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Rhubarb Simple Syrup & Enticing Spring Cocktails

Rhubarb Simple Syrup & Enticing Spring Cocktails

Rhubarb syrup is vividly pink and brightly flavored. Try using the colorful syrup over ice cream or pound cake, in all sorts of mixed drinks, and to make your own strawberry rhubarb sorbet.

Rhubarb Simple Syrup
1 C. rhubarb, cut into half inch chunks
1 C. granulated sugar
1 1/4 C. water

Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until rhubarb is falling apart, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and, using a fine mesh strainer, strain syrup from rhubarb solids. Reserve solids for another use. (For example, mix solids with lemon juice for luscious rhubarb jam.) Return strained syrup to stove top and simmer for an additional 25 minutes or until the syrup coats a spoon and has become brightly pink. Cool syrup, transfer to a sealed container, and keep refrigerated.
Makes 1 C.
Rhubarb Bloom

1 1/2 oz. No. 209 gin
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. rhubarb simple syrup
8 mint leaves
1 sprig mint

Combine gin, lime juice, syrup and mint leaves in a pint glass, add ice and shake very hard. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint.
Flamingo Soda

2/3 C. freshly squeezed orange and/or lemon juice
1/3 C. rhubarb simple syrup
Soda water to your liking.
Pour the juices and rhubarb syrup in a large glass over ice. Pour soda water until it reaches the top. Taste and add more syrup if it needs sweetening.
Sunrise Cocktail

1 dash of angostura bitters
1 sugar cube
1 tsp. rhubarb simple syrup
Cold, dry champagne
Twist of orange peel

Add a dash of bitters to sugar cube in the bottom of a chilled champagne glass. Add rhubarb syrup and slowly pour in the champagne. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Honeysuckle or Elderflower Cordial

Honeysuckle or Elderflower Cordial

1 quart loosely packed Japanese honeysuckle blossoms or elderberry flowers (no leaves)
Vodka, preferably 100-proof
Simple syrup, to taste

Put the blossoms in a quart-size canning jar and add vodka to cover them completely; push them down with a spoon if necessary. Put the lid on the jar and set it aside in a cool, dark spot for 3 to 4 days. It’ll turn a pretty amber color, and the blossoms will become a dark brown—this is fine. Rinse and squeeze out a heavy-duty paper towel and use it to line a fine-mesh sieve set over a large glass measuring cup. Strain the infused vodka into the cup. and discard the solids. Funnel the vodka into a clean bottle that will hold about a quart. Add simple syrup to taste—the cordial should be fairly sweet; the syrup will also serve to dilute the alcohol content, and you can also add a bit of water now or when you serve it (chilled, over ice, in small doses), or use it in cocktails.

Blueberry Peach Mojito

Blueberry Peach Mojito

Blueberry Peach Mojito1 package (6 ounces or 1 1/4 cups) Blueberries, plus more for garnish
12 fresh mint sprigs, plus more for garnish (optional)
1 tablespoon peach preserves
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) lime juice
Ice
1/4 cup (2 ounces) spiced rum
1 1/2 teaspoons (1/4 ounce) Smucker’s Blueberry Syrup
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) club soda
1 lime, quartered, for garnish

Place blueberries, mint, peach preserves and lime juice in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add ice, rum and blueberry syrup. Shake vigorously to blend. Strain into double old fashioned glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with additional sprinkle of blueberries and quartered lime on top. Add additional mint sprig if you like.

Strawberry Chamomile Paloma

Strawberry Chamomile Paloma

Chamomile Honey Syrup
3/4 water
1/3 C. honey
1-2 chamomile tea bags

For the Drinks
3 oz. fresh grapefruit juice (about half of 1 grapefruit
2-4 tsp. chamomile honey syrup (depending on your taste)
2 oz. tequila (omit to make a virgin version)
4 fresh strawberries, sliced
sparkling water, for topping off
crushed ice

Chamomile Honey Syrup: Combine water and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil, simmer 1 minute and remove from the heat. Add the tea bag, cover and steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove the tea bag and allow the syrup to cool completely. Store in the fridge.

For the Drinks: Add the grapefruit juice, chamomile syrup, tequila and strawberries to a glass. Use a muddler (or even the end of a rolling pin), gently push the strawberries down until they release their juices and are lightly smashed. Add a handful of ice and then add sparkling water to top off. Give the drink a gentle stir. Taste and add more chamomile syrup if desired. Garnish with fresh chamomile flowers and strawberries if desired

Bees Knees

Bees Knees

1/4 C. local honey
2 oz. gin
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Strip of lemon peel (optional)

Combine 1/4 C. honey and 1/4 C. water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and stir until the honey dissolves. Let cool and then store in the refrigerator. (This recipe makes slightly too much simple syrup. Save the remainder to sweeten other drinks – even your iced coffee.) Measure 3/4 oz. honey simple syrup with gin, lemon juice and ice. Shake vigorously and strain. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Sleepy Hollow Cider

Sleepy Hollow Cider

Sleepy Hollow Cider

2 bottles (64 oz. each) apple cider or juice

2 cinnamon sticks (3 in.)

3/4 tsp. whole cloves

1/2 of a whole nutmeg

Pumpkin spice-infused vodka (recipe follows; optional)

 

In a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine apple cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until steaming, about 14 minutes. Reduce heat to low to keep hot. Set pan on a tabletop burner or warming tray. Or pour into a thermos or insulated pitcher. Ladle or pour into C. and add vodka to taste (if desired).

 

Pumpkin Spice-infused Vodka: Cut 1 vanilla bean (6 in.) in half lengthwise. With a vegetable peeler, shave 12 thin ribbons (4 to 6 in. long and about 1 in. wide) off a rinsed piece of pumpkin or banana squash. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart jar, combine vanilla, pumpkin, 1/2 of a whole nutmeg, and 1 bottle (750 ml. or 1 qt.) vodka. Seal jar and let stand at least 4 days or up to 3 months. The flavor intensifies the longer it stands; remove flavorings once vodka tastes as strong as you like.

Grapefruit Tequila Slammer

Grapefruit Tequila Slammer

Grapefruit Tequila Slammer

 

4 oz. fresh grapefruit juice

2 oz. silver tequila

2 oz. 7-up

Grapefruit segments, garnish

 

Add first 3 ingredients to glass with ice. Cover top of glass with your hand and give it a good slam against your countertop (or wooden cutting board) to get it to mix and fizz up. Garnish with grapefruit.

Dilled Deviled Eggs and Spice-and-Salt Bloody Mary

Dilled Deviled Eggs and Spice-and-Salt Bloody Mary

Dilled Deviled Eggs and Spice-and-Salt Bloody MaryDilled Deviled Eggs

8 hard-cooked eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Salt-and-Spice Bloody Mary

2 1/2 cups tomato juice
1 ounce cornichon brine
4 finely minced pepperoncini
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Ice
6 ounces vodka, divided
Cornichon, pepperoncini, lemon wedge, and celery stalk for garnish

Deviled eggs: Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Remove yolks, leaving whites intact, and add to a small bowl. Mix in mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest, dill, and salt. Mash with a fork until smooth. Pipe or spoon yolk mixture into whites. Sprinkle with additional dill just before serving.

Bloody Mary: Fill a pitcher with tomato juice. Stir in cornichon brine, minced pepperoncini, horseradish, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Fill 4 glasses with ice, add 1 1/2 ounces vodka to each, and top with tomato juice mixture. Garnish with cornichon, pepperoncini, lemon wedge, and celery stalk.

Cranberry Liqueur with Persian Mint Syrup (Sekanjabin)

Cranberry Liqueur with Persian Mint Syrup (Sekanjabin)

Cranberry Liqueur with Persian Mint Syrup (Sekanjabin)

 

2 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

½ cup white wine vinegar

1 cup fresh mint, loosely packed

12 oz cranberries, fresh

1 L vodka

1 large lemon

 

In a small pot over medium-high heat whisk together sugar and water until dissolved. Let syrup boil together for 10 minutes, then add white wine vinegar. Reduce heat to medium and cook until syrup thickens, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mint leaves. Remove mint when syrup has cooled to room temperature. Pour mint syrup in a blender with cranberries and vodka. Pulse mixture until most of the cranberries have been coarsely chopped. You DO NOT want to purée the mix. Transfer cranberry mixture into a large jar or wide-mouth bottle. Using a potato peeler, remove the skin with minimal pith (white part) from the lemon. Add lemon skin pieces to cranberry mixture and stir. Seal jar and place in a cool dark place to infuse a minimum of 1 week and up to 3 weeks. Pour cranberry mix into a large bowl through a fine mesh colander to strain out solids. Press the solids through the mesh colander to remove the remaining liquid. Divide cranberry liqueur into smaller bottles or store in a large bottle

Rosemary Citrus Syrup & Rosemary Lemon Drop

Rosemary Citrus Syrup & Rosemary Lemon Drop

Rosemary Citrus Syrup

 

2 C. water

2 C. granulated sugar

6 sprigs fresh rosemary

Peeled zest of 1 lemon (be sure the peel has no white pith)

 

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stir in sugar to dissolve, remove from heat, add rosemary and lemon zest and let rest for 1 hour. Fine strain, discard solids and funnel into a clean bottle or Mason jar. Label, date and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

 

 

Rosie’s Lemon Drop

 

2 ounces vodka

1 ounce Rosemary Citrus Syrup (see below recipe)

1 ounce fresh-pressed lemon juice

Fresh rosemary for garnish

 

Sugar the rim of a cocktail glass and set aside. Combine vodka, syrup and lemon juice in a bar tin, add ice, shake vigorously for 10 seconds, strain into cocktail glass and garnish with fresh rosemary. Makes 1 cocktail.

Cranberry Giddy-Up Syrup & Giddy-Up Spritz

Cranberry Giddy-Up Syrup & Giddy-Up Spritz

Cranberry Giddy-Up Syrup

 

2 C. fresh cranberries

2 C. granulated sugar

2 C. water

1 T. mulling spices

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, sliced into wheels

Fresh rosemary sprigs and string or ribbon for decoration

 

Rinse and sort cranberries; add to a medium saucepan with sugar, water, spices and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower heat, add orange wheels and cook for 15 minutes, or until cranberries begin to burst. Remove from heat, let rest 1 hour, fine strain, discard solids and funnel into clean bottles or Mason jars. Label, date and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

 

 

Giddy-Up Spritz

1 ounce Cranberry Giddy-Up

3 ounces sparkling wine (or sparkling water)

Sugared cranberries for garnish*

 

Pour Cranberry Giddy-Up into cocktail coupe glass, top with prosecco and garnish with sugared cranberries.

 

*Sugared cranberries: Coat 3 cranberries in lemon or lime juice, roll in sugar and spear with a cocktail pick. Dust with more sugar as needed.

Grapefruit Cardamom Syrup & Cardamom Paloma

Grapefruit Cardamom Syrup & Cardamom Paloma

Grapefruit Cardamom Syrup

 

Peeled zest of 2 pink grapefruits (be sure the peel has no white pith)

Juice of 2 pink grapefruits

½ C. water

2 C. granulated sugar

Pinch sea salt

 

Combine zest, juice, water, sugar, salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cardamom, remove from heat and let rest 1 hour. Fine strain, discard solids and funnel into a clean bottle or Mason jar. Label, date and refrigerate up to 2 weeks

 

Cardamom Paloma

 

1½ ounces silver tequila

2 ounces Grapefruit Cardamom Syrup

Soda water

Fresh grapefruit wedge or peel for garnish

 

Pour tequila and syrup over ice in an Old-Fashioned or highball glass, top with soda water and garnish with citrus. Makes 1 cocktail.

Blue Bayou Cocktail

Blue Bayou Cocktail

Blue Bayou Cocktail

 

2 ounces 1800 Cuervo Tequila

1/4 ounce Blue Curacao

Sweet & sour mix

 

Fill a tall glass with ice, pour in the tequila and Curacao, fill the rest of the way with sweet and sour mix, mix and enjoy!

Lady of the Lake & The Magic Hour

Lady of the Lake & The Magic Hour

Lady of the Lake

 

2 ounces reposado tequila

1 ounce Rhubarb Cordial*

1 ounce lime juice

Top with soda water

Garnish with pickled fiddleheads**, lemon, chive blossom, violets and angelica leaves.

 

*RHUBARB CORDIAL

2 pounds rhubarb, rinsed and sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 C. organic sugar

1 liter organic vodka

 

**PICKLED FIDDLEHEADS

½ pound ostrich fern fiddleheads

2 T. kosher salt

½ C. apple cider vinegar

½ C. water

½ tsp. mustard seeds

½ tsp. whole allspice

¼ tsp. black peppercorns

2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

 

Tart rhubarb and earthy aged tequila pair nicely with the salty and savory snap of pickled fiddleheads in this spring sipper. Fiddleheads often show up on the produce aisle in spring if you can’t forage them out in the field. Combine tequila, Rhubarb Cordial and lime juice in a bar shaker and add ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds, strain into a Collins glass with fresh ice, top with soda water and add garnish. Makes 1 cocktail.

 

*Rhubarb Cordial

 

Place rhubarb into a large, clean 64-ounce jar (or split between 2 large jars), add sugar and vodka, stir ingredients, cover with a tight lid and let rest 1 month at room temperature. Shake jar every few days to dissolve the sugar. After 1 month, strain, discard rhubarb and funnel cordial into a clean jar. Use within 1 year. Yield: 1 liter.

 

**Pickled Fiddleheads

 

Place fiddlehead ferns in a large bowl with cold water; rinse repeatedly until water runs clear. Drain, trim ends and scrub away any brown bits. Bring 4 C. water and 1 T. salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add fiddleheads, cook 7 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water. Combine vinegar, ½ C. water, 1 T. salt, spices and garlic cloves in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; let rest 1 minute. Pack cooked fiddleheads into a clean glass jar and cover with hot pickling liquid. Wipe rim of jar and apply lid. Refrigerate pickles 2 to 3 days and consume within 1 month.

 

The Magic Hour

 

1½ ounces genever (or your favorite gin)

¾ ounce lemon juice

¾ ounce violet cordial* (or substitute Crème de Violette)

2 ounces Champagne, Cava or prosecco

Fresh violets for garnish (or pansies or Johnny Jump Ups)

 

VIOLET CORDIAL

6 C. loosely packed violet flowers, stems and leaves removed

2 C. boiling water

2 C. organic granulated sugar

2 tsp. fresh-pressed lemon juice

2 C. vodka

 

Combine genever, lemon and violet cordial in a bar shaker and add ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds, strain into a cocktail glass or flute, top with bubbles and garnish.

 

Makes 1 cocktail.

 

*Violet Cordial

 

Harvest violets, rinse petals, place in a sterilized heat-resistant jar and cover with boiling water. Infuse at room temperature for 24 hours. Strain the liquid into a nonreactive pan, discard solids, add 2 C. granulated sugar, heat and stir frequently to dissolve the sugar. Cool to room temperature, add lemon juice and vodka. Let rest 2 weeks and decant into clean sealable bottles. Best if used within 1 year.

Spiked Basil Lemonade

Spiked Basil Lemonade

Spiked Basil Lemonade

 

20 large basil leaves, roughly torn

1/2 a lemon, cut into 6 pieces

1 batch simple syrup (see recipe below)

2 C. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 C. good-quality Vodka

Granulated sugar and a lemon wedge, for garnish

Ice

 

In a pitcher, muddle the basil and lemon pieces. Pour in the simple syrup, lemon juice and vodka. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the basil flavor to infuse into the lemonade. Strain the lemon pieces and basil leaves from the mixture and refrigerate until well chilled. To serve, set out sugar-rimmed martini glasses (run a lemon wedge around the rim of a glass and dip the rim in sugar). Shake the lemonade with ice in a martini shaker, then strain into the glasses.

Watermelon Mint Punch

Watermelon Mint Punch

Watermelon Mint Punch

 

8 fresh mint leaves, plus additional sprigs for garnish

1 large cubed seedless watermelon, pureed and strained (about 1 1/2 quarts juice)

1 1/2 C. White Rum

 

Muddle the mint in the bottom of a large pitcher, using a long wooden spoon or a muddler. Add the watermelon juice and the Rum and stir well. Serve over ice garnished with mint sprigs.

Spiked Arnold Palmer Popsicles

Spiked Arnold Palmer Popsicles

Spiked Arnold Palmer Popsicles

 

1 1/4 Cups Iced Tea

1 1/4 Cups Lemonade

1/3 Cup Citrus Vodka

Juice of Half of a Lemon (Optional)

Lemon Wedges, Sliced Thinly (Optional)

Popsicles Sticks

Popsicle Mold

 

In a pitcher, combine the Iced Tea/Lemonade juice and the citrus vodka. If you want to add a bit more lemon flavor, squeeze in the juice of half of a fresh lemon. Stir well. Pour the mixture into your popsicle molds. For a little extra pizzazz, pop a lemon wedge into each mold. Put the popsicle mold into your freezer and allow to freeze for at least 4 hours. (I let mine freeze overnight). Carefully remove each popsicle from the mold and serve!

White Peach Sangria

White Peach Sangria

White Peach Sangria

 

1 bottle Pinot Grigio or other dry white wine (750ml)

2 1/2 C. peach nectar or concentrate

2 C. club soda or other unsweetened carbonated water

1/4 C. brandy

1/4 C. granulated sugar more if needed

1/4 C. water

2-3 peaches sliced

3-4 strawberries sliced

a few mint leaves optional

 

Refrigerate Pinot Grigio, peach nectar, club soda and fruits the day before. In a large pitcher, combine Pinot Grigio, peach nectar, club soda, and brandy. Stir to mix well. In a small glass combine 1/4 C. sugar and 1/4 C. hot water to make syrup. Add syrup to pitcher. Optional: make more syrup and add more to pitcher if drink is not sweet enough. Stir to mix well Slice fruits and add to pitcher. Optional: garnish with mint leaves. Serve and enjoy!

Pixie Tangerine Mint Spritzers

Pixie Tangerine Mint Spritzers

Pixie Tangerine Mint Spritzers

 

Pixie tangerines are pale orange colored, moderately juicy, with lower acidity, and always seedless. Individual Pixie tangerines vary in shape, size and peel texture. In general, Pixies are small (1-3 inches in diameter), have a pebbly skin and are easy to peel with segments that separate easily from one another.  Typically available in April

 

3 Ojai Pixie Tangerines

8 fresh mint leaves

1 tsp. agave nectar

3 ounces Vodka or Tequila

Club Soda

Ice

 

Peel the tangerines and split each tangerine in half. Please the tangerines mint and agave in a cocktail shaker or cocktail glass and use a muddler or the long end of a wooden spoon to muddle the ingredients together. Add the Vodka or Tequila and fill the shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain the cocktails over a fresh glass of ice and top with a float of club soda.