Cocktail Remedy

Pear Ginger Smash

October 18, 2011

We got a new roommate in the house, and to my delight, he brought a box of fresh pears from his parents’ trees with him on his first day and told us to have at ‘em. Yessssssssss.

They were so ripe, so sweet, and so delicious. And even better with a little Jameson. Naturally. What a way to welcome a new housemate.

Pear Ginger Smash
(makes 1 drink)

1/2 pear, wedged and cored
.5 oz. lime juice
1.5 oz. whiskey
.5 oz. Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
Ginger Ale

Muddle the pear and lime juice until the pear is pulverized. Add the rest of the ingredients, ice and shake vigorously in a cocktail shaker. Strain with a julep strainer over ice. I like the julep strainer because it has larger holes and tiny bits of fruit can escape into the drink. Which I love. If you’d rather a smoother drink, a regular cocktail strainer will do. Then, top with ginger ale.

The Domaine de Canton is a nice way to add ginger flavor to your drink, and an interesting alternative to ginger syrup. Though, they’re probably somewhat interchangeable here.

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A proper Irish Coffee

October 11, 2011

Last week Utah was struck with an early cold spell, leaving us with white mountains sprinkled with still-yellow leaves. It’s still green in the valley so it’s all quite stunning, really. The air feels crisp and you almost need a jacket.

Anyhow. It may be a little early, and the snow will probably melt out of the mountains before Winter really comes. But it still feels like it’s already time for winteresque drinks.

I am sure there are blogs and blogs that are just about brewing coffee, so I’ll leave that to the experts. Brew your coffee the way you like it best (from the french press for me). Then follow this recipe.

Irish Coffee
(makes 1 drink, with plenty of syrup for more)

4 oz. freshly brewed coffee
.75 oz. brown sugar syrup (recipe below)
1.5 oz. Irish whiskey (Jameson, for me)
Unsweetened whipped cream
Ground cinnamon for garnish

When you whip the cream, don’t go all the way. Leave it slightly soft so it’s pourable over the top of your coffee. I usually do about half a cup of heavy cream and it’s plenty for several drinks. Super simple, just stir the syrup into the coffee, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with a little cinnamon.

(Recipe adapted from The Craft of the Cocktail, my favorite cocktail recipe book.)

Brown Sugar Syrup

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. water

Stir ingredients together over heat until fully dissolved.

The sweetness of the sugared coffee contrasts perfectly with the unsweetened cream, I think. But you could also do sweetened cream if you have the hankerin’. Brunch, anyone?

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Fresh Peach Daiquiri

September 22, 2011

I’m in a summer-fall purgatory, here. Someone save my season-confused soul! Between last week’s post and this week’s, I can’t decide whether I want to cling to the last tiny bits of summer or plunge right into fall.

If your peaches are anything like ours in Utah, they’re becoming soft and syrupy. Which really, is PERFECT for making drinks. As the peaches become slightly overripe, their sugars concentrate and the flavor that you get is pretty great.

Fresh Peach Daiquiri
(makes 2 large servings)

2 oz. fresh lime juice
1.5 oz. simple syrup
2 small, ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
3 oz. white rum
1 oz. triple sec
About 2 c. ice

Combine ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a slice of lime.

You’ve probably had a daiquiri made from a grocery store mix, or from a restaurant. And it probably tasted like candy, not fruit. Not this one, friends. This one tastes like amazing.

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Harvest Apple Cooler

September 14, 2011

Do you want to hear a sad story? I made this drink in early summer. I was so pleased with it. I decided that when the time of year was right, I’d share it with you all. It was going to be wonderful. We would all be enjoying Harvest Apple Coolers together. And we’d all be praising my name. (“Oh, that Nick, he’s really outdone himself this time!”). Well the time is right, and you know what? Utah liquor stores (they’re all state run here) have stopped carrying one of the key ingredients, Stolichnaya Gala Applik!

So sad! Hopefully you live in a place that is not Utah and can get your hands on some apple Stoli. If you can, it’s your lucky day. If not, I’ve found a sub-par alternative that will get us by (still good; otherwise I wouldn’t post it).

All I can say about this drink is that it tastes like a fresh, crisp apple. And, well, it will get you drunk. So. You know. Pretty much perfect.

Harvest Apple Cooler
(serves 1)

1.5 oz. Stolichnaya Gala Applik vodka (or if you’re in Utah or another prohibitionist state, I used Absolut Orient Apple)
1 oz. Lillet Blanc
.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
.75 oz. brown sugar syrup (1 c. brown sugar, 1 c. water heated/stirred until dissolved, then cooled)
Ginger ale
Apple slice

Pour vodka, Lillet, lemon juice and syrup over ice and stir. Top glass with ginger ale. Garnish with an apple slice.

Notes: Lillet Blanc is a french aperitif wine. That means that it’s got wine plus a bunch of other tasty ingredients. If you need to ask for it at your local store it’s pronounced “lee-lay blahnc.” Keep it in the fridge after you open it and it will last longer. Also keep your leftover brown sugar syrup cold, too. This would make a terrific punch. Just size up the recipe accordingly.

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A Late Summer Bellini Bar

August 24, 2011

It’s the time of year when I realize that summer is fading into fall. And since I don’t like that one little bit, I quickly squelch the thought and make myself a summer drink!

A Late Summer Bellini Bar Besides the impending doom of fall, then winter, late summer is such a perfect time. Time to celebrate a summer well spent, or a time to toast a new adventure. Personally, I’m starting a few classes this semester — returning to school is an adventure indeed.

Champagne (or Prosecco, in this case) just screams celebration. So come up with a reason to celebrate, invite people over, and make a Bellini Bar.

More of an idea than a recipe, this is something you can do before a party and guests can serve themselves drinks all night long.

A Bellini is traditionally as simple as peach purée stirred gently with chilled Prosecco (a type of dry sparkling wine). It’s very easy, however, to come up with a few variations to serve at your fabulous party. Here’s what I did:

Traditional Bellini (Peach)

2 very ripe peaches, pitted and peeled
Splash of Cointreau or other orange liquer
Finely chopped lime zest.

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

So here’s the deal. There’s no need to use orange liqueur or lime zest. I just did because I wanted a little extra flavor. Dale DeGroff, in his invaluable book The Craft of the Cocktail, suggests using peach liqueur. This is also perfectly lovely.

Blackberry Bellini

6 oz. ripe blackberries
Finely chopped lemon zest

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

I don’t mind seeds, but if you do, you can press the mixture through a strainer.

Raspberry Bellini

6 oz. ripe raspberries
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Same with the Blackberry Bellini; if you don’t want seeds, use a strainer.

To assemble the drinks, guests should use about 1 1/2 oz. of purée of choice and top with Prosecco (a dry champagne will also work well). Stir gently to preserve the Prosecco’s effervescence.

Bottom line: don’t stress about the recipes. Use things you have on hand. Guests will love choosing their own flavor and the freshness of the fruit will do all the work for you. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy what’s left of summer.

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Ginger Peach Margarita

August 17, 2011

I’ve been waiting months and months for this.

It’s finally peach season in Utah.

In case you didn’t know: Utah has great peaches. Growing up in Idaho, people would often trek 3+ hours south to bring home boxes of fresh Utah Peaches. It was always a special treat to get a mouthful of soft, sugary sweet goodness. Perfect. Praise everything holy. I love peaches.

I live in Utah now. So naturally, I’m going to not just going eat the peaches. I’m also going to GET DRUNK on the peaches. Oh yes I am. Don’t try to stop me.

I’m hoping to do a bunch of peach recipes in a row. Round 1: Not only peachy, but also bringing in my blog’s first drink made with tequila.

Ginger Peach Margarita
(makes 1 drink)

1/2 of a ripe peach, peeled, pitted, and cut into wedges
5 quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger
3/4 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 1/2 oz. silver tequila
1/2 oz. Cointreau orange liqueur
Lime wedge for garnish

Muddle the peach wedges, fresh ginger and simple syrup in a mixing glass. I muddle until the peach is pulverized, and the ginger is slightly beaten up. Add lime juice, tequila, Cointreau and ice and shake. Strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with lime.

If you’re going to make margaritas with any sort of frequency, invest in Cointreau. It’s expensive, I know. But I’ve not been pleased with any margaritas I’ve made without it. One bottle should last you quite a while.

After you’ve made one, experiment with the amount of ginger you put in. I sometimes like mine with a little extra ginger kick, so usually add a little bit more. Then I garnish with a paper-thin piece of ginger.

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Kumquat Key Lime Fizz

August 10, 2011

I’m always in the mood for a drink with gin, citrus, and something fizzy.

Perhaps you’ve noticed the prevalence of gin drinks on this site? There are several gin/citrus/fizz variations I enjoy. I love a Tom Collins, a Gin and Tonic (of course!), or a Gin Rickey.

That’s why when I brought Kumquats home from the grocery store, this drink just fell into place. I switched lime juice for muddled key limes; they’re in season and look pretty in the glass, too. This drink would also work well with vodka for anyone who doesn’t like gin (I’m totally judging you).

Kumquat Key Lime Fizz

4 kumquats, halved
2-3 key limes, halved
1/2 oz. simple syrup
1.5 oz. gin or vodka
Club soda

Muddle the kumquats and key limes with the syrup. You can either strain this into a new glass with fresh fruit garnishes or just leave the muddled fruit in your drink. Top with gin or vodka and ice. Top with club soda. Stir and garnish if desired. Easy, right?

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The Florodora

August 3, 2011

“Florodora” was one of the first musicals to become popular in America in the 20th century. It featured a double sextet of performers, 6 females and 6 males. The Florodora Girls were all 5′ 4″ tall, weighed 130 pounds, and apparently drew the attention of many men who attended the show. These men would persuade the Girls to leave the show and marry them. As a result, more than 70 women played Florodora Girls in the first New York run of the show.

I love that someone decided to name a drink after the show. I love even more that it’s a delicious drink. I love EVEN MORE that it’s garnished with edible flowers.

The drink is made with raspberry syrup or raspberry liqueur. Since raspberries are in season, I’ve chosen to use a fresh raspberry syrup. More like cooked, sweetened raspberries, actually. But you get the point.

The Florodora
(makes one drink, but you’ll have enough syrup to make at least 6)

1.5 oz. gin
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. raspberry syrup
Ginger ale
Lime (for garnish)
Edible flower (for garnish)

For raspberry syrup:

6 oz fresh raspberries
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 oz. lime juice

Combine the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and raspberries are slightly broken down (about 5 min). I wanted a drink with chunks in it so this is where I stopped. At this point I put it in the refrigerator to cool. You may cook the syrup until the berries are completely broken down (probably another 5 minutes, then strain if you want a smooth syrup). Let syrup cool in refrigerator before using.

Build with ice in a Highball Glass or a Collins Glass. Start with gin and lime juice over ice. Gently stir in ginger ale. Top with a tablespoon or so of the chunky syrup. Garnish with lime piece and an edible flower. Edible flowers may be hard to find. I got mine at Whole Foods. Make sure any flower you use is pesticide free. I also recommend drinking this with a straw. It’s just not quite as pretty a scene with raspberry on your lip.

And just for fun, here’s a clip from the 1930s movie “The Florodora Girl,” in which some of the characters play performers in the stage production. The song is from the original musical, as I understand.

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Green Bloody Mary

July 27, 2011

I grew up knowing and appreciating good Mexican food. Since I can remember, I’ve preferred green salsa to red. Don’t know why, just have. I love salsa verde.

So naturally, I made it into a drink.

In my research, I came across recipes for salsa verde, other green Bloody Marys and green gazpacho. This is a twisted love child of all three.

Green Bloody Mary

3 celery stalks (plus more for garnish)
1 cucumber (plus more for garnish)
4 tomatillos
1/2 green bell pepper
2-3 jalapeños
1 small yellow onion
3 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
6 c. water
Prepared horseradish (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1.5 oz. of vodka per drink

Remove stems and peels from the cucumber, tomatillos, and peppers. Coarsely chop all the vegetables and herbs. Purée them all. Separately or together, it doesn’t matter. Combine purée and lime juice into a large container and stir in the water. At this point you can get a feel for what the drink is going to taste like. Though it will probably get hotter. Add the salt and pepper and horseradish now. Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for an hour, then strain with a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the puree, save the liquid. Serve about 5 oz. of mix with 1.5 oz. of vodka in a glass over ice. Garnish with cucumber and celery. Or however you like.

Variations: Do whatever you want! Add any different peppers you can think of. Purée your favorite greens. You can follow the basic method adding vegetables you prefer and come up with something unique and equally delicious.

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Pre-Frozen Daiquiri

July 21, 2011

Reasons you should make a Pre-frozen Daiquiri:

1. They’re delicious.
2. They’re so easy.
3. You can keep them in the freezer.
4. They’re perfect for upcoming hot summer days.
5. They’re delicious.

This is just a twist on the classic daiquiri. It’s a simple, boozy, frozen dessert. What could be better? I make double batches.

Pre-frozen Daiquiri
(Serves 4)

6 oz. white rum
4 oz. fresh lime juice
3 oz. simple syrup
12 oz. water

Stir all ingredients together in a freezable container. Freeze for at least 8 hours. If you want a finer texture, give it a little stir in the middle of freezing. If you want it sooner, make it in an ice cream maker. Serve in a chilled glass with a spoon.