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Adeng-Adeng, Bro

Running a craft cocktail bar – with the emphasis on “craft” – is often a metaphor for the slower life in Lombok. If you’ve been here a while, you’ll probably agree that things in Indonesia don’t always happen on clockwork accuracy, and you have two choices: Lean into the “island time” philosophy and enjoy the slower pace; or push against it and end up with an ulcer. As someone who moved here from the United States, where most people seek to maximize productivity of every waking hour, being here is a constant reminder to not take myself too seriously and, instead, to seriously slow my own pace. It’s not always easy but always ends up being the healthy choice!

As an example, I’ve learned the Sasak people of Lombok often say “adeng-adeng, bro” meaning something like ‘slow down’ or ‘chill out.’ Usually it’s accompanied by a surfer-like hand gesture that really emphasizes the fact that this is a lifestyle, not a literal request to reduce the pace of whatever you’re doing. The same goes for us at Klub Kembali where we try to live adeng-adeng by making our cocktails slowly and thoughtfully. We take time and attention to turn fresh fruit, spices and other hand-chosen ingredients into infusions and syrups. We age local spirits in our own oak barrels, requiring up to six months of waiting, testing and caring, so each can be served perfectly and consistently. We mix, stir or shake our cocktails when our guests order, the only exception being those that take several days to prepare (which is adeng-adeng on steroids). Similarly, we want our guests to slow down and fully experience the love and passion we put into what we serve.

So for this issue’s cocktail recipe, I want to share one of our earliest inspirations that embodies the true Lombok spirit of adeng-adeng. As most of you can imagine, it includes Lombok chilis – yes, the little spicy ones you find anywhere on the island. After all, the island’s name Lombok is an old word for ‘chili’ in Bahasa Indonesia. To start this process, we found a cool story about a Mexican chili liqueur that was invented in the early 1900s and that kicked off our inspiration. It took a few iterations – more adeng-adeng – to translate the inspiration into a local version. Eventually, we found the right combination of Balinese Arak and local ingredients to make a delicious liqueur that evokes the perfect balance of spiciness and sweetness that is truly Lombok. And, with an infusion time of 30 days, it’ll also help you practice your own “adeng-adeng, bro” at home. Here’s to island life! 

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Klub Kembali Chili Liqueur

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup of water
• 1 stick of cinnamon (or 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon)
• 8 fresh Lombok chilis (spicy), sliced open
• 8 dried medium chilis (medium spicy), sliced open
• 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• Lemon zest from one lemon
• 1 bottle (700 ml) Palwana Arak 

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Preparation

• Add all the ingredients except for the Palwana Arak into a small saucepan
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes
• Let cool for 45 minutes
• Strain
• Combine the strained spice liquid with the Palwana Arak in a canning jar
• Shake, then let the infusion rest – adeng-adeng
• Start tasting the infusion after about 1 week, we let ours infuse for up to 4 weeks
• Strain through a coffee filter
• Combine with about 3 1/2 oz of heavy simple syrup, by adding syrup one ounce at a time, so you get a liqueur to your taste

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Notes

• Make heavy simple syrup by adding 1/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar into a saucepan and heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• If you do not have access to Palwana Arak, substitute a different neutral spirit, such as a vodka (no need to use the most expensive one either).

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