“I like the acidity of this. I always like drinks to be a little more sour than sweet. And I like three-ingredient drinks; they’re easy to make balanced. Sometimes it gets a little obnoxious when it gets over five… I want you to taste all the ingredients. And for this, I wanted it to be all local. The Oriza gin is from Thibodaux, and lemons and sweet potatoes are still in season.
Lucky Rooster's Christine Jeanine Nielsen (Photo: Elsa Hahne)
I listen to Big Freedia every day; I walk here [to Lucky Rooster in the CBD] from Tremé, so it’s a 30-35 minute walk and I listen to either Big Freedia or Katey Red in the morning. It’s New Orleans music. I didn’t even think of dedicating my drink to another musician; I immediately wanted it to be for Big Freedia. As far as the recipe, I always wait until the last minute to do these things, and I wanted something that was local, simple and fast that you can recreate at home. I knew I wanted to use sweet potato syrup, because I had just made some and it’s so good. I usually let syrups cool down enough before I strain them so I don’t burn myself when I spill everywhere, because inevitably I do.
It was really important for me to start with classic cocktails. I realized there are categories and patterns to all these recipes, and you can substitute something for something else, following the same formula, and come up with your own drink. When I first started making classic cocktails at Tonique and tried making my own cocktails, they were all terrible. It was just because I didn’t understand the simple things; tasting what works over and over again, and then moving on to give it your own personal touch. It took me at least a year and a half to get to ‘Oh, I can do that too.’ I like that I’m able to do whatever I want.”
Christine Jeanine Nielsen's Gin in My System (Photo: Elsa Hahne)
Gin in My System
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Oriza Gin
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce sweet potato syrup
Directions
- Shake
- Strain
- Serve with a pecan and a twist of satsuma peel
Sweet Potato Syrup
Ingredients
- 4 cups light brown sugar
- 4 cups water
- 2 sweet potatoes sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (raw, unpeeled, washed)
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 tablespoon whole allspice
- 1/2 tablespoon whole cloves
- 3 whole juniper berries
- 1 tablespoon whole cardamom seeds
Directions
- Bring syrup to a boil
- Simmer until sweet potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes
- Cool
- Strain
- Keep in a sealed glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator
