Langston University homecoming kicked my butt and I'm grateful.
Because there's nothing quite like going home to an HBCU as an alum. Also, I made Orange and Blue Paper Plane cocktails.
There’s this meme that kept popping up this weekend that actually felt relevant to my life for once.
Homecoming at an HBCU is not just a homecoming. It’s a family reunion, a block party, a cookout, a kickback, a fashion show, a festival, a black power rally, a revival, an oasis, a physical and spiritual baptism in blackness.
The 2023 edition of Langston University’s homecoming celebration was a milestone for me. It had been 10 years since I’d last made the annual pilgrimage to Langston, Oklahoma and 20 years since I became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. via the Beta Kappa chapter at Langston. Add to that cocktail the fact that I was bringing my wife with me for her first LU homecoming experience, and this event would be very different from what I’d previously been accustomed to.
Oh, and the whole gang would be there, too.
“You all have a responsibility.” — Poncho, 2003.
My job was quite clear when it came to this year’s homecoming tailgate with the fellas. The libations.
To say I fretted over this decision for weeks would be an understatement. Probably for two months, I thought, “What the hell should I serve for the crew that would be befitting of BLC and Sip Mightily?”
Then I went to an old faithful, with a twist. Let's remix the Paper Plane, but befitting of LU’s orange and blue. Orange, in particular.
The trick here would be making enough for hoards of people to enjoy at our tailgate. We already had my boys Sean and J. Franks on the grill and Blackstone cooking up delicacies like lamb chops, brisket and mac and cheese, and we already had a prime location with the Sprinter van (thanks C.O.) near the stadium in the front corner of the parking lot. It would not be a small number of folks stopping by to say hello and partake in shenanigans. I needed to level up my game.
*engage in batch cocktail mode*
Remember when I spoke to Kara Newman about the beauty of equal-parts cocktails? As someone who makes drinks at home, not having to measure is a gift from the high heavens. But making drinks for one or two people is one thing, what if it was for 50 to 100 instead?
Forget the jigger for measurement. Just give me the entire 750 ml bottle.
Batch Recipe: Orange and Blue Paper Plane
Serve: Red cups or foam cups. (Why? Because it’s a tailgate.)
Garnish: Orange slices (If you’re feeling fancy)
Ingredients:
1 bottle (750 ml) of Uncle Nearest Rye (needed some “Blue” and the label is blue, so there you go. You can make this with any rye you wish, like Rittenhouse)
1 bottle (750 ml) of Amaro Nonino
1 bottle (750 ml) of Aperol
25 oz (750 ml) of pulp-free orange juice
20 oz (600 ml) of water (20% of beverage amount for dilution)
Make: Pour all into a large container and shake. Keep refrigerated until time to serve.
I made double this amount for homecoming, so my build meant simply going 2x on everything. Depending on your party size, reduce or increase as needed. One batch of this roughly makes 90 four-ounce drinks.
The trick here is dilution. If you made a Paper Plane at home, you’d shake it with ice and strain it over ice. When you shake a cocktail, you naturally get dilution. Also, you’re always encouraged to shake for around 30 seconds, to get optimal dilution, as the ice will melt and add about 20% of chilled water to the beverage.
With this batch version, you just need to add the water during the build phase and then pour over ice when it’s time to drink. In the recipe above, there’s 3,000 ml of cocktail in the drink, so you’ll add 600 ml of water for proper dilution. Math is fun.
The end result: Everyone loved this damn drink. Maybe a bit too much. Ah well, it’s homecoming. Indulge in love, fellowship and good times. Always.
I had a fantastic time back at Dear Langston. Here’s a photo dump of more of the good times. I’ll see you next year, LU.
The sprinter and the Orange and Blue Paper Plane deserve honorable mention for MVP of HOCO 🔥