Tag Archives: cocktail

Fireside Cocktail

Uncategorized, ,

Let’s just say, our rendition was essentially a spicy Manhattan. With no high-end brandy or cognac, we substituted Bourbon. And instead of an apple slice, we used an orange peel. However you make it, this cocktail is perfect for a cool evening… by the fireplace perhaps?

According to America’s Test Kitchen, a Fireside is, when you get down to basics, a warmly spiced version of a brandy old-fashioned, a gentler version of the traditional whiskey-based cocktail. Intriguingly, the brandy old-fashioned is the unofficial cocktail of the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, making those states the two top consumers of brandy in the nation.

To make this Fireside, first replace the bourbon with brandy (for a luxe version, you could even use cognac), which has a flavor profile featuring dried fruit and subtle warm spices. Next, add a conservative amount of Spiced Syrup, which is made with cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. These warm baking spices further emphasize the dried fruit flavors in the bourbon.

Citrus bitters provide the right amount of zingy brightness—think of it as not unlike the lemon juice that’s added to the very best spiced apple pie fillings. The optional Pumpkin Pie Spice Rim Sugar will further bump up the warmly spiced elements, plus add a little sweetness. 

Fireside Cocktail

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup Pumpkin Pie Spice Rim Sugar (see below)
  • 2 oz. of top-shelf bourbon
  • 1 tsp. spiced syrup (see below)
  • ⅛ tsp. citrus bitters
  • orange peel slice

Directions

  1. Spread sugar, if using, into even layer on small saucer. Moisten about ½ inch of chilled old-fashioned glass rim by running orange wedge around outer edge; dry any excess juice with paper towel. Roll moistened rim in sugar to coat. Remove any excess sugar that falls into glass; set aside.
  2. Add brandy, spiced syrup, and bitters to mixing glass, then fill three-quarters full with ice. Stir until mixture is fully combined and well chilled, about 30 seconds. Fill prepared glass half-full with ice or add 1 large cube. Strain cocktail into glass. Garnish with apple slice and serve.

Spicy Syrup

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 5 oz. water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 allspice berries, lightly crushed
  • 4 whole cloves

Heat sugar, water, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, and cloves in small saucepan over medium heat, whisking often, until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes; do not boil. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Strain syrup through fine-mesh strainer into airtight container; discard solids.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice Rim Sugar

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice

Whisk all ingredients together in bowl until combined.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen

Frozen Negroni

Uncategorized, , , , , ,

A perfect libation solution to cap off the end of summer on a hot 90-some degree day at a BBQ with friends—a FROZEN NEGRONI. And since the temps are going to be soaring all week in the Mid-Atlantic area, don’t miss the opportunity to indulge.

This frozen version of the classic Italian cocktail is slushy, bittersweet, and just strong enough. Preferably slurped in the sun by a pool, it starts with the traditional 1:1:1 ratio of gin, vermouth, and Campari, then gets a dose of citrusy brightness from the addition of orange juice.

OJ does double duty here, working not only to balance the drink’s flavors but also to lower its ABV—the key to creating a mixture that will stay frozen for longer than all of three minutes. The result is a smooth, refreshing cocktail that promises to be your new warm weather fave. Consider using store-bought orange juice for an extra boost of sweetness to offset the wonderfully bitter notes of Campari. Of course, a bit of orange zest is also a welcome addition.

You’ll need a blender for this recipe, and a bit of foresight—freezing the mixture in advance is an essential step for a slushy consistency. This recipe makes eight drinks, and it is recommended you make it in full (or go ahead and double it), even if you’re serving fewer people. Keep any remaining mixture stashed in your freezer for drinks on demand all season long.

For a more aromatic garnish, add a sprig of rosemary to the orange peel twist.

Frozen Negroni

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups Campari
  • 1½ cups gin
  • 1½ cups sweet vermouth
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • Orange slices (for serving)
  • Orange zest (optional)

Directions

  1. Mix 1½ cups Campari, 1½ cups gin, 1½ cups sweet vermouth, and 1 cup fresh orange juice in a pitcher to combine. Divide evenly between 2 airtight containers. Cover negroni base and freeze until semi-frozen (it won’t fully freeze because of the alcohol), at least 8 hours.
  2. When ready to serve, transfer 1 container of negroni base to a blender and add 4 cups ice. Blend on high speed until drink is thick and smooth. Divide among 4 glasses and garnish with orange slices. Repeat with remaining negroni base and another 4 cups ice if making all 8 servings, or save for another sunny day.
  3. Do Ahead: Negroni base can be made 1 month ahead. Keep frozen.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Alaina Chou for Bon Appétit

Bijou Cocktail

Uncategorized, , , ,

The Bijou is a gem made with four different liquors. You can craft this classic cocktail at home in just five minutes, then sit back and relax… How about this adult libation for New Year’s Day?

Bijou Cocktail

  • Servings: 2 drinks
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. dry gin
  • 2 oz. green Chartreuse
  • 2 oz. sweet vermouth
  • 2 dash orange bitters
  • 2 maraschino cherry, optional garnish
  • 2 lemon peels, garnish
  • Ice cubes

Directions

  1. Combine the gin, green Chartreuse, sweet vermouth and orange bitters in a mixing glass.
  2. Add several ice cubes and stir until the liquids are mixed and chilled.
  3. Strain into two coupe or martini glasses.
  4. Garnish with lemon peel and a maraschino cherry after you express the rim of the glass with the lemon peel.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Cocktail recipe courtesy of Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Christmas Martini

Uncategorized, , , , ,

Cheers, here’s to Christmas! For a delicious holiday drink you can quickly whip up, just mix the following ingredients, shake them up and let the party begin! We prefer cocktails that are not sweet, but if you prefer them more sugary, use regular cranberry juice instead of the unsweetened variety.

You can substitute cranberry vodka in place of blood orange vodka if necessary.

Christmas Martini

  • Servings: 2 drinks
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. dried cranberries
  • 3⁄4 cup unsweetened cranberry juice (such as Ocean Spray)
  • 1⁄2 cup blood orange vodka
  • 1⁄4 cup Triple Sec liqueur
  • 1 cup ice

Directions

  1. Place the cranberries and two tablespoons of water in a small bowl, cover and microwave for 30 seconds. Set aside and cool completely, about 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile combine the cranberry juice, blood orange vodka, Triple Sec and ice in a large cocktail shaker, put the lid on and shake for a full 30 seconds.
  3. Place the cranberries in each of two martini glasses and pour in the cocktail mixture. Serve ice cold.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Corpse Reviver No. 2

Uncategorized, , ,

Odd name for a refreshing unique drink with bright, citrusy, herbal and anise flavors. But if you need to purchase all of the liquor that comprises this cocktail, it may put you in a tail spin and a need to be revived!

Luckily, we had all of it except the absinthe, and that alone is quite pricey. Since the libation uses a minuscule amount, you may want to consider using Herbsaint (prices vary), or dry anisette (much more reasonable), in place of the absinthe.

We both gave it two thumbs up. A refreshing tipple that would revive any corpse!

Corpse Reviver No. 2

  • Servings: 2 cocktails
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. London dry gin
  • 2 oz. Lillet Blanc
  • 1 1/2 oz. orange liqueur
  • 1 1/2 oz. lemon juice¼ ounce 
  • Simple Syrup
  • 1/4 oz. absinthe
  • Orange twists

Directions

  1. Add gin, Lillet Blanc, liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, and absinthe to cocktail shaker, then fill with ice. Shake mixture until fully combined and well chilled, about 15 seconds.
  2. Double-strain cocktail into two chilled cocktail glasses. Garnish with orange twist and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

From “How to Cocktail” by America’s Test Kitchen

Autumn in New England

Uncategorized, , ,

It’s not Autumn, and I’m not in New England, but this cocktail still works on a number of levels. While this may sound like a book or movie title, it’s actually an adult libation we found in our copy of America’s Test Kitchen’s book “How to Cocktail.” They point out that apple and sage are a pairing that taste as if they were always meant to be together, and that’s why this drink works. The piney, slightly astringent notes of the sage are mellowed by the bright sweetness of apples.

A couple of sage leaves are muddled in maple syrup to infuse with herbal flavor. Apple cider’s sweet, slightly fermented flavor adds even more depth, as does the smoky, caramelized bourbon. Keeping with the apple theme, a bit of cider vinegar with its bracing acidity adds another touch of savoriness to balance things out.

Cheers!

Autumn in New England Cocktail

  • Servings: 2 drinks
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 6 sage leaves, plus small sprigs for garnish
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 4 oz. bourbon
  • 2 oz. apple cider
  • 1⁄2 oz. cider vinegar

Directions

  • Add sage leaves and syrup to base of cocktail shaker and muddle until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add bourbon, apple cider, and vinegar, then fill shaker with ice. Shake until just combined and chilled, about 5 seconds
  • Double-strain cocktail into old-fashioned glasses half-filled with ice, or containing one large cube.
  • Garnish with sage sprigs and serve.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Try on a Tuxedo No. 4

Uncategorized, , ,

Need a new riff on a martini? Well, maybe the word “need” is a bit too strong, but why not imbibe in one of these sophisticated libations? This is a tasty twist on a Dry Martini but it has no vermouth, it uses sherry instead, so it isn’t really a Dry Martini after all… do you really care?

A classic 19th century tipple that originated at the Waldorf-Astoria Bar in upstate New York, it is bone dry and aromatic with green grape, citrus and mineral notes, and garnished with orange peel. Alternatively, you may consider dressing this cocktail with an olive, as one suits it.

recipe title=”Tuxedo No. 4 Cocktail” servings=”1″ time=”2 min” difficulty=”easy”]

Ingredients

  • 2 1⁄2 oz. dry gin
  • 1⁄2 oz. fino sherry
  • 3 dashes orange bitters
  • Strip orange peel, for garnish

Directions

  1. Add gin, sherry and bitters to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake vigorously until very cold.
  3. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with orange peel.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

[/recipe]

Put a Little Sizzle in Your Swizzle

Uncategorized, ,

We were a little late to the party with this libation because it really is more of a summer drink and it had just turned Autumn when we made it for the first time. BUT, didn’t bother us one iota, the Chartreuse Swizzle was just the ticket for our pre-dinner Sunday evening cocktail.

Story behind the drink? According to author James O’Bryan, “If there were a Nobel Prize for cocktails, Marcovaldo Dionysis would win one for the Chartreuse Swizzle. As a drink, it is novel to the point of being avant-garde, yet brilliant in its simplicity. Some delicious drinks are obvious—anyone can add strawberries to a Daiquiri or sub mezcal into a Negroni or something—but to take a 110 proof liqueur, made by a silent order of French monks from 132 different ingredients, and not only use it as the base spirit of a drink (already a crazy choice) and to spin that drink in a tropical direction (again, crazy), but to take something that unusual and turn it one of the most viscerally delicious cocktails in the pantheon of modern classics is worth a trip to Stockholm, to say the least. It’s way better than discovering an element.”

Prior to this adult beverage, we had never heard of Velvet Falernum. Upon a little research we found out some cocktail ingredients sound stranger than they are, and Velvet Falernum falls right into this camp. But this Caribbean cocktail ingredient is easy to love, and that we did! A staple of many tiki drinks, Falernum comes either as a sugarcane syrup or as a liqueur, spiced with clove, lime, and generally ginger and almond.

The version we used, the most widely available in liquor stores, is John D. Taylor Velvet Falernum—a low-proof liqueur (11% alc/vol, while the Chartreuse is 55% alc/vol!) with all of those classic Caribbean flavors. Due to its provenance (hailing from Barbados), Falernum is most often paired with rum, and it’s a smart combination. But this intriguingly spiced, sweet-tart liqueur is quite versatile.

Although fresh out of mint leaves, we garnished ours with a lime slice. And so it was, on an early Autumn evening we fell in love… again…

Chartreuse Swizzle

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz. Green Chartreuse
  • 1/2 oz. Velvet Falernum
  • 1 oz. pineapple juice, preferably fresh
  • 3/4 oz. lime juice, preferably fresh

Directions

  1. Add ingredients to a tall glass. Add half full with crushed ice and stir or “swizzle,” which is to just agitate back and forth like a washing machine.
  2. Swizzle for about 7 to 10 seconds, until the glass starts to frost up, then top with more crushed ice.
  3. Garnish with a mint sprig and a grind of fresh nutmeg.

http://www.lynnandruss.com