12 Apr 2024: Alpine Spring Cocktail

I’ve been a fan of Liber & Co’s cocktail syrups for a while now. It started with the realization that the cloying Grenadine syrups readily available in grocery stores were much different that actual crafted Grenadines. One could say the rest is history. I use Liber & Co’s syrups in cocktails, of course, but they are great ingredients to use when building mocktails.

One of the latest offerings is a bright tasting Lemon Lavender Cordial. Since New England’s version of spring is definitely not very “spring-like” these days, I took Liber & Co’s suggestion for this beautiful, 3-ingredient cocktail tonight. Hopefully it will inspire Mother Nature to get with the program and turn the corner on the dismal late-winter cold we’ve been experiencing.

Alpine Spring

Ingredients:

• 1 oz Lemon Lavender Cordial

• 2 oz gin

• ½ Yellow Chartreuse

Instructions:

• Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice

• Shake vigorously for 20 seconds or until shaker tin is ice cold

• Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish

04 Apr 2023: The ATTY

On this somewhat historic day, I thought a cocktail with a connection might be in order. So tonight’s sip was the aptly named ATTY cocktail. I consider this a sort of punched up riff on a gin martini. Because I was looking to highlight the purple color of the drink, I used Empress 1908 Gin, but I missed the more juniper-forwardness of our usual Bombay Dry, so I played around with adding a barspoonful of the Bombay to the 1908. Not too shabby.

Traditional ATTY cocktails call for a 1/4 oz of Absinthe. I’m not a huge fan of Absinthe, but didn’t want to miss out on the flavor, so I spritzed the chilled glass instead.

Ingredients

(per the traditional recipe - see my headnote for tweaks)

• 2 oz dry Gin

• 3/4 oz dry Vermouth (used Dolin)

• 1/4 oz Créme di Violette Liqueur

• 1/4 tsp absinthe (see headnote)

Place all ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake until super chilled (I did 40 seconds - maybe not necessary to do that much). Pour into chilled coupe glass and optionally garnish with lemon peel.

28 Feb 2023: The Alaska Cocktail

No one seems certain as to how this cocktail got its name, but that should not stop anyone from giving it a try. Harry Craddock records the Alaska Cocktail’s proportions in his Savoy Cocktail Book 2:1 gin to Yellow Chartreuse. Most modern version of the cocktail add a dash of orange bitters, which I did as well. Shake, serve in a chilled cocktail glass and add a twist of orange. Delightful!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. gin (I used our current London Dry favorite, Bombay Dry)

• 3/4 Yellow Chartreuse

  Dash Orange Bitters

10 Dec 2022: Bennett

If you a fan of a Gimlet, this cocktail might be for you. Lime juice and Angostura Bitters added to a nice dry gin make this a refreshing change from Gin Sours.

The Bennett

• 2 oz Gin (I used Dry Line from South Hollow Distillers)

• 1 oz fresh lime juice

• 1/2 oz simple syrup (I used Agave)

• 2 dashes Angostura

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a coupe. (Optional garnish suggestion: dried lime wheel).

05 Oct 2022: Abbey

I’ve been using a terrific cocktail app called Perfect Drink. It’s fun to see what pops up when I choose an ingredient of two found in our bar stash. Perfect Drink seems to have an extensive list of cocktail suggestions. Even maraschino cherry and Grenadine have yielded some results.

Tonight’s cocktail is from Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail book (still available in reprints so check our your local bookstore). This version of the Abbey cocktail uses Orange Bitters in place of the Angostura found in the original. Citrusy and sour, this is a beauty.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 oz. gin (I used Bombay London Dry)

• 3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc

• 3/4 oz. orange juice

• 2 dashes orange bitters

Put all of the ingredients in a shaker and fill with ice. Shake for 15 seconds til well-chilled and serve in a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

11 June 2022: Empress 1908 Gin Sidecar

Empress Side Car

Link to the original Love to Know cocktail by Allison Freeman below.

Although I’ve seen Empress 1908 Gin Sidecar cocktails in several places, this creation from Love to Know was the winner of tonight’s home bar Saturday Cocktail concoction. Yes, a “traditional”, classic Sidecar is made with brandy, but the beauty of the Empress 1908 Gin called me to try something new and unusual. That is exactly what this drink turned out to be - a delicious gin-based cocktail with some subtle orange and lemon notes. Delicious!

This post in Love To Know has 11 cocktails based on Empress 1908 Gin - all developed by Allison Freeman.

Ingredients

• Lemon wedge and sugar for rim

• 1½ ounces Empress gin

• ¾ ounce orange liquor (I used Cointreau here)

• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Ice

How to mix

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.

2. To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.

3. With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.

4. In a cocktail shaker, add Empress Gin, orange liqueur, and lemon juice.

5. Shake to chill.

6. Strain into prepared glass.

06 May 2022: Atta Boy Cocktail

We bought some new Grenadine from Liber & Co. this week. It’s the real thing, not that sugary syrup one finds in grocery stores. So, because I had a new ingredient to play with, I went in search of a cocktail with some grenadine in it.

A classic cocktail book, worth reading for the interesting mixtures and measurements, is Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book. Tonight’s cocktail, the Atta Boy, come from here, and because it is a “classic”, I served it up and in one of my Aunt’s cocktail glasses. Beautiful pink color - and a nice dry gin-base. The only change I might make is to serve it with a twist of lemon.

I do love when a cocktail recipe makes me appreciate my math education. Because Craddock’s book mostly uses ratios, I just translated every part (1/3) to 1 oz. and went from there.

Ingredients

• 1/3 French (dry) vermouth (used Dolin)

• 2/3 Dry gin

• 4 dashes of grenadine (I used about a tsp total)

Shake well and strain into a (chilled) cocktail glass.

09 Apr 2022: The Rolls Royce

Our weekly cocktail night - usually a Saturday - caps off the week with a little creativity in the adult beverage department. We like to try new ideas for cocktails and for once, this one did not require that I make a run to the packie for any ingredients - we had them right in our bar.

This idea, along with a drink called a Ford came courtesy of Anders Erickson. Check out his youtube channel for some great cocktail ideas.

Maybe it was the sweet (Red) vermouth, but this cocktail reminded me of a Manhattan, but made with Gin. Definitely keeping this in the rotation.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. (60 ml) Gin (used a local - Dry Line)

• 1/2 oz. (15 ml) dry Vermouth (used Dolin de Chambéry Dry

• 1/2 oz. (15 ml) sweet Vermouth (used Dolin Vermouth de Chambéry Rouge)

• Bar spoon (5 ml) Bénédictine DOM

• Expressed lemon oil

Place first 4 ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice, and stir to chill. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

31 Mar 2022: Corpse Reviver

Cocktail night is coming a few days early for us this week due to a sleepover from our favorite toddler. Also, it’s Thursday and we’re pretty sick of the fickle New England weather. The Corpse Reviver #2 (yes there is a #1) seemed like a good idea and, indeed it was.

Corpse Reviver #2

Ingredients

• Absinthe, to rinse

• 3/4 ounce London dry gin

• 3/4 ounce Lillet blanc

• 3/4 ounce orange liqueur (I used Cointreau because, why not?)

• 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1. This is best served in a chilled coupe glass.

2. Rinse the inside of the chilled coupe or cocktail glass with absinthe, discard the excess and set the glass aside.

3. Add the gin, Lillet blanc, orange liqueur and lemon juice into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

4. Strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with a cherry if you’re in the mood for that.

24 Jan 2022: Something Good

We’ve been browsing David Lebowitz’s Drinking French for new-to-us cocktail ideas. And because we miss France. Highly recommended for not only interesting the aperitif and cocktails, but also the non-alcoholic entries.

This week we discovered an aperitif called “Something Good” and it really is something good. Based on gin, added Dubonnet Rouge and an orange spirit like Cointreau or Grand Marnier.

The ratios are 2 parts gin to 1/2 Dubonnet and 1/2 Cointreau/Grand Marnier. Add ice, stir, and strain into a coupé.

Happy sipping!

25 December 2021: Suzy's Hanky

This cocktail comes from David Lebovitz’s most recent book, Drinking French and was a perfect cocktail for our weather-impacted Christmas Day not-so-much-of-a-gathering. Deliciously orange-y, spicy, and (my personal favorite) based on a juniper forward gin from South Hollow Spirits in North Truro, MA (gifted to me by our son and daughter-in-law), it brought together a great blending of Suze, Cointreau, and sweet vermouth.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. London-style gin

• 1 oz. sweet vermouth

• 1/2 oz. Suze

• 1/2 oz. Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Sec (we used Cointreau)

• Orange twist and spring of fresh thyme for garnish

Add the gin, vermouth, Suze and (in our case) Cointreau to a cocktail mixing glass. Fill with ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Hold the orange twist over the top of the drink and twist it to release the oils from the peel into the drink. Drop the orange twist into the glass and garnish with the thyme sprig floating on top.

12 December 2021: A White Negroni

I admit it: I love Negroni cocktails. The lovely orange-bitterness of a Negroni makes me think of summer and outdoor dining. However, it’s neither outdoor dining weather nor summer here in New England, so we adjust.

This cocktail was a find because I was fascinated by a bottle of Suze, bought it, and needed to use it. Beside being a lovely, smooth take on Negroni, it is a beautifully electric golden color. Yum!

White Negroni (Bon Appetit)

Ingredients (one cocktail):

• 1½ ounces gin (I like juniper forward gins like Tanquery)

• 1½ ounces Lillet Blanc (accept no substitutes)

• ½ ounce Suze liqueur (some bar recipes up this to 3/4 oz)

• Lemon twist (for serving)

Preparation

Combine gin, Lillet, and Suze in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice and stir until very cold, about 30 seconds. Garnish with a lemon twist.

08 August: Tabernacle Crush

When a drink gets a five-star rating in Food & Wine Magazine, well, that’s a drink you definitely want to try. Tonight’s cocktail was light, refreshing, and peachy, which of course fits this time of year when fresh peaches are readily available here in Massachusetts. A muddled blend of peaches and basil give this drink, developed by Linton Hopkins, an end-of-summer freshness. Great for hot August evenings!

Tabernacle Crush

Ingredients

• 1/2 large peach, sliced (I also peeled, but that’s definitely not necessary)

• 6 small basil leaves, plus more for garnish

• 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

• 1-1/2 ounces gin

• 1 ounce Lillet (blanc)

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup

• Ice

• Club Soda

How to make it

In a tall glass, muddle the peach with 6 basil leaves and the lemon guice. Add the gin, Lillet, and simple syrup. Add ice cubes and top with club soda. Garnish with basil.

19 July: Basil Gimlet

Be Your Own Bartender by Carey Jones and John McCarthy is a lot like following a flowchart. Start with a base spirit (gin, whiskey, vodka), and from that starting point, one can build lots of variations on a theme. Tonight’s cocktail, the Basil Gimlet, is a play on fresh basil which is plentiful at this time of year; however, one could also make the same cocktail with mint or rosemary and achieve different results.

Basil Gimlet

Ingredients (1 drink)

• 2 ounces gin (suggestion was Beefeater I used Tanguery)

• 1 ounce FRESH lime juice

• 3/4 ounce simple syrup (I like things that are less sweet, so I reduced this to 1/2 ounce)

• 1 dash orange bitters

• 5 basil leaves torn in half as they are added to the shaker, plus 1 additional leaf for garnish

Method

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a basil leaf, lightly clapped between your hands before being added to the drink.

July 15: It's Tax Day - Let's Have an Income Tax Cocktail

Today, July 15, 2020, is the Covid-19 adjusted Income Tax day. We noted our contribution to the IRS occurred shortly after midnight, and to mark this momentus occasion for all of us who owed a little something to the Federal - and State - government, I present the Income Tax Cocktail.

Tonight’s cocktail is a mix of gin, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, orange juice and a dash of bitters. Accoring to cocktail expert Ted Haigh, this one is based upon a Bronx cocktail, also an unknown to me.

So if you, like us, feel a little lighter in the wallet today, console yourself with The Income Tax Cocktail.

The Income Tax Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces dry gin

• 3/4 ounce dry vermouth

• 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth

• juice of 1/4 of a fresh orange (note - fresh is important)

• 2 dash Angostura bitters

Method:

• Squeeze the orange directly into the shaker filled with ice.

• Add the gin, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and dashes of bitters.

• Shake and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange circle.

09 July Lillet Rose Reverse Martini

We keep 3 bottles of the aperitif, Lillet, in our refrigerator - Blanc, Rouge, and Rose. While each has subtle individual differences that are pleasing, my favorite has always been Lillet Rouge. That is, until tonight.

The Lillet website has some great ideas for using the three aperitif either on their own or in a mixed cocktail. This one appealed to us and maybe it will to you as well. For more on how to use Lillet, visit their website.

As a French company, Lillet uses the metric system. Mathematicians and purists may wish to convert metrics to US standard; I however just used the ratio of 4 Lillet Rose to 1 Gin and added a dash of Orange bitters.

Lillet Rose Reverse Martini

In a shaker filled with ice, pour

• 8cl of Lillet Rosé

• 2cl of Gin

• 2 dashes of Orange Bitters

Place all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds. Pour into the glass (suggested: Coupe) using a cocktail strainer. Squeeze the orange peel to release the flavour and place in the glass.

04 July: French 75

In place of picnics and parades this year, we are staying within our bubble, so it made sense that tonight’s cocktail would include bubbles. We’ve both had several variations on The French 75, but this one I believe may be the last word. It comes from Ted Haigh’s Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails. If you want to learn the history of a cocktail, this is the book to own. Along with some terrific drinks from bygone eras (by-the-way, what exactly is a “gill”?), one can learn about the history of long lost ingredients,

So, here is our homage to the French who helped turn the tides on the Revolution - the French 75!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin

• 1 oz lemon juice (fresh is best)

• 1 tsp simple syrup

• champagne (we used a brut rose which gives this a nice salmon hue)

Method:

• Put a cocktail shaker in the freezer and also ice the champagne flute

• Pour gin, lemon juice and simple syrup into the shaker filled with ice. Shake for a good 30 seconds.

• Pour into an iced flute and top with champagne

• Stir gently and garnish with a long, thin lemon spiral (and a cocktail cherry if you like)

20 June: Bebbo

If you get in to the history of mixed drinks (Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh is a good start), the Bebbo is a descendent of the Bee’s Knees - a honey-infused gin drink from a hundred years ago. I like the citrus-y flavor of this gin-based cocktail, and served in a chilled coupe, it is perfect for summer evenings.

Bebbo (based on this recipe from liquor.com)

Ingredients

•  1/2 ounces London dry gin (used Tangueray, but find one you like and use it)

• 1 ounce honey syrup which is equal parts honey and water (I pre-mixed this in a shot; suggested from other sources: use orange-blossom honey)

• 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice (no, don’t use the bottled stuff)

• 1/4 ounce fresh blood orange juice

• Garnish: lemon twist

What to do:

Fill a shaker half-way with ice. Add all of the ingredients. Shake for 30 seconds. Pour into a frosted pre-chilled coupe, add a twist of lemon for garnish.

05 June: A Variation on the Queen's Cocktail

Ever since we discovered Queen Elizabeth’s fondness for a pick-me-up Dubonnet Cocktail, it’s been added into our cocktail rotation. The Queen’s cocktail is a 2 to 1 ratio, Dubonnet Rouge to a dry gin, served over ice with a twist of lemon. The Bisson version is more like a 1 to 1 ratio. We are fans of gins on the more juniper-y side, so while we have some artisanal favorite spirits, when anticipating a quarantine, we managed to buy a gigantic bottle of Tanqueray which is pretty darn good.

To change things up, last night we opened the Lillet Rose (pink) and substituted that for the Dubonnet Rouge in the Queen’s Cocktail.

It was a winner with which that I believe Her Highness would be on board.

29 May: Verdant Lady

Green Chartreuse seems to appear in several cocktail recipes I’ve been frequenting. It is spicy and herbal and quite unusual. The exact recipe for creating this liquor is tightly held by Carthusian Monks, which adds to the mystique of it. Honestly, we tried a shot and found it was not enjoyable, but added to cocktails? Delicious and unusual.

Tonight’s refreshing cocktail, the Verdant Lady, come from Bonjon Gourmet. With a hint of mint, and the herbally smooth gin (Ingenium), it was reminiscent of a martini adapted for warm nights and al fresco dining.

What you need for 1 cocktail:

• Fill a shaker half full of ice

• Add 1.5 oz. gin (Hendricks recommended, I used Ingenium)

• 0.5 oz. fresh, strained lime juice (no the bottled stuff is not okay)

• 0.25 oz simple syrup

• 1/6 oz Chartreuse Green

• 4 large mint leaves (plus a sprig for garnish)

Shake the whole thing for about 30 seconds and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with the mint sprig. Chilling the coupe suggested.