Marcellus shale cocktail

This Marcellus shale cocktail is as complex as it is refreshing. Combining the robust flavors of bourbon and chocolate liqueur with the bright zest of orange juice, all topped off with a splash of seltzer. The piece de resistance? A toasted pecan rim that adds a texture and nutty flavor to every sip.

A drink and a book

This drink was inspired by the 2016 book Heat & Light by Jennifer Haigh. It’s a fictional story about a fictional town- Bakerton- in Pennsylvania depicting a community blessed and cursed by it’s natural resources. The town sits squarely atop the Marcellus Shale, a massive deposit of natural gas. The book follows along as the people of the town need to decide whether to allow fracking under their property and the promise of big money but with the drawbacks of the noise and pollution. It also follows along some of the people that work for the fracking companies and how all their lives are intertwined.

I loved this book so much! All of the different characters in this book and the way the author talked about each one and devoted different chapters to them was just so good. I literally did not want this book to end. I actually missed the people when it was over and wanted their stories to continue.

A little backstory

Also, this book is close to home and not just because it takes place in Pennsylvania. But the Marcellus shell and fracking has literally affected just about everyone I know from the area where I grew up. And actually still does because my fiance’s family farm had a well dug on part of it just a few years ago. I have a fun fact- part of his family farm, specifically the barn and a small pond, was used as a backdrop scene in the Gus Van Sant directed 2013 movie Promised Land starring Matt Damon. It’s a movie similar to the book about the fracking companies coming in and trying to get people to sign away their land for big bucks to put gas wells on them.

This is also a very controversial topic at the moment during this election year. Pennsylvania is considered a swing state and Marcellus shale is a big topic for the candidates. Not that I want to talk politics on my blog. No thank you. But just thought I’d throw that in.

I had the recipe for this Marcellus shale cocktail since 2011. It was created for a restaurant in Washington, PA that was literally the hotbed of the Marcellus shale industry. All of the companies set up base there and that area of the state became a boom town. The restaurant was called Palazzo 1837 but has since closed. I think it became a victim of c*vid.

Consequently, when I saw this drink- featured in the local newspaper- I knew I had to try it someday. I had been saving it since then (2011) and when I read the book Heat & Light, I knew that this was the perfect time to make it.

Recipe for Marcellus shale cocktail

Marcellus shale cocktail

(serves 1)

2 ounces bourbon

1 ounce chocolate Bailey’s (or a chocolate liqueur)

2 ounces orange juice, fresh squeezed recommended

seltzer

1/4 cup toasted pecans

Orange wheel for garnish, optional

To toast the pecans-

Place 1/4 cup chopped pecans in a small skillet over medium low heat. Allow to get hot and carefully watch pecans so they don’t burn. Shake pan or give it a stir until pecans are toasted. Transfer to a small plate and let cool completely.

Rim the glass with the orange wheel/slice and dip into the toasted pecans and set aside.

In a shaker with ice, combine bourbon, chocolate Bailey’s, orange juice, and seltzer. Shake well. Serve on the rocks in the pecan rimmed glass. Garnish with an orange wheel/slice.

Much like the geological formation it’s named after, this drink is layered, rich, and full of depth.

To health, wealth, and happiness! Cheers!

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