The Latest TikTok Craze Is Espresso Martinis… with Parmesan?
The surprising combo is making TikTok converts who are calling it “delicious” and “awesome.”
If you love nibbling on cheese as much as you enjoy sipping on a chilled espresso martini, then this wild TikTok recipe may be just up your taste buds’ alley. Thanks to TikToker Jordan Hughes’s (@highproofpreacher) savory imagination, bar goers are now ordering espresso martinis topped with thinly shaved parmesan cheese.
It may sound crazy, but according to TikTok, it’s pretty dang tasty.
“A bartender friend of mine told me that I had to make an espresso martini with parmesan cheese in it,” Hughes said in a TikTok video, which has since garnered over 270 thousand views. “He could just be trolling me, but I want to try it.”
Hughes went on to add a shot of espresso from a local café (though, you can use whatever coffee you’d like), an ounce of coffee liquor, two ounces of vodka, a pinch of sea salt, and “plenty” of ice into a cocktail shaker.
While preparing the cocktail, Hughes chilled a coupe glass with ice.
Once thoroughly shaken, Hughes emptied the coupe and strained the espresso martini. Instead of garnishing the drink with espresso beans, Hughes topped it off with a dusting of freshly grated parmesan.
“This feels crazy, my goodness,” Hughes said mid-grate.
“Okay, let’s try this monstrosity,” he teased, before delivering his final verdict. “I regret to inform you that was kind of awesome.”
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@highproofpreacher I mean, you just have to try it 🧀 #cocktail #espressomartini #bartender #mixology
While TikTokers were initially skeptical about Hughes’s odd concoction, most have since taken a liking to the espresso parmesan martini.
“So far, it’s a pretty small minority of people who are disgusted by it after trying it. But the overall response overall is along the lines of: ‘Wow, this is so weird and fun and amazing, and I want another one,’” Hughes told Food & Wine.
The secret to making it perfect, Hughes says, is to use 24-month aged parmesan.
“The cocktail sounds a lot weirder than it actually is, but that thin layer of finely grated parmesan genuinely complements the bitter coffee with a subtle savory and salty element,” Hughes explained.
However, you don’t want a mound of cheese on top of your martini, Hughes warns. “Don’t go overboard with the parmesan though… your Espresso Martini is not a plate of pasta,” he quipped.
What do you think of this savory cocktail? Would you try it?