Smokey Strawberry Old Fashioned, ala The Aviary

To toast these magnificent orbs I thought we should roll out a special cocktail as well. To pull this one off properly takes some balls – it had to be said at some point – ice balls. Serving a cocktail inside an ice sphere is all about the presentation, and it can be magnificent. No bar does presentation better than Chicago’s Aviary, where the style and showmanship is as important as the drink. One of the most famous cocktails they serve there is their Old Fashioned, of which they have many seasonal offerings on rotation, and which are all delicious. But what makes their Old Fashioned famous is the way they serve it, inside an ice sphere. At Aviary it’s really more of an ice egg, waiting to hatch. How long will it take? As consummate hosts, they don’t make their guests wait – rather, they provide a bespoke wooden ring fitted with a rubber band and striking stone, with which to place on top of the glass, crack the egg, and release the drink. Impressive and fun!

No ice ball cocktail is complete without a turned ring and fob striker by Stephen Chin

I made a home version of their “Smoked Strawberry” Old Fashioned, a summery sweet delight that they infuse with wood smoke before injecting it into the ice. I simply added a touch of extra peaty scotch to mine, which works very nicely as well. Strawberry syrup can be made quickly on a stove or in a blender, but at Aviary they make a lovely clarified syrup by simply covering fresh strawberries with sugar and waiting a while for the sweetened juice to extract. For the ice ball, a little patience and an ice sphere mold, plus a syringe, is required. Freeze the ice ball like normal, but flip it upside down in the freezer after about two hours. Wait another two hours, then take it out of the freezer. Poke a little hole in the top, extract the water still trapped inside, and viola. Now inject your chilled cocktail and serve with a little hammer, or a homemade ball cracker courtesy of another favorite wood turner. Class dismissed – cheers!

A lovely pair of balls

Smokey Strawberry Old Fashioned – adapted from Allen Hemberger,

Aviary

2 oz bourbon

½ - ¾ oz strawberry syrup

¼ oz peat heavy scotch (such as Lagavulin)

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Stir with ice then inject into a hollow ice sphere (or simply enjoy with a large cube)