You may have heard about an African berry that made the bartending rounds a few years ago. Those who tried it said it switched up taste buds so sour things tasted sweet.
This is not about that.
Cray Eatery & Drinkery is running its very own little experiment with a proprietary beverage combo it calls Buzz Worthy. According to manager and creator Crystal Park, it starts with an unusual flower bud that has homeopathic properties. When chewed, the bud makes the pain of a sore throat go away.
The yellow bud does some other interesting things too. Especially when combined with Cray’s Buzz Worthy companion beverage.
All by itself, the mixed drink isn’t bad at all. It’s totally worth drinking, in fact. It tastes like a pleasant combination of ginger and lime and there’s a good reason for that. According to Park, it’s made with ginger beer, house-made ginger syrup, ginger liqueur, fresh lime juice and Buckeye Vodka.
But take a bite of the bud that floats on top of the beverage, and everything changes. It feels a bit like Alice in Wonderland, frankly. The yellow flower bud tastes about like you’d expect a flower to taste – green and chewy — but as you chew, you notice a distinct tingling in your mouth. That’s what happens right before your tongue goes completely numb. Or at least, it feels numb, but it still works fine for talking and swallowing.
Then try the drink again. It’s unearthly. It’s so oddly refreshing, it makes you jump. The ginger and lime are no longer distinct, it just feels like your whole palate has awakened. “Budding” food scientists will want to order lots of things from the menu for the sake of more experimentation.
The bud buzz lasts for about ten minutes. And it’s available right this second at Cray Eatery & Drinkery, 697 N. Fourth Street.
For more information, visit www.crayeateryanddrinkery.com.