INGREDIENTS:

2oz brown butter-washed aged rum (see notes)
.75oz rosemary wine acid (see notes)
.5oz rich demerara (2:1 turbinado sugar to water)
pinch kosher salt – or – 3-4 drops 1:1 saline solution (1:1 salt to water)
lemon peel or lemon expression (to garnish)

PROCEDURE:

Combine ingredients except for garnish in a shaker tin full of ice and shake to dilute and chill. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over new rocks or double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an expressed lemon peel or a spray of lemon expression.

Originally conceived for a Neapolitan-style restaurant, the Terracotta is essentially a Brown Betty distilled down to its primary flavors and aromatics. An aromatized daiquiri, if you will.

BROWN BUTTER-WASHED AGED RUM

1000g aged rum
227g butter

PROCEDURE:

In a saucepan large enough to contain the butter and aged rum, melt the butter over medium heat and allow to simmer – stirring often – until it begins to foam and gradually changes color from yellow to amber but not black (this is the milk solid content of the butter caramelizing), and the butter takes on a toasty, nutty aroma. Remove from heat and carefully pour in the aged rum, stirring to incorporate.

You can instead opt to put the brown butter into a container with the aged rum in it, but pouring the rum into the brown butter allows you to essentially deglaze the saucepan with the rum and pick up any stuck on caramelized bits.

Recontainer and cover the brown butter and aged rum mixture and place in the refrigerator or freezer. Allow to infuse together for at least four hours, or overnight if possible. During this time the butter will solidify and form a solid cap on the surface of the rum.

When the butter has fully solidified, run a knife along a small length of the edge of the butter and carefully pour off the rum. Save the rum-infused brown butter for another use, such as another fat washing or a baking project. Take the now brown butter-washed aged rum and strain through a damp table linen, nut milk bag, or coffee filter. Recontainer and reserve.

ROSEMARY WINE ACID

800g water
12g (1.5%) tartaric acid
12g (1.5%) lactic acid
24g (3%) malic acid
24g (3%) sugar
18g rosemary

PROCEDURE:

Weigh and combine all ingredients except for rosemary, stirring to incorporate. Add rosemary and allow to infuse overnight, or hold, covered, at 120ºF for two hours using an induction burner or immersion circulator. Label, date, and reserve. Will keep refrigerated for 14 days.