Episodes 213 & 214

Hacking Milk Punch with Eamon Rockey

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What’s shakin’ cocktail fans?

Welcome to Episodes 213 & 214 of The Modern Bar Cart Podcast!

This time around, we tuck into a two-part conversation with bartender and milk punch guru Eamon Rockey. He’s a veteran of the New York City fine dining and cocktail scene and the creator of Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur, a product that’s seducing cocktail lovers around the US with its impeccable flavor and remarkable versatility.

Some of the topics we discuss include:

How Eamon’s childhood working in kitchens in Hattiesburg, Mississippi propelled him to the Culinary Institute of America and then into some of the hottest fine dining establishments in New York City.
What it was like to take the cocktail program at the legendary 11 Madison Park and completely standardize its cocktail program by deconstructing ingredients and thinking like a chef.
How to make a completely virgin spin on Milk punch that can be paired with any base spirit a guest might desire.
Why milk punch can (and perhaps should more often) be approached as a cocktail technique or process, rather than a recipe unto itself
The story of creating, launching and growing his bottled product, Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur
What to say when Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey asks you how you make simple syrup
And much, much more

Featured Cocktail: The Rockey’s Spritz

This episode’s featured cocktail is the Rockey’s Spritz. To make it, you’ll need:

2 oz Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur
1/2 oz Aperol
A few ounces of Prosecco or Champagne

Combine the Aperol and Rockey’s liqueur in a stemmed wine glass filled with ice, give them a stir – maybe ten times around the glass, just to get everything well integrated – then top with your dry sparkling wine, garnish with a slice of fresh citrus, and enjoy.

To figure out how this drink works, you really need to taste Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur for yourself, which means you should visit RockeysLiqueur.com and check out the store finder. Chances are, you’ll find a liquor store near you (or one that will ship to you). But the best way to describe it in lay terms is to say it’s a clarified milk punch that’s bursting with citrus, green apple, and tropical fruit notes. It’s bright, sweet, and creamy, but so meticulously balanced that it can play well in tandem with other complex modifiers like Aperol. Perhaps the simplest way to drink it is paired 1:1 with your favorite spirit, but this Spritz format is a great way to branch out once you’ve gotten your feet wet.

These episodes were made possible with editing and sound design by Samantha Reed, and milk punch and fine dining insights courtesy of Eamon Rockey, creator of Rockey’s Botanical Liqueur. This has been a Modern Bar Cart production, copyright 2021.

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