I actually like some of the cocktails that I make.

Several years ago I was introduced to douhua by a friend of mine. We’d eaten our fill of dim sum and walked over to a tofu shop nearby. I wasn’t especially hungry, but he insisted on buying us some douhua for desert. It’s a simple desert of hot, soft (in that case freshly made) tofu, with a ginger and brown sugar syrup. Since then I’ve eaten it whenever I’ve had the chance.

I feel like most of the time when I’m coming up with a cocktail it starts with a flavor memory. I remember laying in bed trying to fall asleep after watching hours of cocktail content on Youtube and sitting up to write “douhua cocktail” in my phone before falling asleep.

Early versions of this cocktail started with soon tofu that I’d shake with the rest of the ingredients and strain out, but I’ve since moved to soy milk, which is much easier to work with and has the same end result.

Most of the ingredients for this cocktail should be pretty easily available or makeable, aside from the Luzhou Laojiao Erqu Jiu and shiso leaf, which I buy from 99 Ranch.

Eat the leaf:

• 50ml sake
• 40ml unsweet soy milk
• 30ml japanese whiskey
• 15ml ginger syrup
• 15ml brown sugar syrup
• 15ml lemon juice
• 1/2 bottle cap Luzhou Laojiao Erqu Jiu
• 2-3 drops of orange blossom water
• 1 shiso leaf (for garnish)

Shake over ice, double strain and garnish with a shiso leaf cut in half to remove stem.

Give it a try and then do what it says. Chew on a piece of shiso leaf while you sip.

Enjoy.