Monday, August 4, 2014

Summer Recipe Roundup

I've been making a bunch of fun stuff this summer, working my way through some of the weirder-sounding recipes I've been clipping. I have enough now that I can call it a roundup instead of just plagiarism!

Bourbon Brûlé

The NY Times ran this article on bourbon and ginger, two of my favorite things. Of the three recipes, the Nor'easter was fine but unexciting, the Bufala Negra was revolting (I may need fancier balsamic vinegar but I'm not convinced it's worth trying again), and the Bourbon Brûlé was amazing. I had picked up some Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur and this was the perfect use for it. The caramelized orange slice is a little twee, but it really makes the drink and it's so pretty!


Ligurian Sea

Another pretty one. Mostly I'm proud of myself for getting the float right. I don't care for absinthe (or anything licorice/anisey) but I was curious about this (on a Cynar kick) and it worked. The absinthe blends with the other flavors in a way that mellows it out. I actually missed the step in the recipe about mixing the absinthe with water, so mine was stronger than intended! Recipe from Cocktail Virgin Slut.


Cameron's Cooler


We usually throw a big holiday party but don't do much other entertaining, so when we had some people over earlier this summer I was excited to try a couple of recipes from Food and Wine's feature on pitcher drinks. The Ginger Shandies seemed like the safe choice, and the Cameron's Cooler the wacky experiment. The Shandies went almost untouched, and I had to make a second batch of the Cooler. I'm not even sure how to describe it. Wine and Scotch? It shouldn't work but it does. Oddly refreshing.

Count Camillo's Derby

Another from Cocktail Virgin Slut, the Count Camillo's Derby is a nice twist on the Negroni. If you find Negronis too bitter, you might find this minty version refreshing.


The Catcher

Another from the Times, The Catcher is a nice twist on a Sidecar.

The St. Alicia

This one came from Twitter one Sunday night. Forgive me, I've lost the attribution. If it was you, please speak up! 

1 shot St. Germain
2 shots tequila
juice of 1 lime

Serve over ice in a tumbler with a salted rim, accompanied by several episodes of The Good Wife.

It's a nice twist on a margarita, with St. Germain replacing the Cointreau or Triple Sec. It's a little more tart and vaguely herbal.


Sour Cherry Gin Muddler

I think I've mentioned here before that I'm obsessed with sour cherries. I hoard them at the farmers' market during their incredibly short season, pit them and freeze them for use all year -- mostly for cocktail cherries, plus the occasional pie. I'm keeping some out of the freezer this year to keep playing with the NY Times' Sour Cherry Gin Muddler, which is super simple but of course changes dramatically depending on what type of gin you use. My favorite so far is St. George Spirits' Botanivore but I have more I want to try. Adding a splash of cherry juice to up the cherry flavor is nice too.