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Inspired creativity is the raw source for many food recipes. And for beverages, too.

Sometimes creativity is not inspired. It is demanded.

“I need grapefruit,” I was yelling at Suzen as she left for the store.

“Use oranges. We have some.” That was her closing remark. Very closing. The door actually closed. I could not say to her, “But I need grapefruit to make that drink, the Bamboozle, you loved.” I wanted to do something for her. But …

Well, I did do something. I used the oranges. I had found the Bamboozle in The Modern Mixologist by Tony Abou-Ganim. He’s a world famous mixologist. The Modern Mixologist is a world class repository of recipes and lore.

For my inspired-by-need version, something I call the Bamboozle II, I did substitute orange for grapefruit juice and dark tequila for light. The result? A deeply dark and rich beverage. The dark tequila has that dark, slightly smokey flavor that contrasts with the sweeter orange juice. Grapefruit juice might just punctuate with a sting here. Orange juice surrounds with a familiar, comfortable flavor.

These are the last days of summer. The Bamboozle II is a fine way to watch the sun go down. A little earlier each day. With light that dashes through leaves no longer bright green but now softening, darkening, reddening. Just like the drink.

 

Bamboozle II

Yield: one cocktail

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ ounces dark tequila
  • ½ ounce Crème de Cassis
  • 1 ½ ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ½ ounce freshly squeeze lime juice
  • ½ ounce agave nectar

Preparation:

Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, then shake to thoroughly chill the beverage. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Add crushed ice. Garnish, if you wish, with the peel of an orange, lime, or even a lemon.

 

Source: Brian O’Rourke inspired by Suzen O’Rourke and Tony Abou-Ganim