St. Patrick’s Day Cocktails

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

Guinness Cream Soda from Chow

It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re looking for something more than a beer and a shot—that isn’t dyed green—here are some St. Paddy’s day drinks that I’d gladly drink any day of the year. Sláinte!

Irish Coffee ~ Whiskey, coffee, sugar, and cream. There is simply no way to improve upon this simple treat.

The Copywriter ~ Irish whiskey also anchors a drink that’s on the lighter side with support from sweet vermouth, honey, lemon, and seltzer.

Tipperary Cocktail (No. 3) ~ Sort of an Irish take on the Manhattan, this sophisticated cocktail mixes Irish whiskey and sweet vermouth with just a hint of green Chartreuse.

Irish Whiskey Skin ~ For a hot drink that’s more mellow than Irish Coffee, try this one. It’ll remind you of a Hot Toddy.

Guinness Cream Soda ~ Not in the mood for Irish whiskey but want to stick with Irish products? Want something a little sweeter (but not Bailey’s!)? Here’s the drink for you. Just like the soda shop … only with beer

Kumquat Cocktails

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

Kumquat Whiskey Sour from Serious Eats

Sunny weather keeps tricking me into thinking it’s spring. But yesterday’s rain reminded me that winter ain’t over yet. Even though there isn’t as much fruit to choose from in these months, we have all manner of exciting citrus to fuel our cocktail creativity. Kumquats, the tiny yet delectable little sweet-and-sour guys, are amazing for shaking up your cocktail-shaking routine. Here are a few seasonal recipes to try.

Kumquat Mojito ~ You can get a lot of (delicious) mileage out of the traditional Mojito recipe by subbing in other fruits. Swapping in this unusual citrus really adds flair to an already great drink.

Strawberry and Kumquat Caipirinha ~ Caipirnha is a Brazilian cocktail that’s often compared to a Mojito. The Brazilian drink is made with cachaça—a spirit that is a lot funkier and more unusual than rum. This twist with strawberries and kumquats sounds like a winner.

Taste of Life Cocktail ~ This is a complex drink made with Aperol and Pimm’s (yum!) that combines sweet, sour, salt and a little bitterness for a truly original cocktail inspired by Asian flavors.

Kumquat Champagne Cocktail ~ Truly simple and truly tasty! Just slice up those kumquats and you’ve done all the work necessary for a sophisticated sparkling tipple.

Kumquat Whiskey Sour ~ A fresh new take on the Whiskey Sour that has all the solid appeal of the original while taking advantage of the uniqueness of kumquats.

How to Flame an Orange Twist for Cocktails

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

A cocktail is just more fun when it involves (intentionally) setting something on fire. In this case, it’s an orange peel. Aside from the spectacle, the point of a flaming orange twist garnish is to impart some citrus oil and a little smoke to your drink. It’s wholly optional—an unflamed citrus twist will do the job, too—yet wholly entertaining.

This garnish is for drinks with aged dark spirits or a lot of bitterness. So it’s too intense for, say, a Martini or Mojito and definitely overkill for a Piña Colada. But enough no, here’s some yes. Try it with these drinks:

Watch the video from Bon Appetit to learn how to do it … and be safe!

Grapefruit Margarita

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

Grapefruit is an ideal cocktail ingredient, so I don’t know why everyone (including me!) doesn’t pour it into the shaker more often. Savvy Housekeeping and I rectified that problem right away by mixing up this fantastic Grapefruit Margarita. Seasonal and delicious!

The drink is a nice bridge between a tart and strong traditional Margarita and the sweet and fruity Margarita variations, like a Strawberry Margarita. It’s lightly sweet with just the right amount of citrus kapow. Be sure to use silver tequila—an aged tequila will overpower the grapefruit and doesn’t have the same grassy flavor of the clear stuff. We couldn’t stop ourselves at just one.

Grapefruit Margarita

1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
1 ounce Cointreau or triple sec
2 1/2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake thoroughly, then strain the drink into a glass. Optional: garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Photo by Savvy Housekeeping

Hibiscus Flash

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

I love the hibiscus flowers that come in syrup. Dropping them into a glass of sparkling wine makes for a beautiful and simple Champagne cocktail. However, I knew there had to be something more I could do with those delightful edible flowers and the delicious syrup they came in. Enter the Hibiscus Flash.

It uses rhum agricole, which is like rum only made with cane sugar instead of molasses. It has a stronger flavor and fuller mouthfeel than rum, so it’s a good match for the floral sweetness of the hibiscus syrup.

Hibiscus Flash

1 ounce white rhum agricole
1 ounce light rum
1/2 ounce hibiscus syrup
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 ounce lime juice

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for about 15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass. If you got the syrup with the hibiscus flower in it, drop it into your glass as an edible garnish.

Photo by Jackson Stakeman

Ginger Cocktails

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

Ginger-Kumquat Smash from the Kitchn

Ginger is an exciting and flexible cocktail ingredient. You can use fresh ginger, ginger syrup, ginger liqueur, or ginger beer. And this spicy ingredient complements the heat of spirits (especially rum and whiskey) while blending well with fruits and other spices. Ginger is an easy way to get exotic flavor in your cocktail. Here are a few ways to drink your ginger:

Moscow Mule or Dark and Stormy ~ The easiest way to make a ginger cocktail is to mix a spirit with some ginger beer and top it off with some lime. In the case of these two classsic highballs, it’s vodka in a Moscow Mule and dark rum in a Dark and Stormy. It’ll take you all of 2 minutes to make one of these, and you’ll end up with a balanced and refreshing drink with some ginger kick.

Park City ~ If you’re a Manhattan lover like me, this rye-based drink with ginger liqueur and Cynar is a great way to get your ginger fix. It’s bold with a bitter edge.

Ginger-Kumquat Smash ~ Ginger goes really well with citrus, and so if you want to do something unusual but not too risky, try it with kumquats in this fun rum cocktail.

Prince of Wales ~ A bit more elaborate, but worth the effort, this sophisticated drink has sparkling wine and pineapples along with rye.

Bufala Negra ~ Basil, balsamic syrup, and ginger beer combined with bourbon makes for a “tart and tangy” cocktail that layers flavors in a culinary way.

Mardi Gras Cocktails

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

The Lafayette from The Backyard Bartender

Last year, I rounded up some classic (and new) New Orleans cocktails for Mardi Gras. Now that it’s time to celebrate another “Fat Tuesday,” here are some more cocktails from the Big Easy … easily America’s cocktail capital. Laissez le bon temp rouler!

Bywater Cocktail ~ This cocktail was created by a bartender at Arnaud’s French 75, an iconic bar in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Named after the city’s Bywater neighborhood, the drink features aged rum, an Italian amaro called Averna, with touches of Chartreuse and falernum for a truly unique cocktail.

French 75 ~ Speaking of Arnaud’s French 75 bar, why not have a French 75—New Orleans really knows how to do a champagne cocktail right.

The Lafayette ~ A pared down version of a Hurricane, this sweet (but not too sweet) drink is a simple way to let the good times roll!

Ramos Gin Fizz ~ Though it takes a little work, this drink is a lovely mix of light and airy with rich and creamy. I order one every time I’m in New Orleans.

Pimm’s Cup ~ This British tipple became a New Orleans cocktail, thanks to the Napoleon House Bar. You could easily sip these all day, so the party doesn’t have to end.

The Heartbeet Cocktail

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

It can be a challenge to find the right Valentine’s Day cocktail, so Savvy Housekeeping and I got together to make a drink that wasn’t your usual chocolatey sugar affair. Because of their gorgeous deep red color, beet juice was the main ingredient of choice. Not only was it pretty, but it gave the drink a lightly sweet, bright flavor with an earthiness that matched well with the agave notes of tequila. To romance! Happy Valentine’s Day!

The Heartbeet Cocktail

1 1/2 ounces tequila
2 ounces beet juice
1/4 ounce pomegranate liqueur
1/4 ounce lemon juice
Lemon twist to garnish

Juice a beet, either with a juicer or a blender, or buy beet juice from the store. If you’re using the blender method, chop the beet, run on the finest setting, and push through a sieve. Be careful with the juice—it stains.

In a cocktail shaker, combine all liquids over ice and shake thoroughly. Strain into a glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Photo by Savvy Housekeeping

Negroni

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

An aperitif is a before-dinner drink that stimulates the appetite—usually it’s something light with a bitter or herbal flavor. But that doesn’t mean you have to drink them before a meal. One of the most well known (and loved) aperitif cocktails is the Negroni, and they’re as popular before dinner as they are late in the evening. This is a drink that had to grow on me, but once it did, I couldn’t get enough of it’s bold flavor. One Negroni leads to more. Also, there are a lot of fun twists on the Negroni … I’ll have to share a few soon!

Negroni
1 ounce London dry gin
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce Italian sweet vermouth

Fill and old fashioned glass with ice and then pour in each ingredient and stir. Garnish with an orange slice or twist.

Negroni photo by Kenn Wilson

In a seminar about the history of the Negroni a few years ago at Tales of the Cocktail, I liked this old Campari ad they showed that acknowledged just how much of an acquired tasted Campari is:

Low-Alcohol Cocktails

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Marcia Simmons

Brewed Mary from the Beeroness

I try not to get too wrapped up in staying on top of the latest cocktail trends. Sure, I enjoyed a few barrel aged cocktails and Negronis on tap last year, but for the most part I do and drink what I like. A lot of trends disappear as fast as they came, but I think the low-alcohol cocktail trend is going to stick around.

While some people see cocktails as a route to gettin’ drunk, many others simply want to enjoy a few without too much of a buzz. Aperitifs are still popular, so it just makes sense that they would be used as the base of lower-octane drinks. Also, these kinds of cocktails pair better with meals and involve less sugar in addition to a lower alcohol content. Beer and wine are most people’s first choice, so why not get creative and mix with them?

Whatever your reason, here are some drinks on the lower side of the alcohol scale.

Sweet Basil ~ Lillet Blanc, a light and lovely aperitif, is the star of this cocktail, with just a half-ounce of gin present to round out the drink. And of course, lots of basil!

Chrysanthemum ~ Dry vermouth isn’t just for Martinis. Mix it with a little Benedictine and a few drops of absinthe, and you have complex little cocktail without a high-proof spirit.

Girovita ~ Aperol and apricot liqueur join forces with Pimm’s No. 1, for a fresh tasting and refreshing drink.

Black Cup ~ Another Pimm’s-Cup-inspired cocktail, this one uses port as the base and includes the original’s signature effervescence.

Brewed Mary ~ A Bloody Mary made with beer instead of vodka … enough said!

DIY Cocktails

A Simple Guide to Creating Your Own Signature Drinks