This drink combines the herbal St. George Botanivore Gin with the slightly bitter and equally herbal Aperol and the nutty, bittersweet Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur.  The Pimento Bitters add depth of flavor and mellow the sweetness of the Luxardo.  It is a very smooth drink.  I started out with the following recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz. St. George Botanivore Gin
• 3/4 oz. Aperol
• 1/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 1 Dash Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters
• Orange peel for garnish

This ratio, 1 1/2:3/4:1/4, produces a cocktail that bolsters the herbal and floral notes of the Botanivore with the orange, slightly bitter Aperol, with the Luxardo decidedly in the background.

Next up was a ratio of 1:1:1/2

• 1 oz. St. George Botanivore Gin
• 1 oz. Aperol
• 1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 1 Dash Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters
• Orange peel for garnish

This cocktail was more balanced and significantly more bitter.  Now I like bitter, so this appeals to me, but the bitterness hides the herbal flavors just a bit.

Lastly, I used a 1:1:1, (Ah, yes, the Negroni ratio!).  To my taste, this brings the herbal flavors of the Botanivore and the Aperol in concert with the bitterness of Aperol’s cinchona.  You can actually taste the nutty, bittersweet Maraschino, helping to bring everything together.

• 3/4 oz. St. George Botanivore Gin
• 3/4 oz. Aperol
• 3/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 1 Dash Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters
• Orange peel for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine gin, Aperol, Luxardo and bitters in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass
4. Express the orange peel over the drink and discard the peel.

Which ever way you choose, don’t forget the bitters.  They really add some depth and a touch of spice.

Cheers!

This drink is based on Kathy Casey’s Luxury Gin & Tonic Cocktail with Cucumber Lime Foam.  (Follow her on Kathy Casey’s Liquid Kitchen).  I did not have all of the ingredients she called for and, besides, I generally like to mess with recipes!  This cocktail demonstrates a number of things:

• How you can substitute ingredients
• How to make your own ingredients when necessary
• Making a flavored simple syrup with fresh ingredients
• Making a rapid infusion to create a syrup
• Making a rapid infusion to create all new bitters flavors
• How you really need an iSi Whipper if you’re serious about craft cocktails at home.

Total active prep time for this cocktail was about 20 minutes.  Inactive prep time was 4 hours.  Without an iSi Whipper, there would be no foam and the infusions would have required 12-24 hours.  Bottom line, get yourself 2 or 3 iSi Whippers.

You can purchase Dry Blood Orange Soda (Dry is the brand name), and Monin Cucumber Syrup.  I used fresh blood oranges to make blood orange syrup and used that to make a blood orange soda.  I also added cardamon to the foam, cucumber to the simple syrup and substituted Luxardo for the Monin Bitters.  This cocktail doesn’t work without the foam.  With it, the drink comes alive with herbal notes from the gin and bitters, the citrus of the orange and lime and of course, the cucumber and cardamon.

Gin & Blood Orange Tonic with Cucumber Cardamon Foam

• 1 1/2 oz. Hendricks Gin
• 3 oz. Blood Orange Soda – see below
• 1/2 oz. Fresh lime juice
• 3 dashes Tonic Bitters – see below
• Cucumber Cardamon Foam – see below

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine everything except the foam in a mixing glass with ice – stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass and top with the foam.
4. Serve immediately

Blood Orange Soda

•  Zest and juice from 5 blood oranges
• 1/4 tsp Citric acid
• 1/2 – 1 Tbl. Agave to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in an iSi Whipper and swirl to combine (do not shake or particles can plug the Whipper)
2. Charge with 1 N2O cartridge and swirl for 30 seconds
3. Let sit for 30 – 60 minutes
4. Holding the Whipper upright, discharge rapidly.  Hold your hand about 10 inches over the top to prevent spraying your ceiling.
5. Let sit for a few minutes then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
6. Keeps refrigerated a few days.

To make Blood Orange Soda, combine 1 part of the Blood Orange Syrup with 3 -4 parts carbonated water.

Cucumber Simple Syrup

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 – 2 1/2 inch piece of English Cucumber

1. In a small sauce pan, bring the water and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Puree the cucumber in a food processor or with a stick blender.
4. When the syrup has simmered for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the pureed cucumber.
5. Set aside for 30 minutes.
6. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
7. Will keep refrigerated about 2 weeks.

Cucumber Cardamon Syrup

• 4 oz. Over proof vodka
• 3/4 Tbl. Cardamon pods – crushed
• 1 – 2 1/2 inch piece of English Cucumber – pureed

1. Combine all ingredients in an iSi Whipper and swirl to combine (do not shake or particles can plug the Whipper)
2. Charge with 1 N2O cartridge and swirl for 30 seconds
3. Let sit for 5 – 10 minutes
4. Holding the Whipper upright, discharge rapidly.  Hold your hand about 10 inches over the top to prevent spraying your ceiling.
5. Let sit for a few minutes then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
6. Keeps refrigerated a few weeks.

Cucumber Cardamon Foam

• 2 Sheets Gold gelatin
• 4 oz. Cucumber Cardamon Syrup
• 2 oz. Water
• 3 oz. Cucumber Simple Syrup
• 2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 4 oz. Pasteurized egg whites

1. In a small sauce pot, warm the water and syrups over medium heat.
2. In a separate dish, “bloom” the gelatin sheets in room temperature water.  They will feel soft and gummy.
3. Remove the gelatin sheets from the water and squeeze out most of the water.  Add to the sauce pot with the warm syrups.  Stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
4. Remove the sauce pot from the heat and allow to cool 10-15 minutes.
5. Add the lime juice.
6. Lightly beat the egg whites and pour through a fine mesh strainer into the the iSi Whipper.
7. Pour the cooled syrup, gelatin and lime mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the the iSi Whipper.
8. Close the whipper and shake vigorously.  Double charge the Whipper shaking between each charge.
9. Refrigerate for 4 hours or, preferably, overnight.
10. Will keep refrigerated for 10 -14 days

Tonic Bitters

• 8 oz. Luxardo Bitters Liqueur
• 1 Tbl. Ground Cinchona (Peruvian) Bark

1. Combine all ingredients in an iSi Whipper and swirl to combine (do not shake or particles can plug the Whipper)
2. Charge with 1 N2O cartridge and swirl for 30 seconds
3. Let sit for 10 – 15 minutes
4. Holding the Whipper upright, discharge rapidly.  Hold your hand about 10 inches over the top to prevent spraying your ceiling.
5. Let sit for a few minutes then strain through a fine mesh metal coffee filter (“gold” filter) and then through a paper coffer filter.
6. Pour into a bitters bottle.
7. Keeps on the shelf indefinitely – but the flavor will become more bitter over time.

Cheers!

I’m sure most of you know that this past October 21, 2015 was “Back to the Future Day.”  That was the date that Marty McFly traveled to the future in the second movie.  (and the Cubs won the World Series!)  Well, in the first movie, Marty traveled to the past – specifically November 5, 1955.  So, to mark this auspicious date, I would like to share my version of a Mid Century Martini.  You know, the type where you say the word, “vermouth!” **  Since Marty’s father was in High School at the time and was too young to drink, I’m assuming his father, Marty’s Grandfather, would be the one to enjoy a 1950’s Martini.  Thus the name “Grandfather McFly 55.”

This cocktail calls for a whisper of dry vermouth and a London style Gin.  I have chosen Bombay Sapphire.  Ford’s, Beefeater or your favorite will all work just fine!  Any dry vermouth will also do as well.  To make it truly authentic, you can open the vermouth, re-close it and let it sit at room temperature for a few months, (just kidding – sort of!).  So, here’s to Space-Time Continuum’s, Flux Capacitors and really cool Deloreans!

Grandfather McFly 55

• 1 1/2 oz. London dry Gin
• Dry vermouth
• Olive for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Pour a little vermouth into a mixing glass and swirl to coat.  Empty the mixing glass into the sink.
3. Add the Gin to the mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
4. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the olive.

** During WWII, the World’s supply of vermouth was held hostage by the Axis Powers.  Tradition has it that Winston Churchill would raise his Martini, sans vermouth, toward France and say “Vermouth.”  It wasn’t because he didn’t like vermouth, it wasn’t available!

Cheers!

This, in retrospect, is a play on the Perfect Martini.  One that combines both dry and sweet vermouth.  I came up with this idea after the vermouth seminar at Tales with Jared Brown.  He had us combining various types of vermouth and discussing how to make them.  After combining Carpano Dry and Carpano Bianco, I was hooked.  These two styles of  vermouth have become my go-to for anything calling for ‘dry.’  At first the Carpano Bianco seems slightly sweeter than the usual premium dry vermouth.  I attribute this to the rich wine flavor that comes through along with citrus and a little tropical fruit.  The Carpano Dry is a bit surprising.   The nose is wine, lemon, candied fruit and spices, but the taste is bone dry.  Alone, or in combination, these fortified wines are amazing.

I like my martini’s 2 1/2:1 or 3:1 Gin to Vermouth.  Obviously you should use your favorite ratio.  However you make them, try combining the Carpano Dry and Bianco 50/50 for the vermouth.  I have tried this with Ford’s, Plymouth, 209, Aviation, Hendrick’s and Botanivoire.  I like them all!

When it comes to the garnish, I think that citrus and olives, individually or together, drastically alter this martini.  I prefer one or two fresh herbs floating on the surface.

The Carpano Squared

• 1 1/2 oz. Gin – You’re favorite premium brand
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Dry Vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Bianco Vermouth
• Fresh herbs such as thyme and/or sage

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine the gin and vermouth’s in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Spank the fresh herbs and float them on the cocktail

Cheers!

While perusing the beer cooler at my favorite liquor store I spotted a bottle of Dogfish Head Namaste Beer. What caught my eye was the label listing orange, lemongrass, coriander and peppercorns as ingredients. We were in the process of preparing a Tonic Bar for a gathering we were hosting. The ingredients listed on the Namaste label were also going to be on our Tonic Bar. So, I thought, why not try using beer in the Gin and Tonic? It works!

We used our homemade tonic syrup. It’s easy and quick to make. However, you can purchase any of several brands of Tonic Syrup. We enjoy Jack Rudy’s and Liber & Co. When making tonic water from tonic syrup, you combine the syrup with carbonated water. This recipe substitutes beer for the carbonated water. So, whatever tonic syrup you’re using, just substitute the carbonated water with beer. Beer’s better than water anyway!

I used Hendrick’s Gin for this cocktail.  The herbal qualities of their gin worked perfectly with the Namaste.  Whichever gin you choose, when preparing this cocktail, try to pour slowly and stir carefully to reduce foaming.

• 2 oz Hendrick’s Gin
• 1 ½ oz tonic syrup
• 4 ½ oz Dogfish Head Namaste
• Orange peel for garnish – optional

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
2. Strain into chilled glass over fresh ice

Cheers!

#foogallery-gallery-2205 .fg-image { width: 150px; }

Tepache is pineapple, top removed, chunked, unpeeled, juiced, then mixed with a few spices and sugar and allowed to ferment, uncovered, first at room temperature and then in the refrigerator, with whatever is in the air, for one week.  If pineapple juice and hard cider had a baby – it would be tepache.  This favorite street drink of Mexico is tropical and slightly pungent with a little funk.  Traditionally served alone or with Mexican beer, tepache is making its way onto cocktail menus all over the US.

It first came to my attention when I read a Bon Appétit post last Summer.  Then this past July, I spotted an article about a DIY tepache in Imbibe .  When I noticed that the recipe was from our friends at Victor Tangos, my curiosity was truly peaked.  Victor Tangos is one of the restaurants I try to visit when we’re in Dallas.  So, I absolutely had to head over there at my first opportunity.

When I had a chance to discuss Victor Tangos’ version with Manager Matt Ragan, he said their tepache is basically just the way Bartender Alejandro Galindo’s mother used to make hers.  According to Matt, they make their tepache in the restaurant and there is little, if any, variation between batches.  They have used it in several cocktails, mainly Tiki drinks, substituting tepache for pineapple juice.  During my visit a few weeks ago, they were offering the Tomar de los Muertes, which eschews the rum and combines mezcal and tequila.  Matt says that the tepache cocktails have been well received and will continue on the menu for awhile.

I used Alejandro’s recipe, which is simple and came out very similar to what I had at Victor Tangos.  It was good at the end of the seven days proscribed in the recipe, but got better when allowed to ferment another ten days.  You don’t have to make your own – just ask at your favorite liquor store. We tried it alone, with beer and in a few different cocktails.  I found that the cocktails are best if the amount of tepache is equal to, or less than, the volume of hard spirit.  Otherwise, it overwhelms the drink.  We settled on 3 favorites: a Tiki variation, a tequila/amaro combination and a gin cocktail.

The Potted Tepache Parrot

This is a riff on Trader Vic’s Potted Parrot using tepache rather than orange juice.  I also increased the orgeat.  The flavors of the ingredients all come through: the rum, the tart/funky tepache, the orgeat and a hint of lemon.  Here’s the recipe:

• 2 oz. Cruzan white rum
• 2 oz. tepache
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. curacao
• 1/4 oz. simple syrup
• 1/2 oz. orgeat
• 12 oz. crushed ice

1. Chill a Double Old Fashioned glass with ice and water
2. Shake all ingredients with crushed ice
3. Pour unstrained into chilled  glass

Next up is:

The Tepache Tease

The bright flavor of the tequila adds to the tropical pineapple while the plum/cherry notes in the Bonal plays with the pungency of the tepache.

• 2 oz. Tepache
• 2 oz. Plata Tequila such as Milagro
• 1/4 oz. Bonal
• 1 dash 2:1 simple syrup

1. Chill a Double Old Fashioned with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
3. Strain over fresh ice in chilled glass

And finally:

The Tepache Cocktail

This proves you can have an elegant cocktail that uses pineapple!  

• 1 oz. Plymouth Gin
• 3/4 oz. Tepache
• 1/4 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1 dash (1/8 tsp) 2:1 simple syrup

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass and serve

Cheers!

As busy host/hostess, anytime you can offer a fun, engaging, self-serve cocktail bar, expect your guests to rave about your entertaining prowess!  A tonic bar is a simple way to allow your guests open access to create their own drinks while you get to enjoy your party too.  Its versatility works great for casual outdoor gatherings and equally well for holiday festivities.

Before we address the blue print for a great libation station, let’s look at the recent transformation of the venerable Gin and Tonic.  About ten years ago, the “Gin Tonic” became the rage in Spain.  Bars developed their own, proprietary Tonic Waters with which they prepared beautiful cocktails in over-sized, stemmed wine glasses, filled with colorful fresh citrus and herbs.  Drinking establishments take pride in featuring their version of the “Gin Tonic.”

The most important ingredient in gin, and the one necessarily present in all gins, is juniper. Beyond that, it’s the Wild West, because there is no minimum amount of juniper required for a spirit to be labeled ‘gin.’  A single juniper berry in a vat of spirit qualifies as ‘gin.’

I had an opportunity to discuss Gin and Tonics with Jason Kosmas, Co-founder of The 86 Company, (Fords Gin among others), Co-founder of Employees Only and Co-author of Speak Easy. According to Jason, just about any premium brand of gin can be used for Gin and Tonics.  Jason prefers that juniper be an actual flavor present in gin, followed by citrus and various herbs.  When determining what will go best with any particular gin, Jason encourages us to “read the back label” and see what is in the gin.  With Fords Gin, he suggests creating a cocktail with the addition of grapefruit, coriander, lemon, and jasmine.

When it comes to tonic water, there are several good premium brands readily available.  Jason mentioned Fever Tree, East Imperial and Q Tonic.  He looks for natural ingredients and sugars.  The flavor should be quinine first and dry rather than sweet.

For garnishes, Jason looks to rosemary for “woodsy,” and he likes grapefruit, dries spices, star anise, aromatic berries such as strawberry, cucumber and/or fresh lavender.  For sweeteners, he recommends agave, dried flowers and even herbal tea blends.

Of course, as Jason says: “It can’t be a Gin Tonic without the big, stemmed wine glass!”

The Tonic Bar

To engage your guests with making their own Gin Tonics, set your Tonic Bar up in an easily accessible area where multiple people can be actively concocting.  Your actual tonic bar can be as minimalist or as expansive as you like.  You can offer only a single gin, vodka or rum, or multiple choices of each.  We include little tasting cups so that our guests can sample the spirits before selecting one.  (The plastic tasting cups were one lifetime supply purchase from Costco – approximately a thousand for $10!)

Fever Tree, Tonic Syrups for Rum and for Gin

Now for the tonic water.  We like to offer at least one house made tonic syrup.  A small amount of tonic syrup is added to carbonated water in the drink to make tonic water, (our recipes are here).  These syrups are designed for a specific spirit and make wonderful cocktails.  However, we have found that while our guests like it when we make one these for them, when left on their own, they will usually opt for bottled tonic water.   We continue to offer the tonic syrup, but we always include one premium brand of tonic water – usually Fever Tree.  We also use the small bottles so that there is no measuring required.

However many choices of spirit you offer, don’t skimp on the garnishes.  Arrange bunches of fresh herbs in single old fashioned glasses, with small bowls of sliced citrus and berries.  If some of your herbs are less than attractive, pinch off the leaves and present them in small bowels as well.  Release your imagination with the variety of flavors, colors and textures of garnishes and the containers in which you offer them.  The more inviting the presentation, the more your guests will be encouraged to experiment and enjoy their mixology talents. Here are some suggestions:

Set up your Tonic Bar where it is easily accessible

Little recipe placards make it easy for your guests

As noted above, set your Tonic Bar up in an easily accessible location.  We use a round table.  Set out your bottles of spirits, a few bottles of tonic water along with a bottle opener, and garnishes.  You might want to set your glassware and ice bucket on a separate counter.  This will minimize the chance that they get knocked over while someone is reaching for ingredients.  We always include a written recipe with suggestions of garnishes for each spirit.  This will eliminate any anxiety your guests may have over not knowing what to make.  You want to keep it simple and fun.

A knife and cutting board allows guests to prepare their own garnishes

To get things started, make up a Gin Tonic so everyone can see how it’s done.  Those guests can then show any late comers when they arrive.  You will then only need to refresh any garnishes, tonic water bottles and ice.

Recipe for Gin, Rum or Vodka Tonics

• 2 oz Spirit – either Gin, Rum or Vodka
• 6 oz. Tonic Water (1 1/2 oz Tonic Syrup and 4 1/2 oz. Carbonated Water)
• Optional dash of simple syrup for gin or vodka/demerara simple syrup for rum
• Garnish – see below

 Instructions:

1. Add ice cubes to a large, stemmed wine glass
2. Add garnishes except for any citrus peels for expressing
3. Add your Spirit of choice
4. Slowly add the Tonic Water (or Tonic Syrup followed by the carbonated water).
5. Express any citrus peels and serve

Suggested Garnishes:

Rum Tonic with House Made Tonic Syrup

We have found that our guests enjoy the opportunity to experiment with the Tonic Bar.  By offering multiple choices of gin, vodka and rum along with a myriad of garnishes, you enable your guests to explore a range of Gin Tonics.  Our guests tend to lower the amount of spirit in each drink thus allowing themselves to try multiple variations.  If some of your guests may be a little more stayed or if you just wish to expand the offerings, set out a few old fashioned glasses so someone can make a standard Gin or Vodka and Tonic.  Throw in a bottle of vermouth and martini glasses and your guests can head down that road.  As always, we offer self serve wine and beer along with non-alcohol options.

Cheers!

I enjoy gin drinks and bitter drinks.  I also appreciate cocktails that are herbal and complex.  The Mélange d’Or combines the flavors of Hendrik’s Gin, Carpano Blanco, Carpano Dry and Tempus Fugit’s Kina L Avion d’Or.  Then I threw in Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Aromatic Bitters for an additional level of complexity.

Here’s the recipe:

• 2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Dry
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Blanco
• 1/4 oz. Kina L Avion d’Or
• 2 – 3 drops Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Aromatic Bitters
• Fresh Sage leaf or lemon peel for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all of the ingredients, except the garnish, with ice in a mixing glass.  Stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Garnish and serve

Cheers!

The Wellington

Treaty Oak Distilling is aging their gin in whiskey barrels to create their Waterloo Antique Gin.  This is truly a unique gin.  It has the sweet caramel nose that you would expect from the barrel aging but with the addition of the herbaceous input of gin.  The flavors are citrus, spice and herbs with a finish of charred oak that is long and smooth.   We combined this with Italian vermouth and Amaro.

• 1 1/2 oz. Waterloo Antique Gin
• 1/2 oz. Carpano Antica Vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Averna Amaro
• Lemon peel for garnish

1. Stir the first three ingredients in a mixing glass with ice to chill
2. Strain into a chilled coup
3. Express the lemon peel over the drink and float the peel

Cheers!

I think that Fords Gin cries out for grapefruit.  It so happens that grapefruit is one of the primary flavors in Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s tonic recipe.  His quinine syrup, that you can add to club soda to make tonic water, is simple and takes less than an hour to make.  I thought that including the quinine syrup directly with the drink would make an interesting bitter sweet addition.  I believe I was correct!  Here’s the recipe:

G-n-Tini

• 1 1/2 oz. Fords Gin
• 1/2 oz. Dolin Sweet Vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Quinine Syrup – see here
• Grapefruit peel for garnish

1. Stir the first three ingredients in a mixing glass with ice to chill
2. Strain into a chilled coup
3. Express the grapefruit peel over the drink and float the peel

Cheers!