An ancient 'superfood' sent from heaven
You're probably familiar with the term "on the rocks." Well, a technique developed in the '50s called for porous pebbles to make cocktails.
There are various ways to use the pebbles, but the idea is that they are soaked (with vermouth or sherry, for example) and then placed in the bottom of the glass. A drink is then poured and the flavors mix.
Sure, everyone loves pizza, but as a cocktail ingredient? Yes. In fact there are quite few cocktails that use the beloved dish. An example is the Margherita, which contains gin infused with pizza crust.
Another cocktail, called Pepperoni Passion, calls for vodka, tomato, lemon juice, pepperoni, basil and cheese. It's pretty much a liquid, alcoholic pizza, right?
Yes, this is one explosive ingredient! Gunpowder is not actually added to cocktails, but the smoke is used to infuse the drink.
You can try the Gunpowder Plot Cocktail at Hilton's Zeta Bar in Sydney, Australia. The cocktail is inspired by London’s infamous 1605 Guy Fawkes plot to blow up Parliament.
If you love the taste of the ocean, then you will absolutely love this cocktail ingredient. After all, it's a bit like having liquid sushi, right?
The Uni Cocktail, for example, uses sea urchin purée (the urchins are boiled beforehand) mixed with cumin syrup, lemon juice, nori, and tequila.
This unlikely ingredient is actually used in a cocktail called Bone Dry Martini.
Roasted chicken bone is dissolved in phosphoric acid, and then it's added to a vodka martini. Would you try it?
This traditional French delicacy is made with duck or goose liver. It turns out it's also used in cocktails.
The Foie Gras Flip for example, is made with a foie gras-infused dark rum base. Syrup and eggs are also mixed in, and it's then garnished with grated nutmeg.
Everything's better with bacon, right? Including cocktails, of course. A cocktail called Eggs and Bacon, for instance, is made using bacon-infused gin.
The Bacon Old Fashioned is another example. This cocktail is made with maple syrup, bitters, and bacon-infused bourbon.
In recent years, we have seen a boom in the use of seaweed in many foods and drinks. When it comes to cocktails, it's no exception.
There are many ocean-inspired cocktails containing seaweed as an ingredient. If you like a bit of a salty aftertaste, then give these a try.
Squid ink not only tastes great, but it can make any cocktail stand out with its rich, eye-catching deep black color.
The Squid Ink Sour is a great example of a cocktail using this ingredient. It calls for tequila, lime juice, egg white, syrup, and, the magic ingredient—squid ink.
There a few drinks containing gold flakes on the market. Indeed, gold can make any cocktail look luxurious.
Edible gold can be added to cocktails in numerous forms, including flakes and dust. While safe to consume, gold is pretty much tasteless.
Who said legumes can't taste great in cocktails? Peas can add a nice taste and texture to drinks.
The Spring Pea Mojito, for instance, is made with peas and mint. Sometimes green peas microgreens are used instead, and they work equally great when it comes to flavor.
Sure, a Bloody Mary comes to mind when we mention blood and cocktails. But again, the original Bloody Mary doesn't actually have any blood in it...Or does it?
If you head to The Talented Mr. Fox in London, you can try their version of the famous cocktail, which includes black pudding—a type of blood sausage.
Mushrooms have a fantastic earthy aroma, so it does make quite an interesting ingredient for a cocktail. Fungi can be used in various ways in cocktails, whether they're fresh, dried, or powdered.
San Francisco's "Dirt Nap" cocktail is a good example, where a dry vermouth base is infused with porcini mushrooms.
You might not be familiar with the Sourtoe cocktail. The Sourtoe Cocktail Club dates back to the early '70s. Members would drink a glass of champagne or beer with a preserved amputated toe inside.
The club can be found at Downtown Hotel in Yukon, Canada. And yes, you can become a "sourtoer." There are a few rules though, including not touching the toe while drinking and definitely not swallowing it!
Sources: (The Richest) (CNN)
(needs update) Bizarre cocktail ingredients from around the world
Would you drink these?
FOOD Drinks
Cocktails really are special drinks. A combination of ingredients, mixed in a particular way, culminate in a unique drink, with a unique flavor, texture, and aroma. But while many cocktails call for somewhat common ingredients, others go far beyond expectations. In fact, many cocktails contain pretty bizarre ingredients.
Click through the following gallery and discover the bizarre cocktail ingredients being used around the world.