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.

My Favorite DIY cocktail ingredients so far

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Marcia Simmons

I have a weekly column on Serious Eats where I post recipes for DIY cocktail ingredients. That’s a lot of homemade cocktail ingredients! While I like all the recipes I post there, I do have my favorites. So if you have a hankerin’ to do a cocktail project but aren’t sure where to start, these are my favorite recipes I’ve done there so far:

Ginger Liqueur ~ While I love ginger liqueur, I was surprised that this ended up being one of my favorite and most useful homemade ingredients. It turns out I wasn’t alone, and I’ve been hearing from readers that they also fell in love with the slight kick and light sweetness of ginger liqueur.

Orange Bitters ~ Even though you only use a few drops at a time, bitters are a critical part of making cocktails. These orange bitters are different than what’s on the market while still performing reliably in cocktails. DIY bitters have a reputation as being a project for cocktail geeks only, but they’re actually not difficult to make. You’ll need to get a hold of some special tree bark and other things I had to go to the hippie store in Berkeley to find, but the result is something you can keep around for years.

Grenadine ~Real grenadine is radically different from the weird dyed-red goo you usually see in stores. For one thing, homemade grenadine actually tastes like it was made with pomegranates. It has a bright, tart flavor that goes well in everything from Tiki cocktails to light summer sparkling drinks. Also, if you make this, you just might be surprised to discover that you actually like Shirley Temples after all.

Allspice Dram ~ Spice is somewhat rare in your typical cocktail, which is why I love this allspice liqueur. It’s most known as a Tiki ingredient, but once you start experimenting with it, you’ll see it’s at home in a whole variety of concoctions.

Homemade Gin ~ Without going through the whole trouble (and possible illegality) of distilling your own spirits, you can still make a gin that’s darn good. And you can control the flavor profile: Maybe you want intense juniper with bold coriander notes? Or light floral and citrus flavors with a strong grassy finish? It’s up to you. Though, it’s basically gin-flavored vodka, it’s a totally legit way of making gin … many companies do a more fancified version of this process to make their product.

DIY vs. Buy: Super Sexy Ginger Liqueur

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Marcia Simmons

Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur is one of my favorite cocktail ingredients, so I was unconvinced I’d be able to make a ginger liqueur that would satisfy me. But I did! It has the right ginger kick balanced with subtle sweetness.