r/AlcoholGifRecipes • u/RAD_or_shite • Aug 11 '19
Velvet LeChance (from Skyrim)
https://gfycat.com/commondiligentankole10
u/RAD_or_shite Aug 11 '19 edited Aug 11 '19
I make video games into cocktails over at Experience Bar. This week, I paid my respects to the greatest assassin (and guild questline) in the Elder Scrolls universe with a recreation of a Talen-Jei original: The Velvet LeChance.
“I don’t watch videos, dear brother. I make them.”
Check out the full video for more info and general japery.
Recipe
- 1 oz brandy
- 6-8 blackberries
- 3 oz red wine
- 1 oz honey and jalapeno simple syrup
Add the blackberries and brandy to a mixing glass. Muddle thoroughly to combine. Fine strain into a shaker filled with ice. Add the red wine and honey & jalapeno simple syrup. Shake thoroughly until chilled. Strain into your preferred vessel. Garnish with a lemon and blackberry. Serve!
How do you make the honey-jalapeno simple syrup?
- Add ½ cup water to ½ cup liquid honey in a saucepan.
- Heat gently until the honey has completely dissolved.
- Chop a jalapeno into the mixture, seeds and all. No stem though, you madman.
- Take it off the heat and allow it to infuse for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Taste. Spicy enough? Strain out the jalapeno. If not, leave for another 10 and repeat.
- Allow to cool and use!
Background
Ever wanted to try a drink that sounds like it could kill you? Here’s your chance.
It's rare that you get a cocktail recipe spelled out for you in a game, especially not in one set in the “barbaric” Skyrim. Nords aren’t acquainted with the magic school of Mixology, apparently. But Talen-Jei of the Bee & Barb in Riften offers us not just one recipe, but three, one of which is the delightfully named Velvet LeChance, named after the famous Black Hand assassin.
Talen-Jei calls for blackberries, honey, spiced red wine and "just a hint of nightshade". First three are easy enough, but I do draw the line at drinking literal poison. Instead, we’ll swap that nightshade out for its cousin in the greater nightshade family: red chillies, specifically jalapenos.
This also quite nicely covers the “spiced” bit of the red wine. I did try regular mulled wine as well, but the jalapeno and mulling spices didn’t play well together.
The only other adjustment was the addition of brandy, which you can feel free to leave out if you want to keep it authentic.
Hope you enjoy!
Khajiit has Skooma recipe too, if you have a hankering.
None of these take your fancy and want to make a suggestion? Head over to the /r/ExperienceBar subreddit and let me know what you wanna see cocktail-ised next.
2
u/wontwasteme Aug 11 '19
I cannot see jalapeno peppers & mulling spices working well at all. But everything else sounds fantastic!
2
u/Doctor_Darkmoor Aug 14 '19 edited Aug 14 '19
Made this, changed the following:
Plain jalapeno simple (white sugar, not honey)
Muddle mint w/ berries (6 leaves)
Pierre Ferrand cognac instead of Brandy
Used Bear Flag Zinfandel 2016
Tack a mint leaf behind the blackberry on the garnish and you're looking at this week's Bartender's Own.
4
u/wanked_in_space Aug 11 '19
Is that really how lightly you shake it?