We said goodbye to my friend Helen a couple weeks ago by celebrating at a Senegalese restaurant, Bissap Baobab– a funky, vibrant spot that served West African food with bold flavors paired with refreshingly sweet yet tart tamarind based drinks.

Bissap Baobab is not unlike my friend Helen—funky, vibrant, refreshing, sweet and sometimes tart—but only when you irritate her.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about Helen.  I admire her for so many reasons—her courageous spirit, her compassionate soul and most of all her strength of character.  She’s a fierce tennis player, gifted artist and a nurse that is the best embodiment of nursing I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with and eventually befriending.  As we were saying our final goodbye before her move to North Carolina—I whispered to her that after all the heartfelt speeches and tributes offered by her friends, what I didn’t get a chance to say was that Helen above all else was a badass.

I’m a little ashamed to admit that I’m pairing this memory of my friend Helen with a cocktail I had that night, the Little Baobab.   It was really a perfect complement to a perfect evening.  I fell in love with it mostly because of the tart tamarind flavor.  If you’ve never had tamarind, I suggest you Google it before you put it in your mouth.  It’s unexpectedly sweet and tart and pulpy and it’s used mostly in Asian and Middle Eastern cooking. It is the base for the Little Baobab and nicely balances with the sweet passion fruit syrup.

So for you, my dear badass Helen, I raise a glass of Little Baobab.

Ingredients

3 oz Grey Goose vodka
3 oz coconut water
2 tsp tamarind paste*
2 pumps Torani passion fruit syrup
ice

*I procured the tamarind paste from a friend but you can probably find it at a Mexican grocery store.

Procedure

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.  Shake it like the badass you are.  Enjoy.