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Category: Cocktails

  • Trendy Cocktails: Distiller’s Punch

    Trendy Cocktails: Distiller’s Punch

    Every now and again you find new inspiration from old classics. In the case of this cocktail–the Distiller’s Punch–my inspiration came from an evening of mixology with Tammy. She began with her riff on the classic Sidecar, but with bourbon instead of the traditional Cognac (I prefer Remi Martin VSOP in the original). The Cointreau and fresh squeezed lemon juice really completed this cocktail. Not to be outdone, and following the theme of fruit-forward bourbon cocktails, I decided to make the classic Man o’ War. This Kentucky Derby inspired drink (named after a racehorse) is similar to the bourbon sidecar, with the addition of another bourbon-friendly ingredient–sweet vermouth.

    With the previous two cocktail fresh in our minds, we began discussing the lack of bourbon and whiskey in tropical cocktails or tiki drinks (not the same thing ;)). It didn’t take long to find an interesting Mai-Tai inspired cocktail from the Halekulani Hotel in Hawaii. The Halekulani Cocktail is filled with tropical fruit juices and bourbon… yes… bourbon! After reviewing several variations of this cocktail–all of which used different proportions of orange, pineapple and lemon juices–I decided to riff. The Distiller’s Punch contains lime juice instead of orange juice because it seemed to work better with the Four Roses Small Batch Select Bourbon 😉

    While this cocktail could be given a Hawaiian name, such as ‘Aniani Lani’ (translation: glass of heaven), I decided to pay homage to the bourbon lovers and call it Distiller’s Punch.

    Distiller’s Punch

    2 oz. Bourbon (I used Four Roses Small Batch Select)

    1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

    1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

    1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice

    1/4 oz. Grenadine (made from scratch)

    1/4 oz. Brown Sugar Simple Syrup

    2 dashes Tiki Bitters (Bittermen’s ‘Elemakule’ Tiki Bitters)

    Add all ingredients to a shaker, add ice and shake for 30 seconds. Serve over an over-sized ice cube (or ice ball). Garnish and enjoy!

    Cheers 😉

  • Trendy Cocktails: Rockstar

    Trendy Cocktails: Rockstar

    Carambola is really the star of this cocktail. The star fruit (Carambola) is a slightly sweet-sour fruit from Southeast Asia. Fortunately, we didn’t have to pack luggage and book a flight to get our hands on these amazing and often misunderstood fruit. A quick word of caution. Star fruit contains a toxin called oxalate that can cause medical issues (Star fruit intoxication).

    Star fruit – Photo by Victor Cayke on Pexels.com

    The Rockstar cocktail is a whimsical riff on a classic Whiskey Sour. The pear-like flavors of star fruit work well with lemon, and the ginger syrup brings a little tiki-ness (is that a word?) to the drink. Star fruit is a mid-Autumn thru early-Winter fruit. So, it’s a little counterintuitive to relate it to tiki cocktails… but it looks so tropical… so exotic 😉

    The Rockstar

    1 Star Fruit

    2 oz. Bourbon (I used Four Roses)

    1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

    1/2 oz. Simple Syrup

    1/4 oz. Ginger Syrup

    Muddle 1/2 the star fruit in a shaker. Add the remaining ingredients. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Strain and pour over ice. Garnish with a slice of star fruit.

    Drink up!

  • Trendy Cocktails: Verbena

    Trendy Cocktails: Verbena

    Several years ago while visiting Las Vegas we had the opportunity to taste (ok… drink) a few ‘secret’ cocktails from The Chandelier Bar at The Cosmopolitan. One of the cocktails, called the Verbena, was an experience like no other. The cocktail itself was a creative lemon-ginger riff on the classic Margarita, but the addition of the edible garnish brought the cocktail to a different level.

    The flowering herb Acmella oleracea (grown in the tropics) has many different names–such as toothache plant, buzz button and Szechuan button. The seemingly timid looking garnish causes a tingling sensation to the inside of your mouth and tastebuds when chewed. From there, the entire cocktail is elevated into an experience worthy of repeating again and again (and again).

    Of course we needed to recreate the experience for family and friends, so the first order of business was to find the ‘buzz buttons.’ A quick search on Google pointed us to Marx Foods where you can buy them in bulk. At the same time, I found a website to order Yuzu juice and placed an order for two bottles. Both bottles were damaged and the juice (most of it) leaked out. I was able to taste the Yuzu juice, and in my complete frustration with the supplier decided to use common juices to create the same flavor profile.

    This recipe uses the combination of lime, orange, grapefruit and lemon to get the Yuzu-like flavor of the original cocktail.

    The Verbena 

    1 ½ oz. Tequila (Herradura Blanco) 

    1 oz. Ginger Syrup 

    ½ oz. Lime Juice 

    ½ oz. Grapefruit Juice 

    1 oz. Orange Juice 

    1 oz. Lemon Juice 

    1 Szechuan Button (marxfoods.com)

    Place all of the liquid ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake vigorously. Pour into an ice-filled glass, add the Szechuan Button and enjoy.

    Cheers 😉 

  • Trendy Cocktails: Singapore Sling

    Trendy Cocktails: Singapore Sling

    There are many theories on the origin of this very trendy cocktail–the Singapore Sling. The most popular and least disputed involves an alchemist disguised as a bartender at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore 😉

    At the start of the 20th century, a bartender named Ngiam Tong Boon working at the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel, decided to create a cocktail specifically for the ladies. At the time, it was not proper for ladies to consume alcohol in public. Boon’s idea was to disguise the cocktail as fruit juice… and the rest is history.

    Over the years I have seen (and tasted) many variations of this cocktail. Versions served in asian restaurants and high-traffic tourist areas are bright red in color and sickening sweet. My favorite version pays homage to the originator, and at the same time introduces a better balance between sweet, sour and bitter. Get your bar tools ready… here we go.

    Singapore Sling

    2 oz. Gin

    1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

    1 oz. Cherry Brandy

    1 oz . Pineapple Juice

    1/2 oz. Cointreau

    1/2 oz. Benedictine D.O.M.

    1/4 oz. Grenadine (I make my own)

    Dash of Angostura bitters

    The French-produced Benedictine liquor brings herb and spice notes that seem to amplify the already complex flavors of gin. Cointreau tastes very different than its French cousin–Grand Marnier, and shouldn’t be substituted.

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake until well chilled (about 30 seconds). Pour into a chilled martini glass (yes, that’s what I said), garnish with a cherry or three and enjoy. This is a 6 oz. (ok… just over 6 oz.) cocktail, so I prefer serving in a chilled sour glass. I really like the “drink specific” line of glasses from Ridel. The Sour Cocktail Glass is perfect for this drink. 

    Enjoy!

  • Trendy Cocktails: Absinthe Sour

    Trendy Cocktails: Absinthe Sour

    The origins of this mysterious high-proof spirt may the subject of many discussions, but it’s the early misconceptions and legal challenges that make Absinthe so modish. Since its inception–sometime in the 1700s–distillers have been macerating Grande Wormwood, Green Anise and Florence Fennel (often called the ‘Holy Trinity’) as the base elixir for Absinthe. Other herbs and spices–such as coriander, Angelica root, nutmeg, Melissa and Dittany Leaves–are some of the ingredients included in closely-guarded recipes of the most famous producers.

    Purists prefer to release the ‘Green Fairy’ through the traditional method(s) of serving Absinthe. This process involves a special spoon, flaming sugar cube, and slow steady drips of cold water (love it!). You can get the entire ‘Heure Verte’ set from the World of Absinthe. As for Absinthe in cocktails, it has an important role as both a simple faint compliment, and the main ingredient. The Absinthe Sour cocktail highlights this controversial spirit by creating a wonderful contrast between sour citrus and intense herbal flavors. Yes, please!

    Absinthe Sour

    2 oz. Absinthe (I prefer this 110 proof version)

    1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

    1 oz. Simple Syrup

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake until well chilled (about 30 seconds). Pour over ice, garnish with a cherry and enjoy 😉

  • Trendy Cocktails: The Perfect Margarita

    Trendy Cocktails: The Perfect Margarita

    Probably one of the most popular cocktails in existence, the margarita cocktail comes in many varieties. From classic to frozen, fruit-infused to layered, salted rim to sugar-crusted, this cocktail is extremely versatile. At the same time, however, it can be as unique as the individual drinking it. There isn’t much better than a pitcher of these tart-n-trendy cocktails with a plate of nachos 😉

    While we could debate the ‘perfect’ margarita, I truly believe that simple is better. Start with a simple three-ingredient cocktail–tequila, agave nectar, and fresh lime juice. From there, you can add other ingredients such as Cointreau, Gran Gala, and fruit juices (mango, pineapple, …). Makes me thirsty just thinking about the possibilities.

    We can all agree that the ‘perfect’ margarita is the one you are currently drinking 😉

    The Perfect (IMO) Margarita

    2 oz. Blanco Tequila (I prefer Casamigos)

    1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

    1/2 oz. Agave Nectar

    Put all of the ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Pour over ice and garnish with a lime wedge.

    Drink up!

  • Trendy Cocktails: Autumn Leaves

    Trendy Cocktails: Autumn Leaves

    Fall weather calls for dark liquors. It’s time to put away the Summer tiki cocktails and gin-infused libations. Cooler weather inspires mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts alike to concoct liquid expressions of the season. There are many classic cocktails to keep us warm during the cooling months of Autumn. Only a few brown liquor cocktails arouse the senses, and recall flavors of Fall. This Manhattan-inspired cocktail is Autumn in a glass.

    This Manhattan-inspired cocktail is Autumn in a glass.

    For me, Fall is a season of baking spices, earthy citrus, and fiery colors. So… in that spirit, I set out to create a cocktail that pays homage to the season. The Autumn Leaves cocktail is smooth and inviting. The cinnamon spiced bourbon is framed perfectly by the Aperol, while the sweet vermouth gives a nostalgic characteristic to the cocktail. It all comes together perfectly with the addition of several dashes of orange bitters.

    Autumn Leaves

    2 oz. Cinnamon Spiced Bourbon (I prefer Jim Beam Red Stag Spiced Bourbon)

    1 oz. Sweet Vermouth

    1/2 oz. Aperol Apertivo

    4-6 Dashes of Orange Bitters

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. That’s right… I said shake. The bourbon Gods frown upon the very idea of shaking a cocktail, but this is an exception. The syrupy Aperol doesn’t mix well enough (for my taste) during a classic Manhattan-style stir. Also, I prefer the complete integration of the ingredients along with the semi-frothiness and opaque Fall colors from shaking this cocktail.

    Strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a cherry.

    Enjoy!

  • Trendy Cocktails: Prickly Pear Cosmo

    Trendy Cocktails: Prickly Pear Cosmo

    Here is an exciting twist to reintroduce this ‘Sex and the City’ revived classic cocktail… the Cosmopolitan. The prickly pear flavor is a perfect compliment to the citrusy flavors of fresh lime juice and sweet orangy-ness of triple sec. You can find prickly pear syrup online, but nothing compares to syrup created from fresh fruit. The cocktail is simple, with very complex and exotic flavors.

    Prickly Pear Cosmopolitan

    2 oz. Vodka (I prefer Titos for this cocktail)

    1 oz. Homemade Prickly Pear Syrup (recipe below)

    1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

    1/2 oz. Triple Sec

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds, and strain into a martini glass. Enjoy 😉

    Homemade Prickly Pear Syrup

    Prickly pears, as it turns out, aren’t pears at all. They are actually a member of the cactus species Opuntia genus. Fortunately, this cactus fruit can be found needle-free in the produce section of your favorite supermarket.

    You will need: Prickly Pears, Granulated Sugar, Water, Fresh Lemon Juice

    Opuntia, or prickly pear catus. (Photograph from Encyclopædia Britannica)

    The process to make prickly pear syrup is pretty simple.

    1. Peel the prickly pears and cut the peeled fruit into large chunks.

    2. Place the fruit in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover the fruit.

    3. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

    4. Strain the juice to remove all of the seeds, flesh and pulp. You may need to press the fruit through several layers of cheesecloth, screen or coffee filter. Get creative, no one is watching 😉

    5. Return the liquid to the saucepan and add the sugar. In a typical simple syrup recipe, you would add equal amounts of water and sugar. The prickly pear juice, however, is already pretty sweet, so add half the amount of sugar as there is liquid (2 parts liquid to 1 part sugar).

    6. Add the juice of half a lemon (3-4 prickly pears). The lemon juice cuts the sweetness slightly while acting as a preservative.

    7. Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let boil for a few minutes, then remove from the heat to cool.

    This syrup, if refrigerated, can last for weeks. I recommend using a glass container.

  • Trendy Cocktails: Slo Gin Fig Martini

    Trendy Cocktails: Slo Gin Fig Martini

    As for martinis, there are two distinct and very vocal camps. Historians and cocktail purists believe that a true martini can only be made with gin. Vodka lovers, of course, stand completely opposed with their many variations of the vodka martinis. And according to James Bond, they should be shaken… not stirred. Personally, I only shake cocktails that contain fruit juice. Always shake a Cosmopolitan, but never a Manhattan 😉

    The Slo Gin Fig Martini is a riff on the Vesper Cocktail first introduced in Ian Fleming’s James Bond classic–Casino Royal. The addition of Slo Gin and Figenza Mediterranean Fig Vodka creates another level of complexity.

    The Slo Gin Fig Martini

    1 3/4 oz. Dry Gin

    1/2 oz. Vodka

    1/2 oz. Figenza Mediterranean Fig Vodka

    1/2 oz. Lillet Blanc

    1/4 oz. Slo Gin

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a coupe-style or martini glass. Add a long slice of lemon peel and enjoy.

    Cheers!

  • Trendy Cocktails: The Blood & Bourbon

    Trendy Cocktails: The Blood & Bourbon

    Finding the right pre-dinner cocktail can sometimes be a challenge. As with wine, there is a difference between ‘right’ and ‘right now.’ Sometimes we succumb to convenience… and choose the ‘right now’ option. A pre-dinner cocktail should set the tone and expectations for the upcoming culinary experience. As a side note, I consider every meal (including pizza delivery) a culinary experience if you are sharing it with friends and family.

    The Blood & Bourbon Cocktail has everything you need to get those tastebuds working. The blood orange liquor provides just enough citrus, while the tarragon gives the subtle herbiness to put bring cocktail to the next level.

    The Blood & Bourbon Cocktail

    2 oz. Bourbon (my wife prefers Basil Hayden)

    1/2 oz. Blood Orange Liquor

    1 oz. Sweet Vermouth

    4 to 6 Dashes Orange Bitters

    Pinch of Crushed Tarragon

    Place all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a coupe-style or martini glass. Keep everything close by because you’ll want another one 😉

    Cheers!