April 20, 2018
Ah, springtime. It’s when the flowers are blooming, everything is starting to wake up (in a way), the heavy coats are dropped to the ground to be replaced by lighter coats, or hoodies, even, and the drinks are flowing like the pollen which, really, I’d rather avoid if possible. It’s also the season (why not?) for remembering past loves, from years gone by, and picturing those idyllic springtime moments with said past loves, when you walked through fields of flowers, hand-in-hand, never knowing that one would someday be forgotten. Here, of course, the past love I’ve talking about is this delicious drink, which if I remember right once won me a mixing glass in some contest or other. Happily, unlike some past love, this one is easy – and smart – to rekindle. It is springtime, after all.
The Flowering Grape
Ice cubes
2 ounces Pierre Ferrand Cognac
1 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 ounce raspberry vinegar syrup (I detail how to make raspberry vinegar syrup here)
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add everything. Shake well.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Laugh heartily.
Tags: cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Cognac, Friday Night Cocktail, lemon juice, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, raspberry vinegar syrup, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, The Flowering Grape, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Cognac, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
April 13, 2018
Wowsa, it’s been many a moon since I’ve had this charmer (which featured prominently along with 49 other beauts in Wine Cocktails). As you might expect from the title, it uses saké (which, admittedly, makes it an interesting fit in Wine Cocktails, but a delicious one, and those were interesting times, good times, for sure, but interesting if you know what I mean, and I’m sure you do). I like a slightly dry saké here, by the way, but really, most decent versions are gonna make a swell drink, a drink highlighted by the inclusion of coromandel gooseberry, better known as Star Fruit and also known as kamranga or five- finger fruit. All of which makes me want more names (A.J. Rathbun, better known as drinkaranga), and another one of these.
The Saké’d Saint
2 star fruit slices
1 lemon wheels
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces saké
1-1/2 ounces St-Germain liqueur
1/4 ounce apricot brandy
1. Add 1 star fruit slice and the lemon wheel to a cocktail shaker. Using a muddler, muddle well.
2. Fill the cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the saké, St-Germain, and apricot brandy. Shake extra well.
3. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the second star fruit slice.
Tags: apricot brandy, cocktail, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, lemon, saké, St-Germain liqueur, star fruit, The Saké’d Saint, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking, Wine Cocktails
April 6, 2018
This is based, as you can probably guess from the name, on the classic Scotch cocktail the Blood and Sand. To make it more huggy (not that the original isn’t huggy, mind you), I switched up said Scotch with local (for those of us living in Seattle, WA, that is, though really, hopefully, wherever you are you can track this down, too) Captive Spirits’ Peat Barreled Big Gin (PBBG). Rested or aged or finished as you will in casks that once held also-local Westland’s Peated American single malt whiskey, the PBBG has a swell juniper, orange, smoke, pepper, spice, and northwest-y nature that goes like a cuddly cuddle here. Try it, and then give me a hug if you like it (if you feel that’s too weird, a high-five is good, too). If making in summer, you may want to have it over the rocks instead of up. If it’s real hot, that is.
Hugs and Sand
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounce Captive Spirits’ Peat Barreled Big Gin
1/2 ounce Punt e’ Mes Italian vermouth
1/2 ounce Cherry Heering
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with ice cubes. Add everything. Shake well.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass.
Tags: Captive Spirits’ Peat Barreled Big Gin, Cherry Heering, cocktail, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, Hugs and Sand, Italian vermouth, orange juice, Punt e’ Mes, sweet vermouth, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Liqueurs, Recipes, vermouth, What I'm Drinking
March 30, 2018
First things first – this here cheek-tinger has a crucial ingredient not always available easily in the US. You can track it down sometimes online. And you can find it simply enough by traveling to the U.K. And really, you need a vacation right? I’m talking about Glayva liqueur, which is made in Leith, Scotland, through a combo of aged Scotch whiskies, citrus fruits, anise, clove, herbs, a whisper of heather honey, and more treats. It’s well worth trying and tracking down. Especially for this charming charmer, which mixes Glayva with old pal gin (a good U.K. gin makes sense, and I like one in a London traditional sense), cranberry, and orange juice, all together into a treat that will make your day, and your favorite favorite’s day, too.
Scottish Blush, from Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces gin
1 ounce Glayva
1/2 ounce cranberry juice
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
Lime wheel, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin, Glayva, cranberry juice, and orange juice. Shake well.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass and garnish with the lime wheel.
Tags: cocktail, cocktail recipe, cocktails, cranberry juice, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, Glayva, lime, orange juice, Scottish Blush, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
March 23, 2018
It seems like spring should be in full force now, right? If, wherever you are, it doesn’t feel like spring, then, hey, knock back a couple of these springtime delights, and you’ll feel the presence of spring in your soul, no matter what the temperature and sky shading. Why, you ask? It could be the gin (I like a gin with solid juniper here, but a few orange and floral notes sure won’t hurt either), or the lemon juice or grenadine (use homemade for gosh sakes) with their tangy tangs, or even the fruity garnishing. But I think, even moreso perhaps, it’s the Yellow Chartreuse (you may have guessed I’d say that from the title)! With a recipe of 130 plants (a recipe known only to two monks, who also are the only two who know the secret macerating and aging processes), it’s surprisingly smooth, delicate almost, a little sweet, and with lovely botanical and herb layers. A perfect partner for your springtime sipping.
Chartreuse Daisy, from Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz
Cracked ice
2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 ounce grenadine
1 ounce Yellow Chartreuse
Strawberry, for garnish
Orange slice, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with cracked ice. Add the gin, lemon juice, and grenadine. Shake very well, until the shaker gets frosty.
2. Fill a goblet three-quarters up with cracked ice. Strain the mixture over the ice. Stir briefly. Float the Chartreuse over the ice, and stir again briefly. Garnish with the strawberry and the orange slice.
Tags: cocktail, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, grenadine, lemon juice, The Chartreuse Daisy, What I’m Drinking, Yellow Chartreuse
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
March 16, 2018
This all-time St. Patrick’s Day dreamweaver is one I suggest to every person I know for celebrating on March 17, cause it’s delicious, sure, and so much better than the array of chemically-green’d beer and such often served on the day. But also cause it was created by Jeremy Sidener, a true gentleman from Kansas, of which there aren’t many – true gentlemen, that is. The Dublin 8’s also fantastically refreshing. So, what are you waiting for? Might as well start celebrating now, right?
The Dublin 8
Ice cubes
2 ounces Irish whiskey (I originally used Clontarf 1014 in this, but others would shine as well)
3 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
3 ounces chilled ginger ale or ginger beer
Lime quarter for garnish
Lime slice for garnish
1. Fill a highball glass, or similarly-sized glass, three quarters up with ice cubes. Add the whiskey.
2. Add the orange juice and ginger ale.
3. Squeeze a lime wedge over the glass, and then drop it in. Stir gently. Garnish with the slice of lime.
Tags: cocktail, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, ginger beer, Irish whiskey, lime, orange juice, St. Patrick's Day Drinks, The Dublin 8, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Recipes, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
March 13, 2018
Recently (okay, it was like three months ago – but hey, time flies and all that), I was lucky enough to stop into the genius and amazing Seattle bar Rob Roy during their flurry of holiday amazement. Seriously, Scrooge would have come around twice as quick if he would have just stopped in the Rob Roy. One of the dandy drinks I have there was the Truffled Tom and Jerry, a long-time hit from their cocktail advent calendar. You can’t pick it up there now (cause it’s March!), but I did write the Truffled Tom and Jerry recipe up for Seattle magazine. So, party like it’s the holidays year round!
March 9, 2018
There are bad days, then there are good days, there are days a little mundane, and days like chocolate ice cream. Days like a wasp sting and days like really good cheddar cheese, slightly sharp. First days, third days, last days. And then there are days when you gain the nickname Lucky, because you received a bottle of Flor de Caña’s Añejo Oro rum in the mail, like I did recently.
Flor de Caña’s Añejo Oro gold rum is a rum aged four years, which has won a big handful of awards, including 2005’s Best in Class award at the International Wine & Spirits Competition, and which has a pretty amber coloring and – even more pretty – a flavor of caramel, cane, coconut, pepper, and all the island memories that you could want. It goes well with a big chunk of ice, or a big glass of soda, but also in cocktails with a few well-matched and well-balanced ingredients.
The balance is important, because you don’t need to overwhelm this rum when it’s used as a base, more accenting it around the edges, which is the direction I went, just bringing in a few supporting players. Starting with a local hit, Lucky Falernum. You might not think island-style would sprout outside of Seattle, but this Lucky’s crafted by broVo Spirits (a distillery that’s also in Woodinville, just outside of Seattle), and is a high-proof falernum bursting with spice and fruit addition. My next step was another island cuddler, Pierre Ferrand orange curaçao, a dry, citrus, legend.
A little simple syrup to round the edges and make everything cozy, and we almost reached the beach (or, to tie it back, earned the nickname). But I felt just a bit more, something was needed, and after trying this, and trying that, I went off the sand somewhat, while still keeping the sun shining, adding a few dashes of Scrappy’s Orleans bitters. Scrappy’s Orleans Bitters is a New Orleans style bitters as you might surmise. Another Seattle standout, Scrappy’s Orleans carries a spice (anise, cinnamon, citrus) and floral suitcase that proved ideal for our island vacation. Now, you just need to decide on that nickname.
Enjoy the Nickname
Ice cubes
2-1/2 ounces Flor de Caña Añejo Oro gold rum
1/2 ounce broVo Lucky Falernum
1/2 ounce Pierre Ferrand orange curaçao
1/4 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes Scrappy’s Orleans bitters
Lemon twist, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add all of the liquid ingredients. Shake well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.
Tags: broVo Lucky Falernum, cocktail, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Enjoy the Nickname, Flor de Caña Añejo Oro Rum, Friday Night Cocktail, Pierre Ferrand orange curaçao, Rum, Scrappy's Bitters, Scrappy’s Orleans bitters, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: bitters, Cocktail Recipes, Liqueurs, Recipes, Rum, What I'm Drinking
