Donut's Dirty Shirley

From Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman ...

 

 

 

You know how I feel about long walls of text, Carl.  

JUMP TO RECIPE 

  

Look, I know this is already a real thing. I fully realize I'm not exactly reinventing the wheel with this recipe. But I'm in the middle of a top-secret project—which I can't talk about yet because 🎶 licensed publishing 🎶—which means this is about all I can manage right now. Also, I just wanted an excuse to talk about Dungeon Crawler Carl.

 

While I've been working on this very top-secret project, I've been listening to the fantastic audiobook editions of DCC, narrated by the incredible Jeff Hays. It's been keeping me thoroughly entertained while I cook and shake cocktails and stuff. And like seemingly everyone else in the world and their mother (whom Samantha would absolutely kill) ... I AM OBSESSED.

 

And lo and behold, I already had everything I needed to make a Dirty Shirley, Princess Donut's signature drink, including edible glitter and an overabundance of toddler tiaras. 

 

For anyone who hasn't read Dungeon Crawler Carl: Princess Donut (GC, BWR, NW Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk) starts the series as a prize-winning Persian cat before she is suddenly thrust into a deadly dungeon crawl alongside Carl—her former owner's boyfriend and, well, technically the "main" character, I suppose. Early on, she's granted a more advanced form of sentience and is forced to figure out who she is beyond being someone's pet and a show cat.

 

As the series unfolds, Donut grows into a hero in her own right, but her complicated memories of her former owner, Beatrice, and the life she left behind never really fade. In Carl's Doomsday Scenario, she reminisces about Beatrice's love of Dirty Shirleys, the vodka-spiked, grown-up cousin of the Shirley Temple, which is usually made with vodka, grenadine, and lemon-lime soda.

In The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook, Donut finally has the opportunity to order one for herself at the Desperado Club, a members-only nightclub where crawlers go to drink, gamble, socialize, and get into trouble. It's the first alcoholic drink she's ever had, and she gets spectacularly drunk. Drunk cats... What could be better? 

 

Because sometimes, simply surviving the day deserves a reward. So here's a Dirty Shirley with plenty of bedazzle, a little feline flair, and so, so many cherries. Mama needs a night off!

 

 

Ingredients (per drink):

Recommended Vessel: Ice Cream Dish or Fish Bowl

Recommended Ice: Standard or Pebble 

 

 

For the drink: 

• 2 ounces vodka (try it with vanilla vodka!)
• 3/4 ounce grenadine
• 1/2 ounce lime juice 
• 4 to 6 ounces lemon-lime soda or ginger ale

 

For garnish:

• Corn syrup (For the rim)
• Purple sanding sugar (For the rim)
• Generous pinch of edible purple luster dust (For some sparkle!)
• 8 to 10 maraschino cherries (must be the bright red kind)
• Lime wedges or wheels (optional)

 

 

Directions:

1. To rim the serving glass, pour a thin layer of corn syrup onto one small plate and sanding sugar onto another. Dip the rim of the glass lightly into the corn syrup, then immediately into the sanding sugar, twisting gently to coat evenly. Tap off any excess and let the rim set for 5 minutes
2. Add the vodka, grenadine, and fresh lime juice and give these a quick stir. 
3. Fill the serving glass with ice.  
4. Top with lemon-lime soda and stir gently to combine. 
5. Garnish with plenty of maraschino cherries and a lime wheel. Sprinkle with edible purple luster dust, if desired. 

 

 

While I can't talk about my current project just yet, I can talk about this!

 

I imagine the overlap between Critical Role fans and Dungeon Crawler Carl fans is pretty big... Maybe the Venn diagram isn't a circle, but it's probably close enough that Jester could doodle a lil' Captain Tusktooth right in the middle.

 

Getting to work on this book, and with this team, was an absolute dream. It was written by the incredibly talented Martin Cahill, with The Gentleman and the Ruby of the Sea (!!) serving as your narrators. The fabulous Dani Carr and Sam Maggs managed to keep us both in line, while I geeked out just, SO MUCH.

 

I poured (pun strenuously intended) a lot love into this book. Making my way through the drinks, snacks, and taverns of Exandria was an absolute joy, and being trusted to help bring a little piece of that world to life for fellow Critters is something I'll be forever grateful for. So, pick up a copy, roll the dice, and let chaos reign!