Presented by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor 

Nothing says “frozen cocktail” like the middle of November in the Finger Lakes Region. Amiright?

I admit: This is a case of the blogger’s whim. Lately, you may have noticed I’m on a Yellow Chartreuse kick, and while I was looking for new-to-me recipes to test for my last Cocktail of the Week post, I ran into this one. The only problem was we had no bananas in the house then—let alone a **nuclear** banana. … Still, I couldn’t wait until next June to make this luscious drink. The beauty of it, from the autumn mud season through the spring mud season, is enjoying it in an easy chair with my eyes closed, imagining I’m on a sun-baked beach somewhere.

The Daiquiri is a simple, classic, three-ingredient rum cocktail (rum, lime juice, and sugar or simple syrup) with many popular variants. The Nuclear Banana Daiquiri is a riff on a riff. The original riff is a “Nuclear Daiquiri,” which adds a healthy dose of Green Chartreuse and some falernum; the ‘nuclear’ ingredient is the Chartreuse. For the recipe at hand, the creators in England “just added half a banana and blitzed it.”

Oh, and they changed from Green Chartreuse to Yellow Chartreuse, which, to my palate, is a more compatible partner to the banana. Instead of conventional simple syrup, they call for falernum—a liqueur typically made with rum, lime, sugar, and almonds, often including other flavors like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, or ginger.

It’s limey, herbal, and refreshing, with just enough banana to know it’s there. This is a filling cocktail and may be best for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up or a dessert drink.

The original glassware spec is a Hurricane glass, but if you don’t have that, a large wine glass will serve perfectly (see my photos).

NUCLEAR BANANA DAIQUIRI
1 oz Foursquare Probitas White Blended Rum
⅔ oz Yellow Chartreuse 
⅔ oz Falernum or orgeat
⅔ oz Freshly-squeezed lime juice
½ Fresh banana (preferably very ripe)

Before mixing, prepare a garnish of a banana slice and star anise. Press the star anise into the banana, and make a small cut in the banana where you’ll slip the garnish onto the rim of the glass after you’ve poured the drink.

Combine all ingredients in a blender with a 7-oz scoop of crushed ice and blend on high until they’re well mixed. Pour the drink into a chilled Hurricane glass or large wine glass. Add the garnish and, ideally, a bouquet of mint sprigs. Serve with a straw (or two if you’re sharing).

About our Cocktail of the Week partners—shop local and independent!
Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
— Text the word “bourbon,” to receive weekly text messages offering the chance to buy rare or allocated whiskies or special prices on popular products.
—Text the word “spirits,” to receive roughly monthly offers on fine spirits other than whiskies.

Shout out to the official supplier of elegant clear ice to the Libation Lounge: My friend Ralph DiTucci of Cristallino Premium Ice and Grace & Disgrace.