Looking for a bartending gig at the turn of the century was, for me, like wookin’ pa nub.
No offense taken, I tucked my bartending school certificate away, explored other lines of work, and that’s all she wrote. All-things bartending became a hobby.
Since then, the bev industry has transformed. Spaces like the Association of African American Vinters, Speed Rack, and Crafted for All have created a unique momentum which eventually gave way to Drink Masters, a reality competition for mixologists.
Of course I started watching the series shortly after its first episode aired.
But who knew I’d stop drinking about a week before the show crowned its first champ? And who knew Lauren Paylor O’Brien would help push the boundaries of bartending by supporting the mocktail movement?
Shortly after Drink Masters, O’Brien was featured on the Today show with an accessible espresso martini headlining the three-drink lineup in her segment.
My version used unsweetened cacao nibs steeped with bagged orange tea. It was easier than searching for cacao shells or chocolate-orange tea bags.
Espresso and Chocolate by Lauren “LP” Paylor O’Brien
- Water
- Chocolate-orange tea
- Sugar
- Espresso
- Coconut milk
- Kosher salt
- Garnish: coffee beans, orange chocolate (I used cacao nibs and an orange twist.)
Equipment: saucepan, shaker cup
Me: There wasn’t a hint of bitterness like I was expecting. The liquid was neither thick nor watery. None of the flavors vied for attention, not even the syrup. Is “symphonic” too much? The nibs and orange garnish echoed the tea flavors nicely.
GJ: Oh my goodness. Mm. Wow. It was sweet and chocolatey. I got a little bit of the coffee but not as much orange but that’s okay ‘cause….Oh it was just so good. It was like adult chocolate milk.
Another Round? Don’t you mean “how many rounds per day everyday until we die?” And because my search for chocolate-orange tea led me to dried orange blended with different single-tea varieties (orange w/ black, orange w/ green), I’ll definitely be in the lab with that syrup.