Comfort Coffee

Since Felicia’s Atomic Lounge opened in 2004 next door to the original Gimme! Coffee roastery in Ithaca, N.Y., the two businesses have collaborated on multiple projects. Gimme’s roasting director, Colleen Anunu, not only taste-tests Felicia’s new coffee drinks, she also moonlights as a Felicia’s bartender. Felicia’s cocktail chef and co-owner, Leah Houghtaling, uses Gimme’s Guatemalan beans for this drink, and she warns resisting the urge to add whipped cream to it, as it will curdle due to the citrus in the syrup.

1 oz. bourbon
6 oz. fresh, French-pressed coffee
1 oz. Felicia’s Comfort Syrup (see recipe below)
Tools: barspoon
Glass: 8-oz. coffee mug
Garnish: orange twist

Stir the bourbon and syrup in a mug. Add the hot coffee, stir and garnish.

Felicia’s Comfort Syrup
6 oz. fresh-squeezed orange juice without pulp
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds

Cook syrup over medium heat until it’s hot and the sugar is dissolved; do not boil. Remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain into a bottle and refrigerate.

Leah Houghtaling, Felicia’s Atomic Lounge, Ithaca, New York