Let's just be real, here, folks: no spoilers, but you're going to need a cocktail (or two) when you read A Torch Against the Night, and like the book, it should be delicious, deceptively strong, and fiery. I made this riff on a Scorpion cocktail--one of those daaaangerous tiki drinks--and added an actual torch on top of it. If you're underage, or don't drink, there's a mocktail version, but, well, why would you want the mocktail version?!
THE EMPIRE'S FIRE
- 2 oz fresh mango juice (recipe here--no ice, and be sure to strain)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz pineapple juice (canned Dole, or similar, is fine)
- 1 oz honey
- 1 oz brandy
- 2 oz light rum
Fill a large cocktail glass with ice up to nearly the top (if you're going to do the flaming lime garnish, the lime shell will likely require the structure of the ice to hold it up). In a cocktail shaker, shake all ingredients with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish and serve.
You can also add all ingredients, plus ice, to a blender and serve while slushy.
NOW GET TO READIN'.
FLAMING GARNISH
SAFETY WARNING: Please, please, PLEASE use caution when doing a flaming garnish. As with ALL THINGS INVOLVING FIRE AND ALCOHOL, there is a risk of injury. This is a fairly safe method of making a flaming garnish, but you still need to exercise caution. In short: fire first, drinks later.
Keep the flame away from glass or anything else that could explode near high heat. If you're an actual young adult making the mocktail version, please get parental permission and supervision FIRST. You also may want to practice this first in a shallow, empty dish. FYA is not responsible for anything that happens once you combine fire and booze.
This is where I learned to make a flaming lime shell.
What you will need:
- half an empty lime shell (halve lime vertically and juice it)
- 1 crouton (the bigger the crouton, the bigger the torch--start small)
- pure lemon extract
Soak the crouton in lemon extract (I just poured mine over the crouton's surfaces to thoroughly saturate it). Drop shell into drink--which works best if you're either using crushed ice or cubed ice to support the shell. Make sure the lime shell stays away from the sides of your glass. Using a long match, making sure your hair is tied back and your clothing will not fall into the flame (roll your sleeves up, guys, and no drapey cardigans), light the crouton as you would a candle wick. The bigger the crouton, the bigger the torch, so be very careful.
Oooh, ahh, and serve. When you're ready to drink, blow the flame out like you would a candle, and carefully remove/discard.
MOCKTAIL: THE SLOW BURN
- 2 oz fresh, strained mango juice
- 1 oz lime
- 1 oz pineapple
- pinch cayenne and chili powder, if desired
- club soda
Fill a glass with ice and add all ingredients. Top with club soda. If you like, roll a piece of dried mango around in chili and cayenne and skewer on a toothpick. FEEL THE BURN.
BLOG TOUR
Visit the other blogs on the A Torch Against the Night blog tour, and enter here to win your own copy of Torch and a sweet tote bag! (Cocktail not included, but if you want to hang out in San Francisco, I will totally make you one.)
8/29: Buttermybooks
8/30: Once Upon a Twilight
8/31: Fiction Fare
9/1: My Friends Are Fiction
9/2: Forever Young Adult -- You are here!
9/5: A Perfection Called Books
9/6: Bookish Lifestyle
9/7: Fiktshun
9/8: Two Chicks on Books
9/9: The Fandom
9/12: IceyBooks
9/13: Oh the Book Feels
9/14: What Sarah Read
9/15: The Young Folks
9/16: Mundie Moms