 More flowers! I can’t help it, I love a botanical cocktail and since spring has sprung here in Northern California its hard to ignore all the beautiful blooms. Also, I’m starting to go a little stir crazy being cooped up in the house with my children for the last… well I’ve lost count. Don’t worry though, I’m bringing the Pandemic humor with a little black death throw back. Too soon? This cocktail is loosely based on a Tom Collins, but I managed to get my hands on a bottle of Hangar 1’s Honey Vodka and had to use it. In order to highlight the vodka’s flavor I cut back on the simple syrup and lemon. For a clearer cocktail and better carbonation strain your lemon juice through a coffee filter. An important note to this drink, if you want to use the flower bouquet garnish make sure that you are using scentless roses or else they will over power the drink.  Pocket full of Posies
2.5 oz. Hangar 1 Honey Vodka 0.5 oz. Lemon juice 0.5 oz. Rose simple syrup 2.0 oz. Q clube soda Combine vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and diluted. Pour into a collins glass with ice and top with soda water. Garnish with small bouquet and straw. Cheers!
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 I find my self with no where to go and a little more time on my hands and I am bored... you too? Well then maybe you would like to join me for my new book and booze blog series. Once a week I will post my most recent read along with a classic cocktail, a little description of the book along with some cocktail history, why I paired them together. This is going to be a huge learning experience for me, along with the books I will also be doing some more fun creative photos and don't tell anyone but I haven't actually made many classic cocktails. I know a week isn't a very long time, but If you'd like to follow along I will post next weeks book at the end of this post and on my instagram. For my first book, I read Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner by Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell. This is the story of Dr. Judy Melinek and her journey from Surgery Resident to N.Y.C. Medical Examiner. It covers specific cases and interesting happenings, including the aftermath of the attacks on 9/11, during her two years of training in the New York City Medical Examiners office. I loved this book, it was brilliantly written and I couldn't put it down. I wouldn’t describe this as excessively gory, but if you don’t like dead bodies or parts of dead bodies this is probably not for you. If you weren’t put off already by my book choice then hopefully you’ll see why I had to go with the classic Corpse Reviver No., for obvious reasons. Why no.2? Well according to Meehan’s Bartender Manual a corpes reviver was originally any drink consumed after waking up with a hangover. The original No.2 variation comes from The 1930’s edition of The Savoy cocktail Book. Instead of making that recipe I have taken the note from Jim Meehan and swapped out the Tempus Fugit Kina L’Aero d’Or, and I added a garnish for fun. If you'd like to make your own Corpse Reviver No.2 scroll down. And if you'd like to read along next weeks book will be Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man.  Corpse Reviver #2
0.75 oz. Highclere Castle Gin 0.75 oz. Cointreau 0.75 oz. Lillet Blanc 0.75 oz. lemon juice Emperor Norton Absinthe Dieu rinse Garnish: dried orange slice Combine all ingredients and shake until chilled and slightly diluted, strain and pour into an absinthe rinsed coupe. Cheers!  I’ve been deep cleaning my kitchen for the last three days. Is it anxiety, or just plain boredom, who can say. My stove top and cutlery drawer has never been cleaner. The one thing that’s making these ground hog days and menial labor a bit more palatable, other than a good pod cast (right now I’m listening to season 4 of The Fall Line), is a fun cocktail. I was looking for something refreshing and low ABV that I could sip while cleaning out my fridge. I’ve never infused gin or anything else with hibiscus and I forgot how astringent and sour it can be. Needless to say, even after a brief time it was pretty potent. In an attempt to make it a little smoother I milk-washed it. This Gin and Tonic ended up being more like an aperitivo with a nice floral scent.  Hibiscus Rose Gin and Tonic
2 oz. Milk-washed Hibiscus Rose infused Highclere Castle Gin 4 oz. Q Tonic water Garnished with fresh lemon and orange blossoms Fill a large glass with ice, add gin and top with tonic water. Cheers!  So I forgot yesterday was Friday. Am I the only one who’s starting to lose time? It could be because my husbands been working from home for the last week. Or it could be that my kid’s school has been cancelled for three weeks - THREE WEEKS! It’s okay, I’m okay. I'm going to have to up my cocktail posts though... This drink is a bit of a misdirect, don’t let the pink color fool you. I’ve had some beet simple syrup (just simmer some beets in equal parts water and sugar) in my fridge for a while just waiting to be used. Working on that theme I went with more earthy, vegetable flavors of the Cinq Apertivo and the Green Chili Vodka, which also adds a nice hint of spiciness. While it looks a little fluffy, it’s definitely punching above its weight.  HOT PINK
2 oz. St. Georges Green Chili Vodka 0.25 oz. Green Chartreuse 0.25 oz. Cinq Aperitivo 0.25 oz. lemon juice 0.25 oz. beet simple syrup 2-4 drops Regan’s Orange Bitters Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake until chilled and diluted. Pout into a crystal swan… or whatever glass you prefer. Cheers!  I love trying out other cocktail recipes and The Aviary Cocktail Book is one of my favorite places to find new things to try. I really love when something that looks and sounds complicated turns out to be incredibly easy, because some of those cocktails are insane. If you don’t believe me you can check out the book or go see one of their other cocktails I’ve made here. This 2in1 cocktail is one of the good ones though. A combination of a carbonated Negroni and a White lady, it makes for a pretty and tasty cocktail. The book recommends trying them separately and then pouring the Negroni into the white lady. I love this idea of combining two adjacent cocktails into one and now I’m going to have to see if I can come up with a recipe of my own.  2in1
Carbonated Negroni 1oz. Citadelle Gin 1oz. Carpano Antica Formula Sweet Vermouth 3/4oz. Campari 5 drops Regan’s Orange Bitters 5 drops Fee Brothers Orange Bitters 1oz. Water Combine in a mixing glass, stir with ice until chilled. Strain and pour into a carbonation device and carbonate as instructed (I used a Perlini). Transfer to a small bottle, cap and refrigerate. White Lady 2oz. Citadelle Gin 3/4oz. Lemon juice 1oz. Simple syrup I egg white 1 orange peel Combine all ingredients in a shaker, dry shake for a minute and thirty seconds until foamy. Add ice and shake until chilled, approximately thirty seconds. Strain into a highball glass and express orange peel over drink. Cheers! |