At Oddball in New York City, this cocktail comes full-proof or nonalcoholic. This is the N/A version, built on a base of whey, the liquid leftover from making ricotta. “The resulting whey has a real buttery aroma and a slight brininess that helps create a richer, umami foundation for the blueberry, horseradish and citrus components” of the Lightspeed Drifter, says beverage director Logan Rodriguez. “Ironically, we undergo this process to get the whey, with the ricotta itself being the byproduct—which is why we offer whipped ricotta on the food menu.”
Lightspeed Drifter
Logan Rodriguez | New York City
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces ricotta whey (see Editor’s Note)
- 3/4 ounce blueberry syrup (see Editor’s Note)
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce lime cordial (see Editor’s Note)
- 1 tablespoon grated horseradish
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice.
- Strain into a coupe glass.
Editor's Note
Ricotta Whey
Combine 20 grams of kosher salt, 8 ounces of heavy cream, 16 ounces of buttermilk, and 64 ounces of whole milk in a large pot over low heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, allowing the mixture to begin curdling and for the curds and whey to clearly separate. Turn off the heat, and let cool for 1 hour. Then, pour through a cheesecloth to strain out the ricotta solids. Reserve those for other uses.
Blueberry Syrup
Combine 1000 grams of blueberry juice, 1000 grams of sugar, 150 grams of blueberry jam and 10 grams of citric acid all in a Vitamix and blend until everything is dissolved. Pass the blended mixture through a chinois to remove any particulates.
Lime Cordial
Combine 88 grams of lime peels with 700 grams of sugar in a container, mixing thoroughly, then let the peels macerate in the sugar overnight. Add 724 grams of lime juice to the container, then stir and agitate until the sugar is completely dissolved. Strain out the peels using a fine mesh strainer.