In ancient Greece ambrosia was considered the food of the Gods, and nectar was the drink of the Gods. Today Ambrosia is a fruit salad made up of mixed fruits, particularly orange slices, cocktail cherries and pineapple with whipped cream and/or cream cheese, coconut, marshmallows and sometimes nuts.
It's a Southern culinary favorite that originated around the mid 1800's, around the time fruits like coconut and pineapple, previously considered exotic, became more readily available in the U.S. The earliest print reference to Ambrosia is from an 1867 cookbook by Maria Massey Barringer called Dixie Cookery: or How I Managed My Table for Twelve Years.
There is an Ambrosia cocktail floating around that employs cognac, Calvados and lemon juice, but I'm going for the classic taste of that fluffy, sweet fruit salad so well loved by Americans. Primarily because that is what most of us associate with ambrosia.
It never hurts to appeal to the masses, right?
The
AMBROSIA
COCKTAIL
A Drink Fit for the Gods
INGREDIENTS
2 Oz. Dark Rum
1 Oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
3 Oz. Fresh Orange Juice
3 Oz. Fresh Pineapple Juice
2 Tablespoons Coconut Cream
1-1/2 Oz. Heavy Cream
Splash of Homemade Grenadine
Garnish: Coconut Flake Rim, Mini Marshmallows, Luxardo Cherry
Tools: Cocktail Shaker, Bar Spoon
Glass: Hurricane
DIRECTIONS
Dip the glass rim in some coconut cream then into coconut flakes, chill the glass in the freezer.
Add all the ingredients except the Grenadine to your cocktail shaker and shake until well chilled. Fill the glass with ice then pour in the cocktail. Gently float the Grenadine over the back of a spoon over the top, garnish and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:
National Ambrosia Day is December 12th.