Tag Archives: Drinks

Say Hola to Mezcal

Have you met tequila’s slightly more diabolical cousin, mezcal? If your palette has grown from frozen swirl margaritas, to rocks with salt, to sipping straight as an aperitif, mezcal might be your next stop.

The potent spirit comes from Oaxaca, Mexico’s culinary capital, home to such famous savory delights as mole sauce and Oaxaca cheese. Like tequila, mezcal is distilled from the extract of the agave plant. Whereas tequila is made exclusively from blue agave — its production and labeling are governed by laws similar to those for wine — mezcal can be made from 11 different varieties of agave, resulting in a wider array of flavors. Mezcal gets its signature earthy smokiness from fire-roasting the plant for two to three days in underground pits prior to distillation.

Mezcal packs such a smoky punch, it can be off-putting to the uninitiated. Think of it as splitting the difference between a good tequila (like Herradura) and a peat-intensive Scotch (such as Laphroaig). When choosing a mezcal, look for the type of agave used to make it. The most widely available category is espadin, which is rich in sugar with subtle fruit and floral notes — a good choice for mezcal newbies. Another common variety is tobala, which has a minerality and brininess along with bolder fruit flavors.

If you’ve never experienced mezcal, try it straight. Sip slowly to experience the full range of complex flavors. If you’re ready for some mezcal mixology, give one of these tasty cocktails a shake. ¡Ole!

 

Cocktail recipes The Happy Burro Mezcal

Instructions: Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker and stir to combine. Strain into martini glass garnished with lemon twist.

 

Cocktail recipe The Smoky Negroni Mezcal

Instructions: Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake vigorously; strain into chilled glass garnished with orange twist.

 

Cocktail Recipe Sangrita Mezcal

Instructions: In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine all ingredients except for sparkling water. Allow mixture to sit overnight. Top with sparkling water and serve chilled.

 

Cocktail Recipe Oaxaca Old Fashion

Instructions: Combine liquid ingredients in cocktail shaker over ice. Shake vigorously; strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Holding a lit match over the glass in one hand, quickly squeeze orange strip (orange side facing the flame) until oils spark. Drop orange peel into cocktail and serve.

 

Cocktail Recipe Mexican Grasshopper Mezcal

Instructions: In the bottom of a chilled glass, muddle mint leaves until fragrant. Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake vigorously; strain into glass. Add one squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve garnished with additional mint leaves, if desired.

5 Cocktails to Make at Your Summer Soirée

The days are getting long, lazy and hot. The perfect way to cool them down or spice them up is with a summer soirée. The last thing that should happen at your party, however, is you stuck behind a bar. You’re the host, not an on-call mixologist. Enter big batch cocktails. We asked some of our favorite bartenders to share the recipes that top their summer extravaganzas. From a Passion Pom Margarita to a Blueberry Maple Lemonade to a Sparkling Sangria, there’s a festive cocktail for every summer weekend BBQ, beachside bonfire, clambake or whatever else you’re throwing this summer.

 

Passion Pom Margarita

Passion fruit is having a moment. The small, oval, purplish red fruit is the number one flavor of margaritas according to Cassandra Rosen, who creates recipes for Soltado Tequila. And as we all know, margaritas are the ultimate summertime party drink. Rosen combines pomegranates with passion fruit for a cocktail that is chalk full of antioxidants, great for the “red” in your Red, White and Blue Independence Day plans and of course ready to party.

passion pom margarita by Soltado Tequila
Passion Pom Margarita by Soltado Tequila

Serves 8-10 cocktails

What you’ll need

8 oz. Soltado Spicy Añejo Tequila

16 oz. Passion fruit juice (like Ceres)

1/3 cup Fresh Lime Juice

2 tbs. Pomegranate Grenadine Syrup

2- 12 oz. Bottles Dry Ginger Beer

Garnish: Orange Slices and Fresh Mint

 

How it’s done

Mix the first four ingredients in a pitcher, chill overnight. To serve, fill a punch bowl with the passion fruit mixture and stir in ginger beer. Garnish. Serve over ice in mason jars or tall glasses, filled with ice.

 

The Leonardo Punch

Brandy cocktail doesn’t exactly conjure up images of the beach; but brandies actually make a great cocktail base for punches. This Leonardo Punch uses apple juice to balance out the brandy’s heaviness, while the citrus and cardamom give the drink depth and the ginger ale a pop. Make a big batch for that summer bonfire when you’ll be up all night talking around the fire.

The Leonardo Punch
The Leonardo Punch

Serves 6 cocktails

What you’ll need

2oz of lemon sugar

8 1/2 oz of clear apple juice

8 1/2 oz of ginger ale

4 oz of Amaro Lucano

4 oz of Brandy

4 bar spoons of bitter cardamom

citrus slices

 

How it’s done

Place 60 ml of lemon sugar, 250 ml of clear apple juice and 250 ml of ginger ale in a punch bowl. Add 125 ml of Amaro Lucano and 125 ml of Brandy, four bar spoons of bitter cardamom and last add the citrus slices.

 

Sparkling Sangria

Celebrating always calls for something sparkling. And while mimosas may own brunch, they’re not the only bubbly you can toast summer with this year. Simple, yet chic, this sparkling sangria from Arizona’s Salty Sow is basically summer in a glass. Light and refreshing, the effervescent, bright and fragrant elderflower and hints of citrus taste of long, lazy days. Consider it an easy departure from your old brunch standbys.

Sparkling Sangria by Salty Sow
Sparkling Sangria by Salty Sow

Serves 4 cocktails

What you’ll need

8 oz. of Elderflower Liqueur

4 Lemon Slices

4 Orange Slices

4 Grapefruit Slices

1 bottle Sparkling Wine

4 Purple Basil Leaf

Garnish Red and Green grapes

 

How it’s done

In a shaker glass, add liqueur along with fruits, basil and ice, and shake  it. Pour it into a glass and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with red and  green grapes.

 

Blueberry Maple Lemonade

Make summer even sweeter with a fresh maple syrup drink. Omni Hotels & Resorts is celebrating the sweet nectar from the mighty maple tree with maple syrup cocktails, and this Blueberry Maple Lemonades proves maple syrup is not just for breakfast. Made from Tito’s vodka, blueberry puree, fresh lemon and amber maple syrup, you can enjoy nature’s bounty with a bit of booze. The maple adds depth while the lemon cuts through the sugar.

Blueberry Maple Lemonade by Omni Hotels
Blueberry Maple Lemonade by Omni Hotels

Serves 4 cocktails

What you’ll need

6 oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka

4 oz. Lemon Juice

4 oz. Maple Syrup

1 oz Blueberry RE’AL Puree

Garnish: Skewered Blueberries + Lemon Moon

 

How it’s done

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake moderately and strain into an iced plastic cup. Garnish.

 

Summer Garden

Give your summer soirée a bit of Gatsby era glam with a gin cocktail. No extra work required. Simply throw all the ingredients in a shaker, shake and strain, and full up that pitcher for cocktails even the choosiest flapper would approve. The refreshing finish of the Rutte Celery Gin marries perfectly with lemon grass and ginger tea, creating a cocktail that can stand up to the hottest of days so you can dance the night away.

Summer Garden by Rutte & Zn.
Summer Garden by Rutte & Zn.

Serves 6 cocktails

What you’ll need
2 pints Rutte Celery Dry Gin
2 pints lemongrass ginger tea
2 slices of cucumber
2 mint leaves
1 pint honey water; 2:1 honey to water.
Extra cucumber slices and mint leaves for garnish

 

How it’s done
Shake all ingredients and double strain into a Coupette or Martini glass, or build in a pitcher to share with friends. Garnish with a cucumber slice and mint leaves.

5 Beer Cocktails to Sip This Season

Beer is having a moment. The humble brew of cereal grains, water and yeast—a staple of backyard barbecues and the corner bar has enjoyed a renaissance thanks to craft brewers. And now it’s becoming the star of cocktails. A thirst quencher, that plays well with others, beer cocktails are textured and distilled, simple but fashionable. Bartenders from Portland to West Hollywood shared some of the beer cocktails they’ve been working on. Get ready to enjoy a cold brew in a whole new way this spring.

Amaro Al Fresco

amaro al fresco palihouse west hollywood
Image: courtesy of Palihouse West Hollywood

Makes 1 cocktail

Sip your way into spring with this Peroni infused cocktail from Palihouse West Hollywood’s Shawn Shepard. The European pale lager isn’t overly hoppy and its flower notes add a refreshing lightness to the vermouth, for a libation that is deliciously smooth with soft bubbles.

What you’ll need

1 Peroni Nastro Azzurro
1 oz. Aperol
1/4 oz. Fernet Branca
1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth
Orange Peel

How it’s done

In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients with ice except Peroni and shake vigorously. Fill tall glass with new ice and add Peroni gently, strain ingredients over Peroni gently and garnish with orange peel.

 

Angry Honey Bee

Angry Honey Bee
Image: courtesy of Angry Orchard

Makes 1 cocktail

Sweeten up your spring with a bright cocktail. Jeremy Oertel of Brooklyn’s Donna uses Angry Orchard’s summer seasonal, Summer Honey, to add body, bubbles and balance to classic mixed drinks. This Angry Honey Bee with vodka, lemon juice, St. Germain and ginger will have you loving the bees, angry or not.

What you’ll need

1 oz Vodka
.75 oz Lemon Juice
.5 oz St. Germain
.5 oz Ginger Syrup
4 oz Angry Orchard Summer Honey
Candied ginger for garnish
Lemon wheel for garnish

How it’s done

Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a Collins glass with ice and top with cider. Garnish with a piece of candied ginger and lemon wheel.

 

Sam Adams Summer Ale Sangria

Summer Ale Sangria Sam Adams
Image: courtesy of Sam Adams

Makes 40, 3oz servings

Think of this as the New England twist on traditional sangria. Mixologist Trevor Frye from Washington, DC’s Jack Rose Dining Saloon worked with Boston classic Sam Adams to create cocktail recipes for a number of summer beers, on shelves now. The crisp ale has a bit of spice that balances out the sweet white wine for a refreshing sangria with bite.

What you’ll need

4¼ bottles Samuel Adams Summer Ale
2 bottles of light white wine, like a sweet Riesling
2 oz. soda water
½ cup of cognac
½ cup of apple schnapps
½ cup of simple syrup
2 honeydew melons, peeled, sliced and diced
4 oranges, cut in to wheels

How it’s done

Mix all ingredients, except the soda water, together in a large bowl, and refrigerate overnight. Add 2 oz. of soda water, and serve.

 

Kicked Up Mocha Milkshake

Spiked mocha milkshake Soltada Tequila
Image: courtesy of Soltado Tequila

Makes 1 cocktail

Get nostalgic for childhood days with an update to a milkshake. Cassandra Rose, mixologist for Soltado Tequila  offers a grown-up version of the dessert. Using creamy, dark Guinness and spicy Tequila this milkshake is sweet but not too sweet, spicy but mellow. Simple, yet indulgent.

What you’ll need

1 oz Soltado Spicy Añejo Tequila
Chocolate and coffee ice cream
2 ounces Guinness stout
Dash of chocolate bitters

How it’s done

Pour Soltado Tequila and Guinness into glass, add ice cream, top with chocolate bitters.

 

Pray For Me Maria

Pray For Me Maria Fox Restaurant Concepts
Image: courtesy of Fox Restaurant Concepts

Makes 1 cocktail

Sometimes the best way to cool down a balmy day is to spice it up. Mat Snapp, Master Mixologist of Fox Restaurant Concepts does just that with the Pray for Me Maria. Spiced tomato, tequila and chile con sal heat up this drink while the smashed cucumber and modelo especial give it a refreshing balance. Think of as a michelada style update to the classic Bloody Mary.
What you’ll need
3 slices cucumber
0.25 oz simple syrup
0.5 oz lime juice
1 oz. Don Julio tequila
2 oz. Major Peters Bloody Mary mix
1 Modelo beer
Chile con sal (chile and salt) rim
Lime wedge

How it’s done
Muddle the cucumber, simply syrup and lime juice. Add the tequila and Bloody Mary mix. Give it a quick shake and top with Modelo beer, Chile con sal and a lime wedge.

5 Cocktails That Will Make You Love Gin

Oh, gin. You complex, exotic, yet entirely misunderstood spirit. Gin has been the foundation of the spirit world before cocktails were fashionable. As a base, gin can be mixed with just about anything—bitters, sweeteners, citrus, you name it—as its distinct, juniper flavors mingle with, and even enhance, nearly every flavor profile you throw at it.

For the uninitiated, however, gin can be an overwhelming, daunting spirit that’s often overshadowed by other approach spirits such as vodka and tequila. And while a recent renaissance in classic cocktails has rendered a more educated drinking public, gin cocktails are still often overlooked.

To introduce you to this botanical spirit, consider five classic cocktails that will undoubtedly make you reconsider gin.

Last Word

Need an introduction to gin-based libations? The Last Word is the ideal candidate. Boasting incredible depth and complexity, this sweet and sharp drink is attractive and downright drinkable—despite its potency.

Equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice, this prohibition-era cocktail feels decidedly modern. Originally developed at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1920s, the drink fell out of style sometime around World Ward II, but has enjoyed renewed popularity thanks to Murray Stenson, who revived the cocktail at Seattle’s Zig Zag Café.

last word drink nicole duda
The Last Word at Bar Fausto | Photo: Nicole Duda

Served straight up and boasting an enticing pale green color—partially due to the Chartreuse—the wonderfully balanced cocktail is a little sour, a little sweet, and a little pungent. In other words, it’s the perfect sipper, no matter the season or your mood.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 34 gin
  • 34 green Chartreuse
  • 34 maraschino liqueur
  • 34 fresh lime juice
  • Twist of lime for garnish

 

French 75

Never heard of the inimitable French 75? This just may be the cocktail you’ve missed your whole life. And you wouldn’t be in bad company, either. The drink was a favorite of the Lost Generation. 

The French 75, or simply Soixante Quinze (75) in French, was first created in 1915 at New York Bar in Paris by Harry MacElhone. Named after the 75-millimeter M1897, a vicious but compact gun favored by the French field artillery in World War I, the potent cocktail was said to resemble the feeling of being shelled with the gun when consumed.

french 75 nicole duda
French 75 at Bar Fausto | Photo: Nicole Duda

Appropriately so, this little drink packs a hell of a punch. Featuring a sturdy base of gin, a smattering of sugar and lemon, and a healthy top-off of bubbly, you’ll be surprised how well the French 75 hides its liquor. Refreshing and intoxicating, the cocktail is a classic that every bartender should know and every drinker should admire.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • .5 oz Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 2 oz London dry gin or cognac
  • Champagne, chilled
  • Glass: Collins

 

Ramos Gin Fizz

If we want to get technical, fizzes encompass a number of sour-based cocktails that incorporate spirits, club soda, and lemon juice. And rightfully so, gin was the earliest spirit used in a fizz. Light, drinkable, and approachable, the first printed reference to “fizz” was in the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas’ Bartender’s Guide, which included six variations. 

gin fizz kyle cooper
Ramos Gin Fizz at Union Lodge No. 1 | Photo: Kyle Cooper

One of the most iconic interpretations, the Ramos gin fizz, was born in 1888. As legend has it, bartender Henry C. Ramos of the Imperial Cabinent Saloon on Gravier Street in New Orleans called for a 12-minute mixing time, requiring the bar to staff as many as 32 employees during the carnival of 1915 just to shake the drink.

gin fizz kylecooper
Gin Fizz at Union Lodge No. 1 | Photo: Kyle Cooper

You probably won’t get the marathon shaking time these days, but the Ramos gin fizz is still a balanced silky spectacle, thanks to its egg white and cream base, and citrus and aromatic notes, courtesy of lemon, lime, and orange flower water.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 oz. gin
  • 1 Tbsp. simple syrup
  • 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
  • 1 fresh egg white
  • 1 oz. heavy cream
  • 3 drops orange flower water
  • 1 oz. club soda, chilled
  • Glass: highball

 

Martinez

Classic? The Martinez goes beyond that. It’s a precursor of many a classic cocktail. In fact, it’s often considered the evolutionary missing link between the Manhattan and the Martini. Booze-forward and complex, the modern Martinez drinks like a Manhattan, but forgoes the oaky, vanilla notes of whiskey for the aromatics of gin.

martinez nicole duda
The Martinez at Bar Fausto | Photo: Nicole Duda

Ever the unequivocal black sheep of the cocktail world, the Martinez has a hazy past. First mentioned in O.H. Byron’s seminal The Modern Bartender in 1884, the original drink is vaguely described as “same as Manhattan, only you substitute the gin for whisky.” Byron continues with two versions of the Manhattan—both a dry and sweet variation—and no further suggestion of the Martinez. To further complicate matters, since the 1880s, no two recipes have agreed on the ratio of gin to vermouth. And several recipes printed in the early-to-mid 20th century even call for equal parts gin and dry vermouth.

Suffice it to say, this uncertainty has created a legion of devotees. While you’re apt to get riffs on an ancient, ambiguous recipe, these days, you’ll most likely be served a fairly even amount of sweet vermouth and gin, a splash of maraschino liqueur or Curaçao, and a dash or two of bitters. You’ll be drinking a piece of history that boasts an unbeatably complex, balanced taste—no matter how you mix it.

 

INGREDIENTS (Original Recipe):

  • 30ml Old Tom Gin
  • 30ml Sweet Vermouth
  • 2 dashes of Angostura biters
  • 2 dashes of Curaçao
  • Glass: coupe

 

INGREDIENTS (Modern Recipe):

  • 2 ounces gin
  • 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
  • 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur
  • Dash of Angostura bitters
  • Lemon twist for garnish
  • Glass: coupe

 

Negroni

While the Negroni’s true origins are unknown, we like to go with the legend of Count Camillo Negroni, circa 1919. As the story goes, the count invented it when he asked Fosco Scarselli, bartender at Caffè Casoni in Florence, Italy, to strengthen his favorite drink, the Americano, by replacing soda with gin. While the story’s legitimacy is hotly contested, drink historian David Wondrich has confirmed the existence of Camillo Negroni; and while his status as royalty is certainly questionable, his grandfather was, indeed, a count.

negroni nicole duda
The Negroni at Bar Fausto | Photo: Nicole Duda

As with most lore, at the end of the day, the Negroni’s true origins are nothing more than cocktail conversation. But as an actual libation, it’s one hell of a conversation starter. Slightly bitter and slightly sweet, the drink consists of equal parts Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin. Deceptively easy to perfect, yet always of a dashing, deep-red hue, the Negroni is a drink that’s truly worth of royalty status.

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 oz gin
  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz sweet red vermouth
  • Glass: old fashioned