Breathe in -- and enjoy Red Kiva Lounge cocktail
The hip Red Kiva Lounge in the West Loop has introduced a drink called the VaporTini -- so called because you inhale it, rather than drink.
The "cocktail you inhale" is served in a glass with a shot of booze warmed to 110 degrees, the temperature at which alcohol begins to evaporate.
(Richard A. Chapman/Sun-Times)
The drink is served with a straw, but you don't suck down the liquid. You suck in the vapors and hold them in for just a bit, says Red Kiva owner and VaporTini creator Julie Palmer.
The rush washes over you, kind of like a deep drag on a cigarette. Or maybe a bong hit.
This is not to condone drug use here, folks, merely to explain.
Palmer got the idea for the cocktail after visiting Helsinki, Finland, where she took part in the festivities on the shortest day of the year: pouring vodka on hot coals and inhaling the vapors.
Back in Chicago, Palmer got to work making her own version.
For the hardware, she called on her father, a scientist. Together they created a metal base that can be warmed to 180 degrees, which serves as the heat source for the drink.
The hollowed-out metal base cradles the softball-sized glass orb holding the shot of booze.
At the optimum temperature of 110 degrees, the vapors in the alcohol rise. That's when you inhale.
Palmer also worked with mixologists to figure out which liquors worked best -- Effen Black Cherry and Absolut Raspberri vodkas; Tanqueray Rangpur gin and Knob Creek bourbon.
These are the four VaporTini options on the menu. For now, the labor-intensive drinks, which cost $10, are being served only on Thursdays.
Palmer said the drink is a nice option for those watching their weight, but she wants to be clear about its effects: "I want to stress it's still alcohol that goes right into your system. It's not going to fool a Breathalyzer."
Curious about an unusual edible or kitchen tool? Want to share some mysteries in your own cabinets? E-mail ldonovan@suntimes.com.