I know how this sounds. Strange. Weird. Why am I even doing this? Well, because Carrots isn’t something new to cocktails, and I wanted to share it a different light. And with all my experimenting, Sweet Potato came in handy so well with this cocktail, that I’m very excited to share the final cocktail with everyone today. See how Carrot & Sweet Potato come together so nicely in this Holiday Old Fashioned here!
Want to watch all the action LIVE? Well, click on the photo below to see how the ladies mix and taste this drink live on TV.
Why Carrots and Sweet Potato?
Alright, so why on earth would I put Carrot and Sweet Potato in an Old Fashioned? The only reason I knew it would work, is because Carrots and Sweet Potato naturally have a beautiful sweetness and that’s exactly what an Old Fashioned needs. If you think about the original recipe, it uses Sugar (preferably Brown), with bitters and Bourbon Whiskey. Carrots is always something I want to experiment more with in my cocktails, but it’s usually freshly pressed. With the concept of this segment being around using what’s already on your table, I thought of the Honey Glazed Carrots I would create and thought, WHY NOT?!
Now during my first experiment, I didn’t think the Carrot flavour came through enough, which is why I tied in the flavour of Sweet Potato. In the end, the vegetables notes coming through are very subtle. But that’s what I wanted. I wanted it to be a compliment and not overwhelm.
The other main question here is why Carrots and Sweet Potato? Can you use other vegetables? Yes and No. Squashes are wonderful, Pumpkin is great, but I gravitate to the veggies that pair really well with sugars. I wouldn’t do this with regular potatoes, or greens such as Brussel sprouts and Broccoli. So whichever vegetable you have on the table, be mindful of how it interacts with sugar and if it will work!
Choosing your Whiskey
This was the easy part. Old Fashioneds are traditionally made with Bourbons, and Ontario has a great selection of options for you. This time around, I wanted to get Yellowstone Bourbon on your radar, plus it’s on sale for the season! This segment is all about thinking about your Wallet and Time. Yellowstone has you covered with this delicious dram.
Choosing to Infuse or Creating a Syrup
Now depending on how to prepare your dinners, will determine whether you infuse or create a syrup for this recipe. Infusing will take time, I’d say 12 hours to be safe, so you can enjoy a velvety cocktail for the next day with house guests. But if you’re looking for something that night and right now, the quick and easy way is to create a syrup with the blender. I share all the recipe details below in the notes.
Let me will leave you with this advice. I love the time it takes to infuse the bourbon. It’s a special method called Fat Washing, that really elevates the cocktail. It’s delicious and worth the time!
Sweet Potato and Honey Carrot Old Fashioned
Just give it a try. You won't regret this Vegetable Old Fashioned at your next gathering.
– Difficulty: Intermediate
Ingredients
- 2 oz Yellowstone Bourbon
- 0.75 oz – 1 oz Root Veg Simple Syrup
- 3 dashes Hot Pepper / Chili Bitters
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add all your ingredients and fill with lots of ice. Stir well. Strain over
- one large ice cube in rocks glass.
Recipe Notes
For the Root Vegetable Simple Syrup – Combine 1 cup Sweet Potato and 1 cup Honey
Glazed Carrots in a blender. Add in 1.5 cups of boiled water with 0.75 cup Brown Sugar.
Blend. Strain, using the back of the spoon to extract as much of the Root vegetables.
Can keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Makes 8 of the Old Fashioned recipes.
To make the infused Bourbon, roughly chop the ½ cup Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots
and Sweet Potato place into a 500 ml Mason Jar. Add 1 cup of Bourbon and let it sit in
the mason jar at room temperature for an hour. Cover and place into the freezer
overnight or a minimum 5 hrs. Use a coffee filter to strain the fat-washed bourbon and
enjoy. For the cocktail, simply substitute the Root Veg Simple Syrup recipe with a Brown
Sugar Simple Syrup instead (1 part brown sugar, 1 part boiled water and stir to
combine). The rest of the recipe stays the same.
Honey Glazed Carrot Recipe:
1 tbsp Butter
6 Heirloom Carrots (varying colours)
½ Orange Zest
½ Orange Juice Squeezed
1 tbsp Honey
1 pinch of Salt
Preheat Oven to 375 degrees, slice your carrots in half, dress with a bit of oil and place
on parchment paper. Let it roast for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucer, add all your ingredients and stir to combine. Let it come to a
simmer and lower the temperature to allow it to simmer for 2 minutes. Pour over
carrots after the 10 minute mark. Allow the carrots to roast for another 15 minutes until
finished cooking.
Sweet Potato Recipe:
½ pound Cubed Sweet Potato
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper + Optional Paprika
Turn your oven on to 375 degrees. Grab a bowl and dress the Sweet Potato in oil with
salt, pepper and optional paprika. Place a parchment paper on a baking tray and arrange
the Sweet Potato. Let it roast for 35-45 minutes, flipping half way.
