Kacey Musgraves
Album: Golden Hour
Released: 2018
Kacey Musgraves is an authentic songwriter whose albums are imbued with personal experiences. Her first two albums depict small-town American life, sung with a traditional twang but featuring an outspoken viewpoint that sets her apart from typical country musicians. Kacey quickly grew a reputation as the bad girl of country music, more than happy to throw double middle fingers at the good ol’ boys club.
There was an eager audience who were picking up what she was throwing down. Her debut album won a Grammy for Country Album of the Year, and her second was also nominated in the same category. Despite this success, Musgraves broke the mold with her album Golden Hour. The music incorporates influences ranging from 70s arena rock to disco while staying true to her country roots. Lyrically, she embraces vulnerability, celebrating her whirlwind courtship and marriage.
It turns out, Kacey in love is a great foundation for an album. Golden Hour took Kacey to new heights. It won four Grammy awards, including album of the year, and was included in Rolling Stone’s list of greatest albums of all time. Despite writing at least one of the tracks while on an acid trip, and having an entire song dedicated to a portrait of Elvis, the album never gets too wacky. It was destined for crossover commercial success, but it made that success look inevitable instead of contrived.
Honey Trap
The Honey Trap is a tequila based cocktail invented at the Bar Lula in New York city. It’s smoky, sweet, tart, and pleasantly warming. There are more than one Kacey Musgraves parallels in that description so I will leave you to fill in the one you want. You probably don’t have bee pollen in your pantry, but this is a good excuse to stock up. It’s not only a great addition to the salted rim, it’s also a superfood with tons of health benefits. Plus, the inclusion of both bee pollen and honey in the recipe closes the loop in a cool way.
The honey syrup is simple to make. Just combine one part honey with one part hot water and stir until the honey is completely dissolved. It’s a fuller, earthier flavor than using sugar and prevents the cocktail from being overtly sweet. Using mezcal to rinse the glass adds smokiness to the finished cocktail, but if you don’t have any stocked you can skip this step without losing the essence.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon bee pollen
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 1/2 ounces Reposado Tequila
- 3/4 ounces honey syrup
- 3/4 ounces lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce ginger juice
- 1/4 ounces Mezcal
Directions
- Make bee pollen salt. Combine bee pollen, salt, and turmeric. Mix well.
- Rim a rocks glass with the bee pollen salt, using honey. Rinse glass with mezcal, then pour out the contents. Combine Reposado tequila, honey, lemon juice, and ginger juice in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into the rocks glass over fresh ice. Enjoy immediately.
