Drink Recipe: Bella Donna
I’ve been on a bit of a whiskey kick lately, which I am prone to do from time to time, particularly in stressful periods of my life. That sounds more pathetic than I mean it to, but nothing helps you unwind like a delicious beverage at the end of the day – obviously a time-tested tradition. I’m such a lady about whiskey, however, and need a lot of sweet and sour things to accompany it. My favorite is still the Maple Sour, and recently I tweeted a photo of that delicious beverage I was enjoying and Marta suggested I’d like the Bella Donna at Villains in downtown LA. A quick google search and I had the delicious looking recipe in my paws – a trip to the farmers market and I had blood oranges, mint, and blackberries ready for this party in my mouth. I don’t have shaved ice or the patience for somehow creating such a thing – I thought about using my blender to make crushed ice – but good god, the recipe seemed a little bit of a stretch for me anyway. In hindsight I think I’d spring for that, and I’ll tell you why in a minute.
Ok, here’t the original recipe, posted on blogdowntown:
The Bella Donna of Villains Tavern
Created by Dave Whitton
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Maker’s Mark
- 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- ½ oz fresh squeezed orange juice
- ½ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- fresh mint
- fresh black berries
- shaved ice
- cubed ice
Directions:
In a tin: Add Makers, bitters, Orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup with ice. Shake vigorously. In a bucket glass, add a bundle of fresh mint and top with ice. Note: a smack with the hand will “open the mint oils up”. Strain ingredients from tin into glass and top with a bed of shaved ice. Top with a gramble (a muddled pool) of black berries. Sip and say ahhh.
April 30th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
Hmmmm! Is it cocktail hour yet?
[Reply]
April 30th, 2012 at 9:24 pm
This photograph is so refreshing! Can’t wait to try this.
[Reply]
April 30th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Looks delicious!! :)
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 2:18 am
I will try this at home ASAP. Sounds delicious!!
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 3:08 am
Aside from the cocktail that looks delicious,
I really love your photos, they keep getting better and better !
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 9:14 am
You always have the best recipes! I just tried your chocolate chip cookie recipe and it was amazing! :D
161cm.com
joanne.choi
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 1:33 pm
I dont think my comments are working ):
Love your photos! I’ll be making this drink this weekend for sure! I love your blog and figured its time to leave a comment – you always have wonderful recipes!
Angela
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 1:34 pm
… and it worked that time (;
lol!
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 6:52 pm
Oh yeah.. love the Belladonna! Villain’s is my neighborhood bar, and this has got to be my favorite cocktail. In the summer, the crushed ice in the drink make for a perfect warm-weather boozy sno-cone!
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 8:46 pm
Well, you just made me want to have them again! Cheers Kate.
[Reply]
May 1st, 2012 at 8:54 pm
Whoa, that looks/sounds delicious. And I already have most of the ingredients!
[Reply]
May 3rd, 2012 at 8:56 am
I am so excited to try this recipe! I love my whiskey but I think I need to get a little more creative then just “on the rocks”. Thank you!
[Reply]
October 22nd, 2012 at 4:37 am
This sounds delicious! I’ll try it as soon as i get home. Thanks, Kate!
[Reply]
October 29th, 2012 at 7:26 am
It looks so refreshing!And the fresh mint makes it better.I’m gonna go make myself a Bella Donna.I will enjoy it for sure!
[Reply]