MxMo: Green and Ghoulie with the Deserted Plantation

It’s MxMo time again and this time green is the word, and Ed of Wordsmithing Pantagruel is our host. The basic idea is to think with greenery, Fresh herbs, limes, Green spirits and just green anything pretty much. It’s sort of a goodbye to summer, but we prefer fall here anyway. This means our thoughts turn to the spookier greens of Halloween, but whatever works right?

I’ve actually made a lot of green drinks for RRC, The Missionary’s Downfall most recently and my buddy’s super sweet Midori hangover cure last year. Probably my favorite green drink I’ve ever made is my Ectoplasm because I am an absinthe fanatic. Honestly I love sipping it straight which I know your not supposed to do, shh don’t tell.

The Ectoplasm was largely inspired by Slimer from the old “The Real Ghostbuster’s” cartoon. I’m a fan of the movies to, but the cartoon is an October tradition around here. It’s a little on the sweet side so It’s important to use fresh lime juice, abit of club soda can cut it and the absinthe as well. It debuted on our second post ever in my absinthe primer. Incase you’ve forgotten here’s how we make one.

Ectoplasm
Ingredients
1 ½ oz Absinthe Vert
½ oz Midori
2 oz Pear Nectar
1 oz Lime Juice

Garnish: Lime Wheel

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and add ice. Stir vigorously and strain into a tall glass with ice. Top with 1 oz club soda if desired or garnish and serve.

But we’re not just going to recycle a cocktail, no sir not for MxMo. I really wanted to make something abit drier. Plus I wanted to use some of the amazing mint from my garden, down here in Dixie our herb gardens are still growing. So was born a take on the Planter’s punch following Donn Beach’s example moreso than the Old World example. One important factor was reducing the sweet so this wasn’t a candy drink. It’s not easy to create a complex Tiki style Planter’s Punch. It’s one of what I call the three pillars of Tiki drinking, and It’s definitely the most complex. If it’s done right though it can really sing with flavor.

Since we’re talking green I wanted to bring absinthe to the party, and use coconut cream as my sweetener. Instantly I began to envision an old broken down plantation, long devoid of life and overgrown by nature. The Manor house’s pristine white paint was cracked and peeling, windows had been broken by the storm and the inside was host to vipers and tarantula. As the intrepid explorer traveled deeper he sees a drink, ice cold on a bar caked with dust, perhaps to show the hospitality of Unlife. So let’s concoct this ghastly gulp.

Deserted Plantation

Ingredients

½ oz Absinthe Vert

¾ oz Dark Jamaican Rum

1 ¾ oz Flor De Cana Extra Dry

¾ oz Coconut Cream

¼ oz Falernum

¾ oz Lime

¼ oz White Grapefruit

10-12 Fresh Mint Leaves

Garnish: Lime Wheel and Spanked Mint Sprig

Muddle the mint leaves and then add the coconut cream and the rest of the ingredients. Shake with ice like you hate your arms and then double strain into a chimney filled with crushed ice. Garnish and serve.

You can blend this like a lot of other Tiki Planter’s Punches. Just use a cup of crushed ice and blend it for no more than 20 seconds and don’t bother straining it. If your using a 13 oz chimney you may need to add some extra ice to fill it. I honestly liked the shaken version a lot better, plus no blender to clean. This drink is really cool it’s got a very Anise, herbal, Minty front that’s refreshing and it finishes with rum and dry coconutty notes. The citrus kinda holds everyone together here. If you don’t adore absinthe as much as me you may wanna reduce it to a ¼ oz and bump up the Dark Jamaican. We made one without the absinthe and It was also pretty good, but I just missed the green fairy. We used Lucid and Myers but Appleton Extra would also be really good here. As much as I like Smith and Cross I count it as a gold more than a dark. My buddy really liked the Cruzan White in place of the Flor De Cana, it’s worth a try especially if you prefer things slightly sweeter.

Another MxMo is in the books, thanks as always to Fred and to our awesome Host Ed and his Blog Wordsmithing Pantagruel. We’ll be looking forward to the roundup and we’ll let you all know when it comes as well!

Until next time You Get Hammered America! – JFL