Smokeshow Cocktail – Crescent City series

Happy Monday, everyone!

And a big thank you, Sarah J Maas, for finally putting some more detailed food and drinks into your books!

“Ithan peered into his dark glass, at the amber liquid that looked and smelled like whiskey, though he’d never seen whiskey with smoke rising from it. “It’s called a smokeshow,” Roga drawled. “Whiskey, grated ginger, and a little draki magic to make it look fancy.” – House of Flame and Shadow, Sarah J. Maas

Every now and then, an author gives us a moment that’s so vivid, so specific, that it practically leaps off the page and into our glass. This is one of those moments, and I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making it ever since first reading through the Crescent City series.

When Roga hands Ithan a mysterious smoking drink in House of Flame and Shadow, it’s described as dark and amber, with a bite of ginger and a haze of rising smoke. And in a world like Crescent City—where angels, shifters, and ancient magic brush elbows at the bar—it’s only fitting that even the cocktails come with a flourish.

This version of the Smokeshow is a broody little number: rich whiskey, warm ginger, a touch of sweetness, and just enough visual drama to hint at danger. Whether you’re raising a glass to the stars, or sipping something strong to steel yourself for what comes next, this one delivers.

It opens with the intense smokiness of the actual smoke, as well as the peat from the whiskey. Quick on the heels of that comes the warm sweetness from the honey and ginger, as well as a rounding out from the citrus. You’re left with a lingering taste of smoke and spice, like an ember glowing in the dark.

Recipe for Smokeshow Cocktail

Makes 1 cocktail (but can be scaled up)

Pairs well with: sharp cheeses and picked veg, shadowy secrets, low lighting

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Lagavulin Scotch, or other smoky variety (3 Tbs.)
1/2 oz. Cardamaro (1 Tbs.)
1/2 oz. ginger-honey syrup, made ahead (see below; 1 Tbs.)
1/4 oz. orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Curacao (1/2 Tbs. or 1 1/2 tsp.)
1 dash Angostura bitters
a cinnamon stick, for smoke
Large ice cube

Ginger-Honey Syrup:

(Enough for 1–2 cocktails)

1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. boiling water
1/2–1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

Stir honey and boiling water until completely dissolved. Add grated ginger, stir, and let steep for around 5 minutes.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove solids. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cocktail Preparation

In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine whiskey, Cardamaro, ginger-honey syrup, orange liqueur, and bitters.

Stir until well-chilled, about 20–30 seconds.

Strain into a coupe or lowball glass — neat or over a single large ice cube.

Light the end of a cinnamon stick until it’s smoking. Drop the smoke into the glass, and cover with a coaster to trap the smoke. Uncover and serve straightaway, before the trapped smoke has a chance to dissipate. Enjoy with care! ;)

Blandissory

“Four master pyromancers conjured up beasts of living flame to tear at each other with fiery claws whilst the serving men ladled out bowls of blandissory, a mixture of beef broth and boiled wine sweetened with honey and dotted with blanched almonds and chunks of capon.” -A Storm of Swords

Thoughts:

This is a great example of how sweet and savory elements are often combined in a medieval dish. The chicken and broth, and to some extent even the wine are more commonly served as savory dishes, while cinnamon, ginger, and honey are more often associated with sweet dishes, like cookies and desserts.

This dish is quirky, and while not especially appealing in appearance, it is actually quite tasty. The almond and rice flours thicken the broth to a consistency just shy of a medium gravy. The chicken is wonderfully soft and flavorful, a great textural counterpoint to the occasioinal crunch of the almonds.

Also, while the text excerpt calls for beef broth, I found that this is a wonderful way to use a second day roast chicken. Simply pick off any remaining meat, and boil down the carcass for broth. Very economical, and in keeping with the traditional practices of not letting anything go to waste. Of course, if you’re a Lannister, you needn’t worry about such things…

All in all, a quirky dish, but not without its merits. Medieval food surprises yet again!

Recipe for Blandissory

Makes: about 2 servings Prep: 5-10 minutes

Blaundesore to potage. Take almondes and grynde hom when thai byn blounchet and tempur hom, on fysshe day wyth wyn, and on flesheday with broth of flesh, and put hit in a pot, and therto floure of rys, and let hit boyle ; then take the braune of hennes, or of capons, and bray hom, and tempur hit up with the broth of the capons, and do hit in the pot, and colour hit with saffron; and do therto gynger mynced, and powder of canel, and sugur ynogh, and serve hit forth, and florish hit with white annys. –Ancient Cookery (England, 1425)

Cook’s Notes: I used red wine because it’s what I had open, but a white wine would make for a very pretty dish, especially with the saffron to color it.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Ground almonds
2 cups meat broth
1 cup wine
2 Tbs. rice flour
~1 cup shredded and chopped cooked chicken meat
pinch of saffron (if using white wine)
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cinnamon
1-2 Tbs. sugar or honey
blanched almonds for garnish (~1/4 cup)

Combine ground almonds with wine/broth, and bring to a boil. Gradually add the rice flour, whisking to avoid creating clumps. Add the chicken, spices, and honey, and stir for around 2 minutes.

Pour into your serving dish, sprinkle with almonds, and serve!

Wintercake with ginger, pine nuts, and cherry

“He could still recall the sounds of the three bells, the way that Noom’s deep peals set his very bones to shuddering, the proud strong voice of Narrah, sweet Nyel’s silvery laughter. The taste of wintercake filled his mouth again, rich with ginger and pine nuts and bits of cherry…” -A Feast for Crows

Modern Wintercakes

Elizabethan Wintercakes

Our thoughts:

No wonder Areo Hotah remembered these wintercakes fondly. Biting into one is like tasting a memory- the memory of a childhood characterized by roaring fires in stone keeps, the smell of leather, and warm smiles from bearded men. Eating one of these cakes is like finding something you lost years ago and had forgotten how much you loved; it is like coming home.

Needless to say, we loved both of these recipes. In the modern cake, the spice of the ginger combined with the tang of the cherries is reminiscent of an English fruitcake, but is more similar in texture to the interior of a moist, high quality scone. The Elizabethan cakes are denser and heavier, like English biscuits. The overall taste is one of pleasant, homey shortbread, but when you get a bite with cherry or ginger, the flavor shifts from familiar into foreign and fantastic. Both cakes can be served any time of day, and are better at room temperature than hot. They are delicious with tea, coffee, or hot cider.

Bottom line: Have friends over for hot drinks. Sit in big leather chairs. Talk about beautiful things. Take up the mandolin. Consider the merits of index based mutual funds. Whatever you do, make these cakes.

Both recipes are available in the Cookbook.