ZERO PROOF: Aka-Oni Obscura, Will Hoschek, Itameshi
Will Hoschek of Itameshi, a Japanese-Italian restaurant in Albany’s Warehouse District, crafts a non-alcoholic twin to his original Yokai Heat for The Dishing’s ZERO PROOF cocktail series.
Story: Susie Davidson Powell
Photos: Victoria Sedefian/The Dishing
Location: Itameshi, Albany
Guest Shift bartender: Will Hoschek, Bar Director, Itameshi, Albany, NY
The cocktail: Aka-Oni Obscura
The Ingredients: Green togarashi, yuzu kosho, house lychee syrup, yuzu juice, lime juice, honey
The inspiration: In Shinto folklore, the Oni mask is meant to ward off evil spirits — hopefully the pun isn’t lost! Salt is also traditionally used to purify oneself from malevolent spirits and grant oneself good fortune. Kosho, the primary ingredient, is a fermented salt paste made from equal parts yuzu zest, and green togarashi chili pepper. I first made a cocktail called Yokai Heat, made with Volcan tequila, yuzu, kosho, fire tincture, lime and Boomsma. So this is the non-alcoholic twin. The aim being to give the drink a spicy/fermented/umami-driven flavor to emulate the alcohol kick while being balanced, refreshing and alcohol-free.
The build:
.75-ounce Green Togarashi Yuzu Kosho
.5-ounce House Lychee Syrop
.5-ounce Yuzu
.5-ounce Lime
.5-ounce Honey
2 drops Fee Foam
Shake heavily on ice. Strain into a rocks glass over big cube. Garnish with lime wheel and lychee
Meet Will in our full tastemaker interview here.