Portland, Oregon is one of our favorite cocktail-ing cities in the U.S. On a recent trip, we visited The Solo Club with our friend, Jordan Hughes aka @highproofpreacher and loved the space. While we enjoyed the breezy atmosphere during Happy Hour, we enjoyed a delicious Foreign Affair cocktail. This twist on a gin fizz has a sensational bright yellow color from turmeric and incorporates saffron for an exotic savory element. We immediately decided we needed to get the recipe. So we went straight to the source with its creator, Michael Harding, Bar Manager at The Solo Club.
Michael Harding on his inspiration for the Foreign Affair:
This particular cocktail was built using two distinct spices that I have developed a strong affinity for over many years of global travel and cooking, namely saffron from one of my favorite destinations Spain and turmeric from Asia. This inspiration also prompted the name Foreign Affair, borrowed from one of my favorite Tom Waits songs which speaks to a lifestyle fashioned by wanderlust. This theme also follows our brand at The Solo Club with regard to our tagline “Paradise in Portland” and the fact that the very aesthetics and menu of our bar are meant to transport our guests to another, perhaps more fanciful, place.
The experience of the Foreign Affair is meant to be one that goes through a sequence of initially being met with a beautiful cocktail that glows yellow and is meticulously topped with a line of turmeric dust and saffron threads. As the guest lifts the drink, the unique aroma of these two distinct spices ushers in a comfortable warmth and sort of intrigue. The palate goes from an initial spice driven umami on the front through the acidity of the citrus and body of the egg white before finishing with the gentle botanicals of the gin.
Foreign Affair at The Solo Club
Photo by Jordan Hughes / @highproofpreacher
Foreign Affair Recipe
- 2oz Walter Collective Gin
- 1oz fresh lemon juice
- .75oz saffron infused simple
- 1 egg white
- small pinch turmeric
- 1 oz soda water (add after straining)
Dry Shake / Add Ice / Shake / Double Strain / Top with Soda / Garnish
The Solo Club Details
2110 NW Raleigh St, Portland, OR 97210
thesoloclub.com | (971) 254-9806 | @thesoloclub
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