"The Ministry of Time" and The Chain-Smoker
"The Ministry of Time" by Kaliane Bradley blends time travel, romance, and historical mystery. The story revolves around Commander Graham Gore, a Victorian polar explorer who finds himself thrust into the 21st century as part of a government experiment. Bradley's interest in Gore was sparked by “The Terror," a TV miniseries about the historical Royal Navy’s Franklin's Arctic expedition. The novel explores Gore's adaptation to modern times and his romantic relationship with a modern-day civil servant while examining themes of colonialism and identity.
I wanted the drink to emphasize some of those unforeseen quirky adjustments, and low and behold, I found a tasty beverage. In the 19th century, Gore suffered from scurvy due to a lack of vitamin C, but in the 21st century, he overcompensates with an obsession for vitamin C supplements--the man even loses a tooth, for crying out loud. Historically known for smoking cigars, Gore humorously adapts to modern times by making cigarettes his constant companions, puffing away like a human chimney. This inspired the creation of the perfect drink to pair with the novel, resulting in the Chain-mmoker cocktail.
Pairing the Novel with a Cocktail: THE CHAIN-SMOKER
Inspired by Commander Gore's journey from the 19th to the 21st century, the Chain-Smoker cocktail is a slight adaptation of Sam Ross's Penicillin cocktail. When I was surfing through various scotch cocktails, scotch being the whiskey that Commander Gore would have drank in his time, this one stood out—the idea that time travelers might need to be inoculated for certain diseases. I switched out the juice and modified the garnish, resulting in an even more aromatic experience.
Cheers to many more pages and pours!
Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 oz blended Scotch whisky (a nod to Gore’s era)
3/4 oz fresh orange juice (chosen for its high vitamin C content compared to other citrus fruits)
3/4 oz honey-ginger syrup
1/4 oz Islay single malt Scotch (for a smoky peat finish)
One orange (for juice, peel, and garnish)
Garnish: thin slice of candied ginger, candied orange peel, and flames orange peel
Instructions:
1. Make a quick and easy Honey-Ginger Syrup
Mix 3 Tablespoons of honey and 1 Tablespoon of hot water.
Make the ginger syrup; mix 4 Tablespoons ginger juice with 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar over low heat, stirring until the sugar is fully incorporated.
Combine 1 oz of the honey syrup with 1 oz of ginger syrup, then measure ¾ oz for the drink. Place the remainder in a small container and refrigerate for a second drink.
2. Make the Cocktail
Shake blended Scotch, orange juice, and honey-ginger syrup with ice.
Strain into a rocks glass with a large king ice (nod to a glacier)
Float Islay single malt Scotch on top.
3. Flame and Express the Orange Peel: Flaming and expressing an orange peel is a technique used to add aromatic oils and a smoky flavor to a cocktail. Here's how to do it:
Cut the Peel: Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler to cut a wide strip of orange peel, avoiding too much of the bitter white pith underneath.
Hold the Peel: Hold the peel by its edges, with the orange side facing the drink and the pith side facing you.
Light the Flame: Use a match or a lighter to create a flame. Position the flame about 2-3 inches from the orange peel.
Heat the Peel: Gently warm the orange side of the peel by moving it slowly over the flame. Be careful not to burn it.
Express the Oils: Quickly squeeze the peel over the flame and the cocktail. The oils from the peel will ignite briefly, creating a small flame and releasing aromatic oils into the drink.
Rub the Peel: After flaming, rub the peel around the rim of the glass to impart more of the citrus aroma.
4. Garnish:
Flag (wrap) the orange peel around the candied orange peel and a stripe of candied ginger and spear with a toothpick
Place the assembled “ship” inside the glass.
