But it also had to please and impress the crowd. That would be a challenge because of the varied tastes–from Shannon’s sophisticated palette, to my mom’s “just a half a glass of wine please” moderation, to my sister-in-law’s “frozen margaritas are the best” attitude (just kidding Pam…you can make fun of me in the comments below!). I also knew there were those who exclusively drink gin. And those who exclusively drink vodka. And I, personally, find Rose’s Lime Juice repellent. So what to do?

Rather than inventing something entirely new I decided to experiment with something that appears on a variety of cocktail menus, the Basil Gimlet, as follows….

The Basil Gimlet

• 3 parts good quality Vodka or Gin
• 1 part fresh key lime juice (the little limes)
• 1 part basil simple syrup

Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake vigorously. You definitely want this one cold, especially in the 105-degree Arizona heat. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with a small basil leaf. If you like a stronger basil flavor I recommend muddling basil leaves in the cocktail shaker. A few bits of leaves may get into the drink which, I think, is a nice touch.

To make the basil simple syrup make a 1:1 simple syrup and add a lot of fresh basil that you’ve crushed lightly in your hands. Be generous with the basil–at least the volume of the syrup itself. Cool the syrup with basil and let sit in the refrigerator over night. Strain out the basil leaves before using.

The Results?

The Basil Gimlet was big hit at the party. I think everyone had at least two, with a slight preference for the vodka-based version. Which left plenty of gin for me! In any case I highly recommend this cocktail for a party especially on a warm day. It is easy to make one the simple syrup is made, versatile (you can make it sweeter by using a touch more syrup or enhance the basil flavor by muddling a few leaves in the shaker) and attractive. And, as you can see, fun was had by all…

No related posts.

• 1 part gin
• 1 part Luxardo (maraschino liquer)
• 1 part green Chartreuse
• 1 part lime juice

Served up, of course. I love the elegant simplicity of the equal proportions of each ingredient. It is a difficult combination to pull off, although the Negroni is a classic with the same elegance and Rob’s original Absinthe Triolet also achieves perfect balance.

Of course you might not have all of these on hand, although Luxardo should, by now, be a regular part of your bar setup (you do make an Aviation every now and again, don’t you?). But, as it happens, I found myself with neither Luxardo, Chartreuse nor lime juice. Aaack! But necessity is, of course, the mother of invention. So here’s what I came up with:

• 1 part gin
• 1 part triple sec (for the Luxardo)
• 1 part St. Germain (for the Chartreuse)
• 1 part lemon juice (for the lime)

The result is a fantastic, herbal libation that had Shannon nodding her head in agreement that it deserved a blog entry and a name. Since it was inspired by The Last Word, I’ve dubbed this drink The Post-Script.

Shannon also observed that, somehow, the combination gives birth to a lychee flavor. Very pleasant and intriguing. It can be served, like its inspiration, without a garnish, but I chose to add a brandied cherry and a bit syrup. You also might find it a bit too floral.  The solution to this is to back off on the St. Germain (subtract a 1/4 part) and add a bit more gin (add a 1/4 part). This does sacrafice the 1:1:1:1 ratio, which is a shame, but a small price to pay if you like the result better.

In any case…enjoy!

No related posts.

It was warm last weekend (by Berkeley standards) and will be again this weekend, so the “Creole Watermelon” from Scott Beattie’s Artisanal Cocktails seems timely. As you can see from the picture to the left, there are some interesting ingredients in this one.

I adore spicy cocktails. Not on an everyday basis, but I do like them for a change. Recently I was at the East Coast Grill in Cambridge Mass (a great restaurant and a great series of grilling cookbooks from chef Chris Schlesinger) and had their Scotch Bonnet-infused Martini from Hell. And don’t forget the magnificent Carter Beats the Devil from the inspiring cocktail menu at the excellent Flora. But I digress. Which isn’t against the rules on this blog as there are no rules on this blog. But still.

The key to this drink is to get good watermelon. I’d look for very small heirloom watermelons that you should be able to find this time of year. It needs to be sweet.  The advance prep for this cocktail (a feature of many of the cocktails in the book) is to make frozen watermelon wedges and watermelon juice. For the wedges simply slice the watermelon (about 1/3 to 1/2 inch) and then cut into wedges. You may need to cut them down even further depending on the size of your watermelon. You want them to be small enough for several them to fit into a martini glass along with the cocktail. Put them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and stick them in the freezer. An hour or so of freezing time is needed, so plan ahead.

For the watermelon juice simply remove the rind and cut the watermelon into small chunks. If there are lots of seeds you should remove them as they will impart a bitter flavor to the juice. Then briefly puree the watermelon in a food processor or blender, put the result in a strainer over a bowl or pitcher and let the juice run out for 30 minutes or so. Voila, watermelon juice. As Scott says this is a very fragile juice and it won’t keep for much more than a day (if that) even if refrigerated. So invite your friends, which I’m sure you’re doing anyways. Right?

Okay, now that you have all that together, here’s the recipe, which is a slight adaptation from Scott’s:

• 3 parts regular vodka
• 3 parts Hangar One Kaffir Lime vodka. This is expensive and worth it. Don’t skimp.  There is nothing better, by the way, than a gin & tonic made with this gin (or 50/50 with unflavored vodka).
• 2 parts lime juice
• 6 parts watermelon juice
• 1 part agave nectar (or use simple syrup)
• Cilantro leaves (5-10 per drink)
• Kaffir lime leaves (3-5 per drink, you can get them at Berkeley Bowl if you live in the area)
• A spice mixture consisting of 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt

Muddle the cilantro and kaffir lime leaves in the shaker. Add the liquid ingredients and about 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture per cocktail (start with less, you can add more if you want). Shake aggressively and strain into a martini glass. Add 5 or so frozen watermelon wedges, 5 or so cilantro leaves and a couple of kaffir lime leaves for garnish.  Then sprinkle on a bit of the spice powder for good measure.

I love this on a warm day. Not just because it is refreshing, but because the frozen watermelon chunks help keep the drink cold without diluting it in the same way ice cubes would (although this drink would be great on the rocks as well). And the watermelon ice cubes taste good once you’ve finished the drink.

I also think the drink looks absolutely fantastic.

You should really buy Artisanal Cocktails soon. Or now.

No related posts.

The perfect opportunity presented itself almost immediately. Our Parisian friends Amanda and Michel and their kids invited us to spend the night at their oceanfront rental house in Stinson Beach. Michel is not a cocktail drinker but Amanda is, so I knew she would be an enthusiastic audience. We were headed straight from Napa to Stinson and I wouldn’t have all my bar tools with me so I choose a fairly simple concoction, the Sunny and Dry. I won’t bother recapitulating the recipe because you can watch Scott make the drink!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDczAeZo63Q]

You can check out the recipe on the Nirvino blog. I used sunflower petals and I created the mint simple syrup using fresh mint instead of essential oils as Scott recommends. I haven’t tried his technique yet but certainly will. It would be convenient, certainly, to be able to create a flavored syrup without a trip to the grocery. I do have a sneaking suspicion that the fresh mint version is better. Plus it gives the drinks a nice green hue. And I soaked cucumber cubes in the mint syrup first before adding them to the drink. Scott recommends this in the book but doesn’t do it in the video. Either way, delicious and gorgeous!

Like all of Scott’s drinks it is a visual treat as well as being delicious. I really recommend the book, not just for the recipes but for the techniques he describes, especially on how to create foams (coconut milk? go figure) and how to build the beautiful floral concoctions the book is filled with.

Sunny and Dry(ish)

Of course those of you who have visited a Northern California beach during summer know that cocktail hour is often neither sunny nor dry. The fog rolls out late and rolls in early. And unless it is quite hot I generally prefer a cocktail served up, so I started thinking about an evening-time variation of this concotion. Taking further inspiration from Scott’s book and Rob’s Tropical Gin Fizz I thought it should be a bit foamy. Here is the result.  Still need a name for this one….

• 3 parts gin (I used Sarticious, which was new to me)
• 1 part mint simple syrup
• 1 part lemon juice (freshly squeezed, of course)
• Cubes of cucumber soaked (for 1 hour or more) in mint simple syrup. About 8 small cubes per drink
• Egg white, 1 per 2 cocktails

Put the egg white in the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. This should cause the egg whites to become frothy. Add cucumber chunks and muddle lightly. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice and shake vigorously again. Dispense into martini glasses. Garnish with a mint leaf or a thin slice of cucumber. Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. A Taste of Persia
2. Lemon Mint
3. The Post-Script

But I really knew we were home when Rob called after work one day and asked if he could come over with a cocktail. He arrived with shaker and garnish in hand and proceeded to stir up a beautiful and tasty Tropical Gin Fizz.  I don’t have the recipe, but I do have this fantastic picutre.

Tropical Gin Fizz

Rob, care to contribute the details on preparing this beauty?

UPDATE: Yes, in fact, Rob has responded with a comment including the recipe. I’m including it here as well:

Tropical Gin Fizz

• 2 parts gin
• 1 part lime juice
• 1/2 part orgeat syrup
• 1/2 part pineapple gum syrup
• 1/2 egg white (per drink)
• Chilled soda water
• Mint sprig and lime wheel garnish

Related posts:

1. Guava Lemon Drop, Passion Fruit Margarita, Mandarin Cosmopolitan

The Valencian link is only the name, The Pensionista.  Shannon’s mom got the “retired person’s” discount at a number of attractions. The staff at the museums called her a pensionista and we all started referring to her in that way. The actual ingredients are more French in nature and came about from a failed last minute attempt at getting the ingredients we needed to make a Corpse Reviver #2. Believe it or not we couldn’t find Lillet, a French apertif, in any of the local shops. Instead Shannon came back with a bottle of Pineau, an apertif from the Cognac region that is made by combing the “must” for wine (grape juice, essentially) with eau de vie (in this case essentially brandy).  And instead of Absinthe she came home with Pernod (a fine substitute for Absinthe, at least in mixed drinks, in these days of tighter budgets).

And so, to work, starting with the basic recipe for the Corpse Reviver #2. The first batch was a bit too sweet. This we attributed to the Pineau which, I guess, is a bit sweeter than Lillet.  The second batch was just right. The third batch was even better although our senses certainly were a bit altered by that point. Here are the approximate proportions:

• 2 parts gin
• 1 part Pineau
• 1 part Cointreau
• 1 part fresh lemon juice
• 1 capful of Pernod for every 2 cocktails you’re making.

You’ll need to experiment a bit with the Pernod. Start with less…you can always add more. You want a very slight anise flavor. Your audience should say “what is that?” rather than “I really like (or hate) anise!”.

And you might have trouble finding Pineau.  Theoretically, port would be a substitute.  But it doesn’t really taste like port to me. Maybe a sweet sherry would work, but I’m hoping Rob will find a local source before we return to the US in June.

Enjoy!

No related posts.

One Saturday night while on a tour of the newest cocktail lounges in downtown Oakland with my lovely wife Joyce and good friends Cyndie, Bill, and Simone, one of our stops was at Flora, a newish restaurant bar with an Art Deco vibe and superlative cocktail list.  Their offerings include drinks like the Queen Park Swizzle, the French 75, and the spectacular drink that seems to get mentioned in all their reviews (drum roll please…), the Corpse Revivor #2. It’s at the top of their list, and once we saw that it combines gin, Lillet, Cointreau, lemon, and absinthe, we immediately ordered up a round. The results were a unanimous ‘Wow’! The combination of the orange/lemon/gin base spiced up with a hint of licoricey absinthe was complex, potent, and tasty all at once, providing that elusive synergy that makes a truly great cocktail. Of course I made an immediate note to myself that this would have to be recreated at home.

Now I’d actually already come across the Corpse Reviver #2 recipe in Joy of Mixology and chuckled at the name, but had no idea of how amazingly good it could be. So my first pass utilized Gary Regan’s recipe, which he cites as being based on Craddock’s 1930′s classic The Savoy Cocktail Book: 1 part gin, 1 part triple sec, 1 part Lillet Blonde, 1 part lemon juice, and a dash of absinthe. Instead of the lemon twist garnish they’d used at Flora, I substituted the brandied cherry that I’ve found to be such a big hit in my version of the Aviation Cocktail. In any case, this first mixture, though a little different that what we’d had at Flora was deliciously good. So good, in fact, that in my usual fashion I found myself experimenting with the mix on an almost nightly basis in order to fine tune the recipe to my own taste. Well it’s been a couple of weeks now, and I’m still finding the Corpse Reviver #2 to be the ideal cocktail to take the edge off after a long day’s work (or a long weekend day chasing the kids around).  And I feel like I’ve refined the recipe to a near perfect balance for my taste, which has also been a hit with my guests. My only complaint about the Corpse Reviver is the name. While humorous, it doesn’t really do justice to this incredibly refreshing elixir. In thinking of alternatives, Michael has suggested the Reanimator, which has a certain ring while staying true to the original concept, but I’m not 100% convinced. So while you’re enjoying your own version of this magical cocktail, I urge you to try to think of a more inspiring and fitting name for it. But whatever the hell you want to call it, the Corpse Reviver #2 is a magnificent drink. Enjoy!

Rob’s Corpse Reviver #2

• 1 1/2 parts gin
• 1 part Lillet Blonde
• 1 part triple sec (Cointreau if you have it)
• 1 part fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. absinthe (or absinthe substitute)
• Brandied cherry for garnish (I use Les Parisiennes)

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously until very cold, strain into martini glasses, and garnish with a brandied cherry (and a teaspoon of the juice). Welcome back from the dead!

Related posts:

1. The Albert Hofmann Cocktail
2. The Post-Script

Rob was in an inspired mood. I’m sure he’ll have more to add later but I wanted to document the big success of the evening:

• 4 parts lemongrass infused vodka. Rob made this himself and it had a beautiful, antique-yellow color.
• 1 part mint simple syrup. I whipped this up on the spot. 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water brought to a boil. Turn off the heat and throw in a handful of mint leaves. Let steep for 5 or 10 minutes and strain. This is a lovely green color.
• 1 part lime juice.

Shake over ice and strain into a proper martini glass. Garnish with mint leaf (duh). Sit down. Lean back. Enjoy.

After much incoherent debate about an appropriate name, Joyce struck upon the perfect name the following morning: The Reclining Buddha. Yum.

Reclining Buddha photo by joestump.

Related posts:

1. Lemon Mint
2. A Taste of Persia
3. The Perfect Cocktail: Corpse Reviver #2

Cucumber and gin are a classic cocktail combination that haven’t gotten the attention they deserve. One good example is Pimm’s #1 cup, a gin-based concoction, which is often combined with some kind of cucumber. We’re fond of both gin and cucumber in our house and one of our favorite local restaurants, “Grasshopper” (now closed and replaced with the equally good Wood Tavern) served a gin and cucumber cocktail they called a “Water Lilly”. Luckily their bartender moved down the street to Pearl. You can probably get her to make one for you. Pearl (and the bartender) are worth a trip regardless of the availability of the Water Lilly.

We also had a great gin-cucumber cocktail at the St. Regis hotel in San Francisco. We forget what they called it, but it was fantastic. It was a combination of gin, cucumber “water” and rosemary-lemon grass simple syrup. We made some tonight and it definitely lived up to our memories…

• 3 parts gin (Boodles is the house gin)
• 1 part cucumber water
• 1 part rosemary-lemongrass simple syrup

Shake over ice and serve up with a slice of cucumber for garnish.

To make the cucumber water, puree a cucumber (or two, which we recommend because you’ll like the result) in a blender or food processor. You should peel the cucumber almost completely. If you want the drink to be bright green then leave a bit of cucumber peel (it doesn’t take much). If you want it pale green then remove all of the peel. Cut the cucumber into large pieces, drop in the food processor with 1/2 teaspooon of salt, and puree until it liquifies. Then strain the result for 30-60 miniutes to get the liquid and discard the solids.

To make the simple syrup, bring a cup of sugar and a cup of water to a gentle boil. Then add a couple of sprigs of rosemary, lightly crushed, and the smashed ends of three stalks of lemongrass. Let the rosemary and lemongrass steep in the simple syrup until it cools. You don’t really want to boil the rosemary or lemongrass…steeping them like a tea will do the trick.

This is a great St. Patrick’s day option. If you make the cucumber water with enough peel the cocktail will definitely be green. And it will taste far better than any Chartreuse-based cocktail or green beer. We expect to see a lot of folks drinking this next March.

Enjoy!

Michael and Shannon

cucumber image by niznoz

Related posts:

1. The Exodus
2. The Post-Script