I heard a rumor that something amazing had been created at the Anchor Bar in Superior, Wisconsin along the south shore of Lake Superior. I was up in the area so I called up the creator (my buddy MattO) and asked him to introduce me to his little invention called The Pancacke Breakfast — a shot of alcohol that tastes like a plate of syrupy pancakes with a side of bacon.

Honestly, I was quite skeptical that the shot would taste anything like pancakes. The ingredients were a secret and all I knew that a tasty strip of bacon was used as garnish. The lovely ladies of the Anchor Bar, Shayla and Bobbie, were ready to introduce me to the new drink and MattO was right there to down the Pancake Breakfast Shot with me.

I watched the preparation of the Pancake Breakfast Shot and was able to jot down what I think is the secret forumla:

50% Butterscotch Liquor
50% Strawberry Schnapps
One tasty strip of bacon

Leave the bacon in the drink for a few mintues to let the flavor soak in and that’s it. I hear it can be served chilled or at room temperature — I tried the latter.

After watching the preparation I remained completely skeptical. How could three simple incredients taste like one of America’s favorite meals? I was about to find out as MattO and I tipped our heads back and pounded down the shots.

WOW! As soon at the Pancacke Breakfast Shot hit my tounge my eyes opened wide. I was pouring a syrupy pancacke into my mouth and munching on a piece of bacon. The Anchor Bar staff got a good chuckle as I stood there completely shocked. MattO has definitely invented a winner here. I give it an off-the-charts Smaste™ rating of 53.228!!!

People, you need to do one of two things and both of them involve getting up off your butt and heading out the door. 1) Get over to the Anchor Bar and have a Pancacke Breakfast Shot at the source or 2) Grab the incredients and make your own Pancake Breakfast Shot. Either way, please take some pictures, shoot some video, and write us to let us know what you think. We’ll be publishing a follow-up article in late November with your stories.

As an added bonus, Sara also sent us the FULL recipe for the bacon BLT created by mixologist Brent Jones of Library at Hotel Jerome in Aspen, CO. You’ll find it at the end of Sara’s article.

– Mike

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Ahhh Bacon…a beloved American classic that drums up images of sizzling, crunchy strips accompanying eggs, on a sandwich or in a cobb salad. Not typically thought of as a cool thirst quencher…until now. Brent Jones, a molecular mixologist at the famed Hotel Jerome, A RockResort in Aspen, CO, has taken his love of bacon to a whole new level with his innovative BLT cocktail.

The unique cocktail, which is causing quite a buzz in Aspen, is created with bacon fat washed vodka, fresh juiced organic tomatoes, and a foam lettuce topping. Brent creates the components from scratch.

The inspiration: One evening while tending bar at the recently renovated Library lounge at Hotel Jerome, Brent noticed a new food item on its seasonal menu…A completely organic BLT made with fresh tomatoes, crispy bacon and iceberg lettuce. After serving a few of the sandwiches to patrons during his shift, his BLT craving began. By the end of the night it dawned on him to concoct a drink recipe that breaks down the sandwich into its three main components. What Brent developed was a distinct replica of the BLT flavors combined into one exciting beverage.

– Sara

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Bacon Fat Washed Vodka (by Brent Jones)

Fat washing is a method of extracting ?avor from fat, without the greasy texture. I ?rst encountered this method while taking the Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) class in New York City.

Ingredients :

1lb of uncooked bacon

750mL vodka

Method :

Cook the bacon, collecting the fat. Dump the vodka into a minimum volume 1 liter container. It should be noted to use a container with a large opening, perhaps a mixing bowl. Heat the bacon fat until it becomes a liquid, and pour it into the bowl containing the vodka. Stir and let the bowl set at room temperature for a minimum of 2 hours. Place the bowl in the freezer for 1 hour to congeal the fat, ?nally strain and ?lter the liquid. A strainer or chinois, and a common coffee ?lter will do the trick.

Tomato Juice

While it seems like a no brainer to use a can of tomato juice or V8, fresh made seasonal tomato juice is well worth the effort.

Ingredients :

1 tomato (or as many as you would like)

Method :

Fill a Large sauce pan ?lled 3/4 full with water, and bring to a very light boil. Blanch the tomato in the hot water for 15 seconds, remove and allow to cool. Peel the tomato using a pairing knife, pulling away the skin. Throw the skinless tomato in a blender or a juice extractor, and strain the juice using a chinois.

Lettuce Air

As a molecular mixologist, I am constantly conducting new experiments on cocktails. Earlier the same day (just prior to the BLT idea) the Hotel Jerome executive chef Chris Keating and I were experimenting with soy lecithin. Lecithin is a phospholipid most commonly used in the culinary ?eld as an emulsi?er and/or to make an air (very similar to a foam). Given this nature, we thought there could be a possible use for it in constructing cocktails.

Ingredients/tools :

4 oz lettuce juice

1/2 tsp soy lecithin

2 oz water

aerolatte milk frother

Method :

Extract the juice from the lettuce using either a blender or a juice extractor. If using a blender, be sure to strain the juice using a chinois. In a container (5 inches wide or larger) combine 4oz lettuce juice + 2 oz water + 1/2 tsp soy lecithin and mix with an aerating device. In this case, the aerolatte milk frother works well. If more air is desired, just add some more soy lecithin to the same solution, and mix.

Making The BLT

Glassware :

Small sherry glass

Ingredients :

1 oz Bacon Fat Vodka

Lettuce Air

2 oz Tomato Juice

Salt & Pepper

Method :

Using 2 mixing glasses, ?ll one with ice. In the empty glass combine a few shakes from both the salt and pepper shakers, the bacon fat vodka, and the tomato juice. Pour the mixture over the other mixing glass containing the ice, and continue to mix by pouring the iced solution back and forth 3 or 4 times. Using a julep or hawthorne strainer, strain the liquid into the sherry glass and top it off with the lettuce air.

*It should be noted, the bacon vodka in a bloody mary cocktail is delicious!!!!

Bacon + Bourbon = Oh So Good