Half-and-half was invented in South Florida. This historical fact is 180 degrees off the usual trivia for the region, since it doesn’t involve either sunshine, confidence tricksters, unusually large reptiles, or breaking either indecency or narcotics laws in remarkably inventive ways.
But it’s true: every time you peel open that tiny plastic pail in any diner from here to Walla Walla, Wash., you’re paying tribute to Boutwell Dairy of Lake Worth Beach, where the idea of mixing milk back into cream to make the perfect coffee accompaniment first took off.
Nowadays, most of us get our milk at Publix, and for the most part, we only start thinking about doing interesting things with it once felled trees start appearing in local parking lots and coupons for Stove Top Stuffing start appearing in grocery circulars. ‘Tis the season of eggnog and coquito, and maybe Guinness punch, if you’re so inclined.
(Courtesy of Italica Midtown)
The Nossa Colada from Italica Midtown is a milk punch that leans into its tangy profile with lemon, lime and pineapple juice, mellowed by coconut cream and Santa Teresa 1796 and Malibu rums.
But why stop there? The Magic City can still be a land of milk and honey – and the bold Biscayne Tippler can indulge in a new generation of dairy drinks that would do buttery old Boutwell Dairy proud.
At Mediterranean restaurant Branja (786.765.5555) in Miami’s Upper Buena Vista shopping plaza, beverage director Clay Crocker introduced a drink called White Noise, made with a balance of bitter and sweet ingredients: white chocolate liqueur, Amaro Montenegro, mint, arak, heavy cream and rose petals for garnish. It’s meant to pair with desserts such as the Layali Beirout and the Halva Tahini Pie, which aren’t overly sweet.
“Complementing the flavors of our food menu is top priority,” Crocker explained. “The Amaro Montenegro was an easy inclusion, to start to introduce a balance. The arak is a lesser-known liquor here in the states but is a beautiful celebration of Middle Eastern and Israeli culture. The anise flavor profile of the spirit adds amazing depth to the drink.”
(Courtesy of Hutong)
Hutong’s Grand Marnier and rum cocktail uses clarified milk with calvados and citrus to create a sensation not unlike a mooncake in a glass.
Another Mediterranean establishment, Italica Midtown, located at 3201 NE First Ave., specializes in spritzes, but also serves up dairy drinks that rely on an old English drink-making technique: clarified milk punch. The trick to these cocktails is using alcohol, often with citrus, to make the milk curdle, then straining out the solids to leave behind the whey, which gives a drink both body and a silky smoothness.
Its Nossa Colada is a milk punch with two kinds of rum – Santa Teresa 1796 and Malibu – lemon, lime and pineapple juices, and a bit of coconut cream. The Stripper Martini is a milk punch made with Tequila Espolon, Cocchi Bianco, prosecco, passion fruit pulp, lemon, lime, green tea and an Amarena cherry.
If you’d rather not make things clear, Italica also offers a boozy take on lassi, India’s yogurt drink – the Passion Lassi is a mix of Havana Club white rum, passion fruit syrup, cucumber, jalapeño and yogurt with mint and nutmeg.
On the other hand, there’s a more surprising take on clarified milk punch at Hutong Miami (786.388.0805) at 600 Brickell Ave. in Brickell. Yes, Chinese cuisine is not noted for its use of dairy … but yes, the Grand Marnier and rum cocktail is worth a try. It’s mixed with traditional autumn mooncakes as a guide, and combines milk and calvados with sweet Grand Marnier, warming rum and a piece of dark chocolate as a garnish.
(Courtesy of Higher Ground)
The Theobrama Cacao at Wynwood’s Higher Ground is a kind of clarified milk punch made with sherry, berries, sage, rose tea and the essence of deep, dark chocolate.
Two venues at the Arlo Wynwood hotel take different tacks on milk drinks. Upstairs at Higher Ground (786.522.6600), the Theobrama Cacao cocktail promises the “Food of the Gods in the form of a clarified milk punch.” It’s a fruity, bittersweet blend of Aberfeldy Scotch, fino sherry, strawberry, raspberry, rose tea, sage and cacao.
Down in MaryGold’s (786.522.6601), there’s a Tea & Leche made with clarified chocolate milk, Aberfeldy Scotch, Remy Martin 1738 and black tea. But for something more decidedly Floridian, order the Key Lime & Mace, which follows the classic flavors of key lime pie: key lime agave, lime juice and condensed milk, mixed with Patron Blanco, Grand Marnier and Myris nutmeg liqueur.
For those hoping to enjoy a simpler milk-based repast at home, there’s always the Guinness punch covered in past issues of the Biscayne Times … or you could try your own twist on an old drink that’s about due for a renaissance: the grasshopper. William Boutwell started selling his half-and-half as early as 1927, but even then, this was already a cocktail with legs.
The grasshopper was reputedly first mixed in the New Orleans bar Tujague’s in 1918, made from equal parts of three ingredients – creme de menthe, creme de cacao and heavy cream – shaken vigorously over ice before being strained into a chilled cocktail glass.
Some bartenders like to amp up the milkshake mouthfeel of the grasshopper by doubling the cream, or even mixing it in the blender with crushed ice. Others lighten it up by swapping heavy cream out for, you guessed it, half-and-half, which is less likely to accidentally form butter if your vigorous shaking goes on too long.
Other liqueurs play nicely with mint and chocolate, too. Here’s a slightly fruitier version of the grasshopper that relies on a juniper-forward gin and Amarula, a South African cream liqueur made with marula berries, a fruit that ferments on the tree and, believed by some to get elephants tipsy.
KALAHARI GRASSHOPPER
INGREDIENTS
· 1/2 ounce gin, Whitley Neill Original if you can find it
· 1/2 ounce creme de menthe
· 1/4 ounce Amarula
· 1/4 ounce creme de cacao
· 1 ounce half-and-half
· Mint leaves for garnish
METHOD
· Shake ingredients vigorously over ice until very cold, the strain into chilled cocktail glass.
· Garnish and sip, and give yourself the giggles thinking about drunk elephants.
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(Courtesy of Italica Midtown)
The Stripper Martini at Italica Midtown is a clarified milk punch with the complex flavors of passion fruit, green tea, prosecco and tequila.
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(Courtesy of MaryGold’s)
MaryGold’s cocktail version of key lime pie, the Key Lime & Mace, is made with key lime agave, condensed milk and nutmeg liqueur.