The Basketball cocktail is an extremely dangerous drink that can knock down an unprepared taster. It's not even that there is red absinthe in its composition. The reason for this risk is the technique of drinking a cocktail, which, if improperly performed, is fraught with a severe burn of the palm of the hand and completely spoiled in the evening. The article will tell you how the “Basketball” cocktail appeared, and whether it is possible to make a drink yourself at home.
The first version of the origin of the name
According to the most common version of the appearance of such a name for a cocktail, the Philadelphia Warriors team, celebrating their victory, was delighted with the movements of the bartender, after which there was a massive order of a cocktail for athletes. The incident hit the newspapers, and journalists dubbed the Basketball drink lightly in honor of the situation. The name was firmly entrenched, after which the cocktail quickly gained popularity among young people. It is dictated by the risk of falling down from the drinker's fortress, as well as receiving a serious injury.
The second version of the name
According to a more practical theory, the Basketball cocktail got its name because of the movement that needs to be done before drinking the contents of the glass. After the main components have been added to the shot, it is set on fire. You need to put out the palm of your hand with alcohol and then shake it with your wrist, as if sending an invisible ball to the basket. The contents of the glass are mixed and the cocktail can be drunk.
Main ingredients and recipe
There are at least two main variations on how to make the Basketball shake. The first, which more often than others appears in Russian bars, looks like this:
- cognac - 20 ml;
- Triple-sec liqueur - 20 ml (it is quite possible to replace with any bitter or absinthe to the taste of the client).
In turn, the more fashionable, foreign counterpart is somewhat more complicated and involves a larger number of components:
- brandy or brandy - 20 ml;
- sambuca - 20 ml;
- red absinthe or Triple-sec liquor - 20 ml.
Red absinthe is the same tincture, which in its properties is very similar to ordinary bitter, but has a rich shade of scarlet, which looks very interesting in a glass.
The very composition of the Basketball cocktail is better not to change dramatically, it is fraught with a loss of taste and unforeseen consequences the next morning.
The cooking process can be represented as follows:
- cool shot glass, as well as alcoholic ingredients;
- pour brandy, after it sambuca and only then absinthe or liquor;
- set fire to the contents in front of the client.
The task of the taster is to cover the shot with the palm of your hand, completely blocking the access of oxygen to the fire. He goes out, after which the glass just "sticks" to his hand. Then you need to make a characteristic gesture so that the contents are thoroughly mixed, and drink in one gulp.
It is important to remember that for an unprepared client, absinthe may seem like a good solution, but it is unlikely that after that the taster will remain on his feet. For a wider audience, it is more advisable to use liquor and always explain how to cover the shot, otherwise there is a risk of acquiring several burns.