This Corn-Flavored Liquor Changed My Life
If you are familiar with even half of my deal, then you know that I really love corn. I’ll eat it off the cob of butter . I’ll eat it raw . I’ll eat it pickled . I will eat it after it has been soaked in calcium hydroxide (at which point it will become a “hominy”). I’ll drink it . I don’t think I’ve ever come across a corn or corn-flavored product that I hate to put in my mouth. Although I know that the Nixta Licor de Elote was not created to meet my specific needs, it seems to me that it is.
My only concern about the people who made the Nixta is that they didn’t send me a full-size corn-shaped bottle, but they must have known it wasn’t necessary. The two tiny aliquots they sent were enough to fuel my thirst for the corn drink, and I’m more than happy to pay full retail price for this product. (This is high praise from someone who already has a cart full of free press samples.)
As the name suggests, Nixta doesn’t just taste like corn – it tastes like nixtamalized corn (also known as “homi”) corn soaked in an alkaline solution to make it more digestible, nutritious and – in my opinion – delicious. … It’s nutty, sweet and toasty, like good cornbread with whipped honey butter. I could drink it chilled and be happy, but this column requires three ingredients, so thankfully Nixta pairs well with another iconic corn drink: bourbon.
The Nixta website has an old-fashioned style drink recipe, but it doesn’t have enough Nixta. Instead of using it to modify the bourbon, I increased the ratio to 50/50, creating a stronger drink that was still quite sweet and commonplace. I also added a lime bitter because Elot requires lime, but you can use Angostura if that’s all you have. To make it you will need:
- 1 1/2 ounce bourbon (I used the bottle in bonds)
- 1 1/2 oz Nixta Licor de Elote
- 3 drops lime bitter
Add everything to a glass, glass, or any short, sturdy glass that can hold a small handful of ice cubes. Add ice cubes and stir a little. Drink, enjoy, repeat.