Olive & Orange of Exile

Description: An evocative high-end mezcal cocktail, the Olive & Orange of Exile pays tribute to the enduring spirit of Palestine through its delicately balanced flavors. Grassy, smoky mezcal meets the earthiness of olive leaf, the bright lift of orange blossom, and the tart complexity of pomegranate and lemon. A touch of date syrup offers subtle richness, while a za’atar-salt rim and olive-garnished citrus twist anchor the drink in Palestinian terroir. This drink is both a meditation on loss and a celebration of memory—elegant, original, and unforgettable. Glassware: Nick & Nora glass (chilled) Ingredients: - 1.5 oz artisanal mezcal (preferably joven, with moderate smoke) - 0.5 oz Palestinian olive leaf syrup (instructions below) - 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice - 0.25 oz orange blossom water - 0.25 oz pomegranate molasses - 0.25 oz date syrup - Dash of saline solution (2:1 water to salt) Method: 1. Prepare Olive Leaf Syrup: Steep 1/4 cup dried olive leaves (or high-quality olive tea) in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Strain, then combine with 1 cup granulated sugar. Stir to dissolve, let cool, and bottle. 2. Prepare the glass: Run a lemon wedge around half the rim of a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Dip in a 2:1 za’atar to flaky sea salt mixture to create a half-rim. 3. In a shaker, combine mezcal, olive leaf syrup, lemon juice, orange blossom water, pomegranate molasses, date syrup, and a dash of saline solution. 4. Fill with ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds. 5. Double strain into the prepared glass. Garnish: Express a strip of orange peel across the surface of the drink and drop it in. Thread a single high-quality oil-cured black olive onto a cocktail pick and rest it on the rim. Elegant, haunting, and alive with Palestinian flavors—mezcal’s smoke sings through the gentle bitterness of olive leaf, citrus, and fruit, rooted in the flavors of home even as it evokes longing for it.