1½ pounds fresh calf brains, sliced into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 ounces Lemon Hart 151 Demerara Rum
6 ounces crushed ice
1 ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce cinnamon syrup
½ ounce falernum
½ ounce Curaçao
1½ ounces Rhum Barbancourt Five Star
½ ounce brainwashed rum
1 scant barspoon crème de violette
Dash Elemakule Tiki Cocktail Bitters
1 teaspoon grenadine
Directions
Make the brainwashed rum: In a small bowl, place the brains, thyme, cloves, cayenne, cinnamon and salt and toss to coat.
In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add one piece of the brains and brown on all sides until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the browned brain nugget to a paper-towel-lined plate. Once cool, cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
Transfer the drippings from the skillet to a glass jar. Add the Demerara, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Transfer the container to the freezer and chill for 2 hours longer.
Remove the jar from the freezer and skim off the frozen fat from the surface. Strain the liquid through a coffee-filter-lined fine-mesh strainer and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the cocktail: In a blender jar, add the ice, lime juice, cinnamon syrup, falernum, Curaçao, Rhum Barbancourt, ½ ounce brainwashed rum, crème de violette and the bitters and pulse until slushy, 2 to 3 seconds. Pour the contents into a zombie glass or pint glass and add enough ice to fill the glass to ½ inch from the top.
Remove the browned brain from the refrigerator and pierce with a small wood skewer. Lay the skewer across the top of the drink. Drizzle the grenadine over the brain and into the drink. Serve with trepidation.