Caminando con Jesús is a cocktail inspired by my recent safari through the lush jungles of Southern California. While exploring, I stumbled upon a unique “specie” of cocktail in the wild—the Flip. This creation is the decadent and delicious result of that discovery. Flips are celebrated for their silky texture, making them the ultimate indulgence and a perfect liquid dessert.
Flip Cocktails
I’ve always loved cocktails that use egg white to create a frothy, elegant head. But if you’ve never encountered a flip, you’re in for a treat—it takes things a step further by using the whole egg. The result is a rich, velvety texture reminiscent of whipped cream or silky custard.
Caminando Con Jesús
This recipe is a tribute to Jesús, the bartender who introduced me to flips and patiently shared his expertise. He taught me the art of the reverse shake, when to use it, and even traded secrets about crafting infusions.
The name, “Caminando con Jesús,” translates to “walking with Jesús,” perfectly capturing the experience of savoring this transcendent cocktail. It’s a drink that feels like pure bliss—truly the best this earth has to offer.
Ingredients and Technique
I created a banana liqueur to avoid the metallic aftertaste of commercially available products.
Banana Liqueur
Banana Infused Vodka for Cocktails
Ingredients
- 2 bananas – peeled and sliced
- 1–1/2 cups vodka or light rum
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Place 2 halved and sliced bananas in a sealable quart glass jar and cover with 350 ml or 1-1/2 cups of vodka. Seal and shake.
- Let the mixture steep for 3-4 days at room temp in a dark place. Strain out the fruit and filter everything through cheese cloth, pressing lightly to extract liquid. Repeat the filtering with fresh cheese cloth to remove any remaining solids
- Heat 1/2 cup of water and sugar in a heavy bottom sauce pot on medium heat until it simmers, reduces and forms a syrup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool
- Combine the syrup with the banana infused vodka. Seal in a bottle or jar, then shake to mix. Let it rest for one day. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use
Cashew Orgeat
This drink required a nutty component, so I created this delicious orgeat.
Cashew Orgeat
A creamy, nutty orgeat created for Cominando con Jesus!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cashew pieces
- 1–1/2 cup sugar
- 1–1/4 cup water
- 1 oz brandy
Instructions
- Pulse and finely chop the cashews in a food processor, but do not pulverize them into powder
- Mix the sugar and water in a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat
- Stir until all the sugar is dissolved and bring it to a boil for 1 minute
- Add the chopped cashews and allow it to return to a simmer for 2 more minutes
- Remove from heat, cover and let it rest in the pan for 3-4 hours
- Place a large strainer over a bowl, line with cheesecloth and pour the liquid in
- When it stops draining, squeeze the cheesecloth to get the rest of the cashew milk
- Whisk in the brandy, bottle and refrigerate until ready to use.
The Finished Cocktail
Caminando Con Jesús
Absinthe, banana, cashew, coconut and whole egg infused “flip”
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
- 1 whole egg
- 3/4 oz coconut cream
- 3/4 oz cashew orgeat
- 1–1/4 oz banana liqueur
- Absinthe – spray or rinse
- Fresh ground nutmeg – garnish
Instructions
- Make the banana liqueur and the cashew orgeat
- Pre-chill a coupe glass in the cooler
- Combine all the ingredients into a shaker, adding the liqueur last
- Reverse shake briefly with 2-3 cubes of ice to chill
- Double strain back into the top of the shaker
- Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds to create a luscious foam
- Spray the chilled coupe glass with absinthe
- Pour in the cocktail – no additional straining required
- Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg