Clearly Defined | clarified milk punch |

Clearly Defined

Dorothy Parker Gin, Aperol, Trader Joe’s To The Power of Seven - Red, Lime, Milk

This is a sign for all of yall to have that talk. Its honestly so easy to clarify things, so why cant you do that for your own situationship?

All kidding aside, this is the start of hopefully a new series where I go to Trader Joe’s and incorporate some product into a cocktail. This time around, we have To The Power of Seven - Red, a juice blend made with beets, apples, cranberries, watermelon, strawberries, hibiscus, and elderberries.

Milk clarification first came into my mind as i knew that I could get a cute pink hue from the hibiscus tea post clarification, and because like colors like each other I wanted to incorporate a red aperitif into the mix. Campari was too bitter and cast a shadow on the juice blend, so i opted for a more gentle Aperol, which I feel goes well with strawberries and cranberry.

For the spirit base I originally thought tequila because of watermelon and beets, but felt the cocktail post clarification was just way too tequila forward. The dorothy parker gin came in clutch, as it had hibiscus and elderberry as its named botanicals, and the higher proof still provided that umph that this drink needed. A touch of acidity, a touch of sweetness, and there you go! The clearly defined. Let me know what other drinks i should make with Trader Joe’s products.

The video has scaled it 3x but here it is for 1 serving:

1.5 oz | 45 ml gin

0.5 oz | 15 ml Aperol

1.5 oz | 45 ml Trader Joe’s To The Power of Seven - Red

0.5 oz | 15 ml Lime Juice

0.5 oz | 15 ml Simple syrup

1 oz | 30 ml Whole Milk

In a vessel, combine all ingredients except for milk. Add milk to a separate vessel, then pour gin mix over the milk. Stir and allow curds to form, then pour through a filter. Liquid should run cloudy, then clear. Once the liquid is clear, swap to a clean vessel, then pour the liquid back through the filter. Bottle and reserve in fridge.

Add to a glass with ice and garnish with a cleaved strawberry.