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Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
251 | Calories |
1g | Fat |
36g | Carbs |
2g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 1 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 251 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 1g | 1% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 12mg | 1% |
Total Carbohydrate 36g | 13% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 3% |
Total Sugars 28g | |
Protein 2g | |
Vitamin C 103mg | 515% |
Calcium 35mg | 3% |
Iron 0mg | 3% |
Potassium 448mg | 10% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Contrary to what its name might indicate, the lunchbox isn't a drink that can be made from ingredients you'd keep in a lunch box, per se. It's a beer-based cocktail that's named for the bar owned by Edna Scott in Oklahoma City that serves it. The drink was invented in the late 1990s as a bit of a happy accident, and garnered such an enthusiastic cult following that they literally could not make fast enough. The fact that it's meant to be downed, as a shot, speeds up the process of consumption.
So what's with all the buzz? The lunchbox is equal parts beer and orange juice, plus amaretto. It's super easy and quick to mix up, and may just be your new favorite go-to cocktail. But enthusiasts stress that one of the key components to replicating the drink's taste is to serve it in a beer mug that's spent a good amount of time in the freezer. It gives the drink the proper chill.
Granted, it seems like an unusual combination of ingredients that make up this cocktail with an equally unusual name. Perhaps that makes you skeptical right off the bat, but shandies and micheladas are popular beer-based drinks. So, why not the lunchbox?, Don't knock it 'til you've tried it—just ask Jimmy Fallon, who tried it on his television show.
Ingredients
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6 ounces chilled orange juice
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6 ounces chilled light beer
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1 ounce amaretto
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1 orange slice, for garnish
Steps to Make It
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Combine the orange juice, beer, and amaretto. Stir well.
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Garnish with an orange slice and serve in a frosted mug.
Tips
This cocktail is great with breakfast or brunch; think of it as a much more laid-back version of a mimosa. Serve it alongside some scrambled eggs and bacon.
With cocktails that contain juice, the rule of thumb is often to favor the use of freshly squeezed juices. In the case of the lunchbox, economy and efficiency are the way to go. Using orange juice from a carton is perfectly acceptable—and encouraged.
Variations
Over the years, the bartenders at Edna's, which is now run by her daughter Tammy Lucas, have crafted many other iterations. Here are a few.
- The doc box comes with cranberry juice (the Docbox) instead of orange juice.
- There's a chocolaty version with crème de cacao, known as the Tootsie Roll box.
- The Mauibox swaps pineapple juice for the orange juice.
- There's even a brightly hued version called the Fruit Roll Up, with Midori melon liqueur and cranberry.
- If you're feeling bold and spicy, the great balls of fire variation, made with cranberry juice and fireball whiskey, will wake up your palate.
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