cocktails

The BEST Gin And Tonic Cocktail To Make

Published

7 months ago

October 7, 2023

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Nothing signals summer more than the classic gin and tonic. The bracing refreshment of the quinine-a bitter beacon against the sweet/tart of the always cane sugar (never high fructose corn syrup) tonic water. Why cane sugar? First of all, the high fructose stuff is cloying and sweet. Cane sugar has depth and patience, along with a haunting sweetness; one that is neither too sweet, nor too tart and definitely not out of balance. The Gin and Tonic is more than just a sum of its parts. It is a metaphor for relaxation. Here are 5 ways to make them all for yourself.

Bourbon — Photo by Eaters Collective via Unsplash

Way Down East

2 oz. oven roasted lemonade (slice lemons in half, sprinkle with white balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp. ‘Sugar in the Raw’ then roast for two hours at 300 degrees, cool and juice, then add cane sugar to taste)
3 oz. botanical gin, such as Barr Hill, created from raw honey and local Vermont grain
1 oz. cane sugar tonic water (of your choice, but always made with cane sugar)
5 drops celery bitters
Roasted lemon rounds

Prepare the oven roasted lemonade according to the above. To a Collins glass, fill: ¾ with ice. Add the gin. Top with the oven roasted lemonade. Top that with the tonic water. Dot with the celery bitters. Garnish with a slice of roasted lemon. Serve.

Related: The BEST Delicious Whiskey Cocktails

The next take on the Gin and Tonic is with a brilliant gin from Spain that is botanical — from the gathered herbs — quite refreshing and the addition of lemon zest in the glass brings this cocktail to another level entirely. As the former cocktail had lemon juice in it that was roasted first, this cocktail is based on both a lemon oil rubbed into the walls of the cocktail glass and a few threads of saffron- combined with cane sugar simple syrup, tonic bitters and good sized splash of Stiegl Grapefruit Radler, a splendid grapefruit infused beer from Germany. I don’t see it used in cocktails much and I wonder why not?

The Intellectualist

2 oz. Mahon gin (from Spain)
1 oz. Royal Rose saffron simple syrup
4 oz. Stiegl Grapefruit Radler
4-6 drops tonic bitters
Lemon zest (no pith!)

Rub the inside of a Collins glass with the lemon zest. Add ice and set to cool. Meanwhile, in a cocktail mixing glass: fill ¾ with ice and combine the Mahon gin with the Royal Rose simple syrup. Strain over the Collins glass and ice. Dot with tonic bitters. Top with the Stiegl Grapefruit Radler. Serve. So easy!

Related: 5 Brilliant Cannabis-Infused Daiquiri Recipes

Another simple take on the classic uses ingredients that your supermarket has, I’m pretty sure of it.

The Optimistic Panda

3 oz. botanical gin, such as St. George rye gin
2 oz. lemongrass infused simple syrup — cane sugar only!*
3 oz. cane sugar tonic water
Splash of sherry (Fino style)

*smash lemongrass with the side of your chef’s knife, add to 1:1 simple syrup (cane sugar to boiling water, stir well) in the fridge overnight

Prep: To a pair of coupe glasses, pre-chill with ice and set aside to cool. To a cocktail mixing glass: fill ¾ with ice. Add the botanical gin and the lemongrass simple syrup. Stir. Strain into the coupes. Top with tonic water. Serve with a small strip of lemongrass over the top and a bar spoon of sherry.

If you love the refreshing characteristics of a Gin and Tonic in the heat of the summer to whet your appetite or sate your thirst, this Indian influenced sip is just for you!

Chai Masala Gin And Tonic

1 oz. chai tea mix (reconstituted into 3 oz. of botanical gin, such as Caorunn gin from Scotland)
Pinch of cardamom and clove powder
3 oz. cane sugar tonic of your choice

To a Collins glass filled ¾ with ice: Add the tea and gin mixture. Top with the cane sugar tonic water. Serve with brilliance and alacrity!

Ah, sage. My favorite kind of ingredient for the G&T is that leaf — a haunting reminder of the fall, easily translated to the experience of cocktail infamy with the addition of Fruitations cranberry syrup.

Related: 5 Great Ways To Use Fresh Herbs In Your Craft Cocktails

Pro-Tip: Toast the sage by lighting it on fire over a fire-proof surface and capturing the smoke inside an inverted Boston Shaker.

Smoked Sage And Cranberry Tonic And Gin

Sage leaf
Boston Shaker (well chilled to capture the smoke)
2 oz. Fruitations cranberry soda and cocktail syrup
3 oz. Bulldog gin
3 orange zests (preserved in cane sugar for a month before using)
6 oz. cane sugar tonic water

Toast sage leaf with fire, capture the smoke in your Boston Shaker. Quickly invert and fill ¾ with ice. Meanwhile, rub the inside of two double old fashioned glasses with the orange zests and deposit at the bottom of the glass. Add ice to the glass. Add the Bulldog gin to the Boston Shaker filled with sage smoke and ice. Add the Fruitations syrup. Cap and shake hard for 20 seconds. Strain into the double Old-Fashioned glasses. Top with cane sugar tonic water. Garnish with a toasted sage leaf.

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Bloody Maria

The Best Simple Tequila Cocktails

Published

4 days ago

May 5, 2024

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Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, weekends, long lunches and just to enjoy while hanging out…tequila will treat you right!

Tequila is very popular for good reason…good tequila can treat you right. 2021 was its year when it passed whiskey as the second most popular liquor. It only stands behind vodka. Celebrity tequila’s have been a huge help with George Clooney selling his Casamigos brand for $1 billion.

If you are thinking about staying in swimsuit shape, tequila is your friend – chilled and straight up is great. At 97 calories a shot, its is one of the best to drink. And it has 0g of carbs, 0g of fat per serving, and 0g of saturated fat.

So to celebrate its success, here are the best simple tequila cocktails. And for your information, all tequila is mezcal. The term mezcal refers to spirits made from the agave plant, while tequila refers to a specific type of mezcal that can only be made from blue Weber agave in five Mexican states. Reposado tequila stays in the barrel for a duration of 2 months to a year, depending on the flavor profile a distiller is looking to achieve.

Margarita — Photo by Flickr user slgckgc

Paloma

This is a classic simple cocktail to make you happy. The oragin is a bit murky but is generally credited to Javier Delgado Corona, owner of the oldest bar in Jalisco – La Capilla. More importantly – you will be just thankful for this drink and it its refreshing feeling.

Ingredients

2 ounces tequila
2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice, plus wedges for garnish
2 ounces sparkling water
½ ounce lime juice
¼ ounce agave nectar or simple syrup, or to taste
Coarse sea salt, for the rim of the glasses
Ice

Create

Salt the rim of the glass by rubbing a grapefruit wedge around the edge and dipping it onto a small plate of salt.
Mix the tequila, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, lime juice, and agave nectar into the glass. Fill the remainder of the glass with ice. Adjust sweetness to taste. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.

Mexican Mule

The Moscow Mule is a go to for some…but what about a warmer more flavorful replacement?

Ingredients

1 ½ oz. Tequila Silver or Reposado
1 lime wedge
1 wedge pineapple
4 oz. ginger beer

Create

Combine the lime wedge and pineapple (if using) in the bottom of a chilled glass or moscow mule mug
Muddle the lime with the pineapple
Add tequila and stir
Add ice and top with the ginger beer

Bloody Maria

While it is credited to have been created as a Bloody Mary alternative, it truly appeared on the scene in the 1940s. Bartender Fernand Petiot is credited with

Ingredients

Tequila Reposado or White
Mexican hot sauce
Celery salt
Black pepper
Tomato juice
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Horseradish
Celery salt
Black pepper

Create

Chill the tomato juice/mix and tequila first
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice
Strain and if time, chill. Straining removes the chunks of horseradish from the drink
Rim the glass and garnish
Serve over ice with the garnishes of your choice.

Tequila Sunrise

Big on college campuses and creating all sorts of boozy adventures – the Tequila Sunrise is delight to the taste buds.

Ingredients

2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Orange Juice
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Grenadine
Garnish with a cherry

Create

Combine tequila and juices in a shaker
Add ice, shake vigorously and strain into a glass
Add grenadine then garnish

May you enjoy these the best simple tequila cocktails morning, noon and night!

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Cadillac margarita

Rev Up WIth These Cadillac Cocktails

Published

1 month ago

April 7, 2024

admin

Cars have captured the imagination since they first appeared.

Cars have captured the imagination since the beginning. In 1885 Karl Benz developed and built the first internal-combustion engine car. The following year he received a patient and he has captured imagination ever since. From car racing to the Army Jeep to the variations of the Batmobile, autos have been a topic of fascination. Of course, in honor of it – men named cocktails after them as a double tribute to the toys they love. So here is a way to rev up with these Cadillac cocktails.

The Cadillac Margarita

While the margarita had been around for ages, the go go 80s meant things had to be bigger, better and flashier. Chain restaurants began adding Cadillac margarita to their menus with substitutions including higher-end tequilas and Grand Marnier. They floored the gas petal on sales and now appear in even the swankiest cocktail lounges.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces El Tesoro Blanco Tequila
1/2 ounce Naranja Licor de Naranja
1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 ounce agave syrup
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier, to float

Create

Rub the rim of a double Old Fashioned glass with a lime wedge, and dip a quarter of the glass in salt to coat. Set aside
Combine all ingredients except the Grand Marnier in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 25 seconds
Double-strain through a fine-mesh sieve into the prepared glass over fresh ice
Float Grand Marnier on top

Rev Up WIth These Cadillac Cocktails

Sidecar

The OG of car cocktails. This one was created in Paris during World War I. Who doesn’t speeding with a bit of danger? An American army captain named it after the motorcycle sidecar. Since then, it has been an alcohol companion many an evening.

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces cognac
3/4 ounce orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)
3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Garnish: orange twist

Create

Coat the rim of a coupe glass with sugar, if desired, and set aside
Add the cognac, orange liqueur and lemon juice to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled
Strain into the prepared glass
Garnish with an orange twist

The Rolls Royce

What grand automobile has been more associated with glamour, style and money but the Rolls Royce. While the developer of this cocktail is a bit unclear, it first appeared in Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. While not as popular as the Cadillac, it is a gin lover’s treat.

Ingredients

2½ oz gin
½ oz dry vermouth
½ oz sweet vermouth
heavy teaspoon Bénédictine
1 dash orange bitters – optional
lemon peel for garnish

Create

Chill a mixing glass
Combine ingredients in glass and fill with ice
Stir for 18-25 seconds
Strain into a chilled coupe or stemmed cocktail glass.
Squeen the juice from the lemon peel and garnish

The Monte Carlo

While the first Gran Prix was in Le Mans, Monte Carlo gave it an international glamour. Grabbing headlines and car aficionados all gathered in the tiny principality with automobiles, beautiful women and the azure sea. In the later 1930s, this cocktail sprang to life playing tribute to the race. This is not to confused with the Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Ingredients

2 ounces rye whiskey
1/2 ounce Benedictine
1 dash Angostura bitters

Create

Add rye whiskey, Benedictine and bitters into a mixing glass with ice
Stir for about 30 seconds until well-chilled.
Strain into a chilled rocks glass over a large ice cube.

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cocktails

Fun And Easy Easter Cocktails

Published

1 month ago

March 29, 2024

admin

It is a wonderful holiday market

Easter is a time to gather together with friends and/or family. While some start the day in church, many others will enjoy a libation while celebrating. The holiday is behind Mardi Gras, Christmas, Black Friday and St. Patrick’s day as a drinking holiday. But why not add a little something boozy and colorful to the day’s agenda. All of these pairs well with eggs and candy. Here are some fun and easy Easter cocktails!

The Lent Buster

Lent is a 40 day season commonly practiced by giving up something beloved (drinking, chocolate, social media) as a sign of faith and sacrifice. This cocktail was created by at the 5 Point Cafe in Seattle, Washington. Mixologist Sean Dunlap wanted something festive, fun and smooth. Regular patron Dan Luczkiewicz said the only thing wrong with this drink it is delicious and you want another! Cafe owner David Meinert agrees and it will be featured at the famed dive bar during the holiday.

Ingredients

2 oz tequila perhaps a blanco
4 oz pineapple juice
Splash of cranberry

Create

Add add to a highball glass
Pour in tequila and pineapple juice
And a splash of cranberry juice for color
Stir and enjoy!

The Peep-a-lious

Peeps are iconic to Easter since the Just Born company premiered the colorful confection in the 1950s. Why not combine a classic with vodka and make it even more enjoyable. Consider reviving a childhood tradition but instead of dying eggs, you color champagne.

Ingredients

2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 oz Blue Curacao
Diet Sprite
Blue Peep for garnish

Create

Put ice in a highball glass
Combine first three ingredients in a glass and stir
Garnish the side of the glass with a blue peep

Colorful Mimosas

The favorite drinks of brunches, mornings and early day drinking. Festive, fun and flavorful – mimosas. Consider reviving a childhood tradition but instead of dying eggs, you color champagne.

Ingredients

Chilled champagne or prosecco
Juices – consider Ruby Red Grapefruit, Mango, or Guava

Create

Pour the chilled bubbles into a champagne flute
Add enough juice to add color and a whisper of flavor
Drink and enjoy

Hot Boozy Bunny

Easter celebrates spring, but the weather doesn’t always contribute to the fun atmosphere. Here is a simple cocktail at anytime of day. It is fun and can bring back a sense of childlike wonder with the big marshmallow!

Ingredients

Granulated sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Milk
Vanilla extract
1-1.5 oz. of Baileys, Frangelico, Grand Marnier, Kahlua, Whiskey
1 big marshmallow

Create

Whisk the sugar and cocoa powder together in a small saucepan
Add the milk and whisk the mixture over medium-low to medium heat until the sugar and cocoa are dissolved and the hot chocolate is heated through
pour into a mug
Add shot of alcohol
Top with the big marshmallow!

May these spring cocktails put you in a blooming good mood.

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