Welcome to THE GATHERING DARK Blog Tour – we are stop 12! To check out who else is on the tour go to this website to see the full list of participating blogs. We’re very excited to welcome Leigh to Book Chick City – Rebecca loved The Gathering Dark and you can read her 5 star review here.

Leigh Bardugo was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from Yale University. She indulges her fondness for glamour, ghouls, and costuming in her other life as makeup artist L.B. Benson. She lives in Hollywood and can occasionally be heard singing with her band, Captain Automatic.Her debut novel, The Gathering Dark/Shadow & Bone, is the first book in the Grisha Trilogy and will be published by Holt Children’s/Macmillan in June 2012. She is represented by Joanna Stampfel-Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary.

When Book Chick City invited me to throw a grown up cocktail party, my first call was to my friend and secret weapon, Morgan Fahey. Morgan knows her way around a cocktail. In fact, I suspect she may be hiding some latent Grisha powers. She definitely has the makings of a top notch Alkemi.

Later this year, I’ll be posting about the impact of the Unsea on agriculture and food in Ravka. We may even attempt to whip up some “authentically” Ravkan beverages. For now, here are two cocktails inspired by the events and characters of the Grisha Trilogy and The Gathering Dark.

Note: For both drinks, Morgan recommends chilling glasses in the freezer at least 25 minutes before the pour.

Genya’s Elixir garnished with nasturtiums

Genya’s Elixir

Perfect for sipping at the Winter Fete or over gossip, this pretty, fizzy drink may take you by surprise. A bit like Genya herself.

Ingredients:
1.5 oz Saffron Infused Gin (we used Gabriel Boudier)
3/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

Morgan is very serious about her lemon juice. She says: “Do not use store-bought lemon juice. Press the lemons no earlier than an hour before making the drink. You can store the juice in the fridge, but ideally, you should make it to order.”

1/2 to 3/4 oz simple syrup to taste
1/2 teaspoon rose water

Available at Middle Eastern markets. Don’t be tempted by rose syrup, warns Morgan. You’ll get better rose flavor and have more control over the drink’s sweetness by keeping the syrup and rose water steps separate.

Prosecco or any other methode champenoise sparkling wine.

Me: Methode what?
Morgan: It’s what they call wines made the way champagne is made, but can’t call champagne because they’re not from Champagne, France. The ideal sparkler for this is one with smallish bubbles and a bit of residual sugar (so not the driest bubbly in the store).
Me: Mai oui!

Optional: rose petals or edible flowers for garnish. (We used nasturtiums and they have a lovely peppery taste.)

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and combine first four ingredients. Shake vigorously until frost forms on the shaker or its cap. Strain into an iced coupe or martini glass. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with flowers.

This one was hard to capture so we had to instagram it up

The Shadow Fold 

We knew vodka would be more on-theme, but the rum added so much drama. Morgan created this drink to represent the dark shores of the Unsea. This is a dessert cocktail and not for gulping. (Between the cream and the alcohol, it’s almost as dangerous as a volcra attack.)

1 oz dark rum

Morgan: Myers is fine. Do NOT use Smith and Cross or any other funky/ agricole rum.
Me: I do not understand these words, but okay.

1 oz coffee liqueur (We used Kahlua Especial Dark, but any high-quality dark coffee liqueur should work.)
1/2 oz dark creme de cacao (preferably Marie Brizard or similar)
1.5 oz heavy cream
Powdered sugar to taste
Cardamom bitters or powdered cardamom

Sweeten cream with powdered sugar and add cardamom to taste. Whip LIGHTLY, keeping a near-liquid consistency.

Fill a chilled mixing/ pint glass with ice. Add first three ingredients. Stir briskly for 15-20 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe or martini glass.

Holding a large spoon over the lip of the glass, slowly poor the cream mixture over the curved back of the spoon, letting it slide onto the drink below to create a floating effect. Don’t worry about making it look perfect– it will still taste good.

Enjoy with friends or foes. My dream guest list? Hard to say. I wouldn’t mind hosting Joss Whedon, but I fear I might just stand there saying, “Buh buh buh.”

LEIGH BARDUGO ONLINE
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