My friends and I are what we call chai-o-holics and we are crazy about the chai latte cocktail at The Third Door in Marietta. Can we make it at home?
— Anita Janis, Atlanta
Jonatan Ruiz, beverage manager for The Third Door and creator of the recipe, was happy to share. “A chai cocktail has always been in my mind since the rest of the staff was always drinking chai at work. They would buy chai concentrate and just mix it with oat milk. It wasn’t until I tried Jaya chai liqueur that I thought it would make a really good base for a chai cocktail to (put) on the menu.”
Ruiz described the cocktail as “cozy like a nice cup of chai, but it also has a lot of complexity, and this cold, refreshing version with oat milk makes it less heavy than a traditional chai latte.”
It was his wife’s love for cookies as an accompaniment for tea that inspired him to serve the cocktail with a Biscoff cookie.
We found Jaya chai liqueur and Paolucci amaro CioCiaro at Tower Beer, Wine & Spirits. The Creole pecan orgeat is available online from New Orleans-based El Guapo.
Third Door’s Chai Latte Cocktail
- 1 1/2 ounces Jaya chai liqueur
- 1 1/4 ounces oat milk, preferably Chobani Extra Creamy
- 1/2 ounce Cardamom-infused Cognac (see recipe)
- 1/4 ounce Paolucci amaro CioCiaro
- 1/4 ounce El Guapo Creole pecan orgeat
- Dash of angostura bitters
- Biscoff cookie, for serving
- Combine chai liqueur, oat milk, cognac, amaro, pecan orgeat and bitters in a cocktail shaker.
- Add ice and shake vigorously for at least 10 seconds.
- Double strain into a chilled Collins or highball glass filled with ice. Serve immediately with a Biscoff cookie.
Serves 1.
Per serving: 165 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), trace protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram total sugars, trace fiber, 1 gram total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 16 milligrams sodium.
Cardamom-infused Cognac
Ruiz writes that readers may be surprised by how many uses they’ll find for this cardamom-infused cognac. “Pretty much any classic cognac cocktail will be enhanced by the subtle green cardamom flavor. It will make a spectacular sidecar and an even more spectacular sazerac or Vieux Carre.”
He prefers Cognac Park which can be hard to find in local liquor stores. “Any good quality cognac will work in this recipe. I chose a VS cognac because it has very bright fruit notes and hints of vanilla sweetness as opposed to something older like a VSOP or XO. The subtle flavors and nuances of an older cognac might get lost in this cocktail.”
- 4 tablespoons green cardamom pods
- 1 (750 ml) bottle VS cognac
- Use a cocktail muddler to crack open the cardamom pods.
- Pour cognac into a quart jar and add muddled cardamom.
- Rest mixture at room temperature for 1 hour, then use a fine mesh strainer and funnel to return mixture to cognac bottle. Discard cardamom solids.
- Recap bottle and store at room temperature.
Makes generous 3 cups.
Per tablespoon: 33 calories (percent of calories from fat, 16), trace protein, trace carbohydrates, 0 grams total sugars, no fiber, trace total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, trace sodium.
From the menu of … The Third Door, 131 Church St., Marietta. 470-361-0370. thethirddoor.net.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of the restaurant in the subject line.
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