This is one of the most delicious cocktails you can drink. I first had Tamarind Whiskey Sour at Pok Pok. If you live in Portland, Brooklyn or LA you’re probably familiar with Pok Pok. It’s sort of high-end Thai but in a casual environment. (I hate to call it high-end Thai but it’s just not your regular Pad Thai type of place) We were just there the other day and this time we decided not to share the Vietnamese chicken wings, but each have our own plate of them. With this cocktail. And a side of Papaya salad. I can’t tell you how good it is. Everything there is an explosion of flavor. The type of food you quietly eat in a trance of some sort. Mesmerized you come up for air and say “wow, this tastes amazing” and then order another Whiskey Sour. It’s that kind of food. That kind of experience. You can find Tamarind paste at any asian market. I tried to find it at some local grocery stores with no luck. But you can also order it online if needed. One of my goals for 2016 is to make the chicken wings. I bought the cookbook last year and have yet to make them. It involves deep frying which I really don’t like. It terrifies me and I wonder if it’s worth investing in a deep fryer just for these occasions. I hope you get a chance to try this Tamarind Whiskey Sour, it pairs well with spicy sticky foods. Wishing you a great New Year! Cheers!

Tamarind Whiskey Sour

1 1/2 ounces bourbon
1 ounce fresh lime juice (about 1 lime per drink)
1 tablespoon tamarind paste mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water and cooled
1/2 ounce Rich Simple Syrup
1 orange slice and 1 jarred sour cherry (optional), for garnish
Ice

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the garnishes; shake well. Pour into a chilled double rocks glass and garnish with the orange and cherry. Serve with a wide straw.

Rich Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Sweeter than basic simple syrup, rich simple syrup doubles the amount of sugar for a 2:1 ratio of granulated sugar to water. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.