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Category: Cocktails
Let’s get back to a Friday happy hour cocktail this last Friday of July. On the cusp of the longest lasting lunar eclipse of the century, let’s enjoy a red drink to celebrate. The red comes from our old friend Campari – that beautiful Italian aperitivo that is the mainstay of the Negroni. Tonight let’s pair it with rye whiskey and dry vermouth to create the subtle Old Pal, a lighter version of the delicious Boulevardier. Lighter is good in this case since we are enjoying a heatwave here in the Pacific Northwest. On the historical note, I found that the Old Pal and the Boulevardier share the same creator, Harry MacElhone, of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Well…
Today I feel like starting something… and what better way to do that then post a ‘martini’ recipe. I think more than any other cocktail, the martini provokes and stimulates more conversation (and perhaps a few arguments) over the correct or best recipe. So, here is my dive into the foray – a classic martini based a bit of research. First, let me state I have tried many martinis (my liver does not thank me!) using gin and vodka, whispers of vermouth to equal parts, bittered and unbittered, dirty and clean and in between, with many garnishes. Some I enjoyed more than others and I have come to this conclusion – however you like your martini is the best way. Myself, I enjoy mixing it…
While the margarita may be the most well known Mexican cocktail, the Paloma is the most popular tequila cocktail in Mexico. This tequila drink is simple and satisfying, especially on a hot Summer day or warm July evening. The key ingredients are tequila, lime, and grapefruit soda. Some recipes call for grapefruit and lime juice, simple syrup, and other elements, but from what I read the simple method is generally reputed to be the most authentic. Add tequila over ice in a highball glass (with a pinch of salt if desired), squeeze half a lime and drop in, then top off with grapefruit soda and enjoy. It is a refreshing summer cocktail perfect for a night like tonight. Of course, you can dress it up however you want…
Here is one of the recipes I am asked about regularly when I mention ‘smoked cherries’. The process is simple – wash, stem and pit the cherries, heat up the barbeque or smoker, make a simple syrup, and squeeze a lemon for the fresh juice. Smoke the cherries and combine them with the simple syrup, lemon juice, and brandy. Then transfer the cherries and brandy mixture into mason jars and cool thoroughly before topping the jars. Refrigerate the jars for 4 to 6 weeks before using in cocktails or adding to desserts. That last step is the toughest part of the whole recipe – the waiting to enjoy these smoky, sweet gems in your Manhattan or other cocktails or in a thickened fruit topping for cheesecake…
I recently had this cocktail at a restaurant near my office. Yeah, it was happy hour so I thought, “What the heck?” Well, I liked it a lot even though this establishment made every effort to ensure I would never return! Anyway, I thought I could tweak this beauty a wee bit and share it with you. This cocktail, created by New York’s Sam Ross (of Penicillin fame), uses equal parts of 4 ingredients (Bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice) to produce a beautiful and delicious drink. Given that one of the essential ingredients is difficult to get in my area (Amaro Nonino), I am going to make a substitution and an addition to compensate. The result is an interesting interpretation which I…
This riff on the deliciously popular French 75 relies on tequila instead of gin and swaps lime for the lemon. The beauty is that this cocktail really rocks – especially if you use a good quality sipping type tequila. A perfect sipper for this first Friday of Summer, although our weather today has been a bit cool and showery. So I will enjoy this tasty tipple inside tonight… and perhaps I will revisit it again tomorrow night when the warm weather returns while relaxing in the gazebo with a bit of jazz playing. Now that sounds like a great way to spend a Summer evening! Save Print Mexican 75 Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 2 oz tequila…
Tonight I tested our smoke infuser with a cocktail, something I think everyone that enjoys making their own cocktails should try. This negroni riff was perfect for adding a bit of smoke to; it tempered the sweetness of the bourbon and gave it a slightly scotch like quality. Experimenting with this new product is going to be fun (and delicious) based on the results of the few tests I have performed so far. This new product is easy to use and produces volumes of smoke. It will be useful for creating smoke effects as well as imparting the subtle hint of flavor. The only downside is that the product is not yet available for purchase. But if you have a little patience, we will have it available at…
This cocktail relies on a polarizing ingredient – Fernet-Branca. This amaro-like digestivo is extremely and uniquely flavorful and that in itself is the polarizing aspect. People either love it or hate it. Me? I like it… and since I have been on a huge amaro kick lately, this famous Italian fits into the stable neatly alongside the others. This cocktail was invented at London’s famed Savoy Hotel and is perfect for this chilly Friday of Negroni Week 2018. Yes, it is a negroni riff and it does an exemplary job representing this style. Check out my Instagram or Facebook profiles to see all the Negroni fun this week! Save Print Hanky Panky Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves…
Created during the Prohibition when adding citrus and sweeteners helped make ‘bathtub gin’ more palatable, this cocktail is ‘the bee’s knees’. That slang term means ‘the best’ and this easy sipper is perfect for a warm Friday night on this first evening in June. For those curious about honey syrup, it is simply 1 part honey dissolved into 1 part hot water. This thinned honey probably contributed to the cocktail’s name and being thinned,the honey is much easier to mix with the gin and lemon juice. I like to think of this drink as a sibling to the recently posted Gimlet – and each are easily interchangeable to satisfy your tastes with a minimal number of ingredients…
Hey everyone, I am back from a week in Chicago! I apologize I did not post any pictures of the fabulous meals and cocktails I enjoyed, just know that I spared you from extreme jealousy! Maybe the best part is I have many new recipe ideas to play with and then share with all of you. As we get started celebrating this Memorial Day weekend, here is a riff on the classic martini variation I posted about a month ago. This drink is a bit more involved compared to the previously posted version, but do not let that dissuade you from enjoying it. The original I posted was a fancy martini (but still basically a martini) while this tipple is what I consider a “cocktail”. Containing…