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Sugar-Rimmed Raspberry Gin Smash
I’m going to a pool party next weekend and have been put in charge of libations. So when the question is What is cool + light + refreshing + fruity? the answer is Sugar-Rimmed Raspberry Gin Smash. But what is a smash? A bartender* once explained a smash as a julep but with a choose-your-own-adventure spirit. You add booze (of choice) + herb (of choice) + sweetener (of choice) + seasonal fruit (of choice)—whatever blows your skirt up—to a glass of ice. Give it some swirls and bottoms up! Or use a straw if you are sassy. Summer raspberries are bulging with juice, so turning them into a smash makes…
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Rosemary + Gin Cocktail
What time is it? It’s cocktail o’clock, of course! So bring on the Rosemary + Grapefruit Gin Cocktail! Why this combo? Because I love gin. Aaaaand my rosemary bush needs a trimming. If you read my post on Rosemary Not-So-Simple Syrup, you may have wondered where I was going with that. Well, my fellow imbibers, here we are. I introduce to you the Rosemary + Grapefruit Gin Cocktail. I recommend you use freshly squeezed juice. Do not misunderstand me–I totally get that sometimes we need shortcuts. And there are plenty of good store-bought options. But if you’re up to it and you have the time, squeeze the citrus yourself. Ripe…
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Spicy Pineapple + Jalapeño Margarita
Occasionally, at the end of the work week, I gather my tribe for a postmortem rendezvous. Our primary focus, of course, is to ruminate the meaning of life. And during our meetings we may imbibe elixirs that make us sound brilliant (at least we think so). After all, we have had a lot of epistemological practice. Some might even say we are PROFESSIONAL philosophers. Today I reveal a brilliant revelation: why wait till the end of the week to drink solve the world’s problems? Doesn’t the world need our sagacity every day? So I share with you the most momentous decision you can make any day of the week: to…
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Dirty Dalmatian
Have you ever laid your lips on a cocktail, and your first thought is, “Uh-oh”? As in, “Uh-oh, this concoction has some kick to it!” or “Uh-oh, I may end up drinking quite a few of these!” or “Uh-oh, these Dirty Dalmatians won’t last very long around here!” Meet your new best friend—the Dirty Dalmatian. This Dirty Dalmatian is a complementary amalgamation of Black Peppercorn Not-So-Simple Syrup and fresh Ruby Red grapefruit juice. When you sip it, you feel a rush of warmth in your throat swilled away by cold + refreshing + tangy acid. I call it a Dirty Dalmatian because the peppers have commingled with the syrup for…
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Lavender Not-So-Simple Syrup
Lavender Syrup adds such a beautiful bouquet to anything. Lavender infusions make me giddy. So many years ago I took a Saturday cooking class from one of the finest men in Augusta—Chef Heinz Sowinski—and his lavender-infused chilled cherry soup changed my life. I have been a big fan of all things lavender ever since. I use lavender syrup to enhance dozens of things–Greek yogurt, water, tea, cocktails, fruit…the list goes on. Enhanced syrups add complexity and an element of surprise! (Try this Blueberry + Creme + Lavender Frose-Merlotse) I prefer making syrup from fresh lavender. I use unopened buds that have not flowered completely that I grow on my patio.…
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Raspberry + Thyme Frosé
This frosé screams SUMMER! It is just what these hot summer nights beg for. You know something else it screams? THE BEST WAY TO ADULT IS TO FROSE! This boozy, fruity slushee is light, refreshing, and for grown-ups only. I am on the fence about calling it frosé, though. I chose to use Merlot over rosé because it has more body and can hold up to the infusion of thyme. Instead of frosé, shouldn’t it be called Merlotsé? Raspberry + Thyme Merlotsé. Let me think about it… So about the thyme…At first I made regular raspberry frosé, and it was delicious. But I thought a hint of peppery thyme might…
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Basil + Grapefruit Elixir
As soon as I put the glass to my lips, I knew I was drinking the elixir of the gods. Elixirs are credited with curing illnesses. This is sure to take care of whatever ails you. In fact, that’s how I decided on its name. I was going to call it a cocktail until that fateful October day in the herb garden… I had been muddling and expressing and zesting that morning, playing around with portions and flavors. My basil syrup needed to steep before I proceeded any further with my experiment, so into the fridge it went as I collected herb prunings from the garden. In October, it is…
eat. drink. bemerry. repeat.
