Fall Zucchini Bread

This is one of my own creations and probably one of the most inventive cocktails you will ever come across. I did this on the last day I worked at my restaurant, so I wasn't afraid of wasting alcohol on a mistake. But it was no mistake. I've been working on this drink for about a month. In a way it was a nice bon voyage to two years behind that bar.

The idea of a zucchini cocktail came about when I was looking for cucumbers to muddle in drinks when I accidentally grabbed a bunch of zucchini because they look the same. I thought at first, "you can't make a drink with zucchini." But then it came to me: why not?

This drink has cinnamon and nutty rye flavors, but also citrus zest and vanilla of Tuaca. It really tastes like zucchini bread because I started with frying wheels of tempura coated zucchini. While the wheels are still hot, I muddled one wheel in 1 1/2 oz. of rye. I strained the mixture into a mixing glass with ice and added the other ingredients. Here is how the rest falls out.

• 1 1/2 oz. rye muddled with fried zucchini wheel and strained
• 3/4 oz. Tuaca vanilla liqueur
• 1/4 oz. Fireball cinnamon whiskey
• 1/2 oz. honey diluted with equal parts water
• fried zucchini wheels

Combine all ingredients except zucchini wheels in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with pie crust. Garnish with a fried zucchini wheel.