it: It’s the coffee liqueur that sets this one apart. From where I’m standing, St. George is the finest craft distillery in the world, and it’s creatively minded spirits that tell a story like the NOLA Coffee Liqueur that make it so.
NOLA Espresso Martini
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients:
2 oz vodka (I like the local and affordably priced)
1 oz shot of espresso ristretto
.75 oz St. George NOLA Coffee Liqueur
.5 oz (or less) of honey simple syrup
Espresso beans for garnish
Preparation:
Combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
When you pour it out into a Nick and Nora or coupe glass, you’ll see the martini settle as the colors morph into a gorgeous spectrum of coffee hues, while a layer of foam rests atop the cocktail like the perfect crema on a proper shot of espresso.
Carefully place 1–3 espresso beans on top for garnish.
(And if you’re on the hunt for a bar that understands the gospel of a chicory espresso martini, Russian Hill handmade pasta institution Seven Hills uses St. George NOLA for the drink on their new cocktail menu.)