This is a throwback to a cocktail I created last year for S1.E15 of The Dimension Door Podcast: “Return to Heldren From Whence You Came.” While this cocktail was inspired by this particular episode, it speaks to themes common to the entire story so far. 

Skip to the recipe or keep reading for details regarding my inspiration for this cocktail.

For context for this cocktail: The Dimension Door Podcast is an actual-play podcast where the cast are playing the tabletop roleplaying game Pathfinder (1st edition). Specifically, we are playing Paizo’s Reign of Winter adventure path. The first season of Dimension Door encompassed our play through Book 1 of this adventure: The Snows of Summer. It is midsummer and a terrible, magical winter storm has appeared. Our characters set out to investigate–and halt–this invasion of winter.

After a journey full of blood-stained snow, fiery spells, and smoke both from our cartomancer’s incense and as wood smoke rising up through the trees of the Border Wood, our group reached the epicenter of the winter storm. Now, in Episode 15, we were facing a return back to the town where we started.

I created this cocktail as I contemplated the overarching themes of our adventure thus far: blood, fire, ice, and smoke all felt very fitting. In crafting ‘Blood & Fire, Smoke & Ice,’ I tried to capture and represent each of these elements in a single cocktail, while keeping them individually recognizable. What I ended up with was a layered drink served in a frosty, smoke-filled glass.

The grenadine at the base of the glass is a crimson reminiscent of blood, and the gradient of that red up into the lighter hue of the orange juice speaks to the coloring of a flame. At the top of the glass, a clear layer remains that reminds of ice–as does the chilled glass itself. Finally, the aroma of the clove smoke lingers, adding smoky-spicy note to the experience of this cocktail.

This is a presentation of a drink. The spectacle of the smoked, frosted glass and the layering of the liquids is great fun to pull off and to present to a guest. The resulting beverage is fairly sweet–Luxardo and Cointreau are sweet liqueurs, and the grenadine and orange juice add sweetness, as well. This sweetness is part of why I opted for vodka rather than another clear liquor such as blanco tequila instead. If you’re making this cocktail for someone who appreciates a more botanical flavor that can take the edge of the sweetness of this drink, I would recommend substituting a nice gin instead of the vodka called for in this recipe. I would opt for a dry gin such as Beefeater or Botanist.

• chilled coupe glass
• several whole cloves
• stirring glass with strainer & bar spoon
• 2 oz vodka (can substitute gin if prefer, as long as it is clear/distilled)
• 0.25 oz Luxardo liqueur
• 0.25 oz Cointreau (or another orange liqueur)
• 1 oz blood orange juice (can substitute regular orange juice)
• 0.25 oz grenadine
  • make your own grenadine for best results – my recipe is here

Place several whole cloves on a fireproof surface. Set fire to the cloves, then overturn your frosted coupe glass over the top. This should smother the flame and allow clove smoke to fill the glass.

As your glass smokes, add to stirring glass:

• 2 oz vodka
• 0.25 oz Luxardo liqueur
• 0.25 oz Cointreau

Add ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into your prepared clove-smoked glass.

Pour 1 oz blood orange juice into the glass. Give it a moment to settle.

Pour 0.25 oz grenadine into the glass. Allow it to settle.

You should end up with three distinct layers (from bottom to top: red from the grenadine, orange from the juice, fading into a clear layer from the liquors at the top), with the lingering aroma of the clove smoke.