The Accelerant

Thirsty Readers, thirst no more. Your BloomingtonGirl is back and not only is she back...She is back with possibly the most interesting and delicious cocktail she has ever made. You can be the judge, but I'm telling you. It is an incredibly sexy cocktail brimming with maximum deliciousness.

My guess is that not one person reading this will go to the trouble of making this complex drink, except for maybe Tyler Ferguson or Richard Gagnon.

Still, I implore you to try it! Do not to be put off by the steps involved. You will be rewarded by the experience of imbibing a truly special, nay! a truly ethereal libation. It is that good.

This is an excellent cocktail to serve at a dinner party, right before dinner. Why? Because the unusual and unexpected flavors conspire to make one of these drinks enough. Nobody gets loaded before the first bottle of wine is opened at the table. And also, it is sipped more slowly than most because it has some heat, so you can linger and engage in convivial company. Provided you have invited interesting guests, that is.  If your guests are not interesting, I would reconsider the cocktail choice. Uninteresting guests would be happy with a vodka tonic, so why go to this trouble. On the other hand, why would you invite uninteresting guests over? But I digress.

Without further delay, here is a photo of the drink and the recipe. I can't wait to make this drink again. It is my new favorite. The salt on the rim is pink - it is Pink Himalayan Sea Salt.



The Accelerant

1 1/2 ounces jalapeño-infused mezcal **
1/2 ounce rich sugar syrup **
1/2 ounce freshly made celery juice **
Generous 1/4 ounce Green Chartreuse
3/4 freshly squeezed lime juice
Garnish: Coarse Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (wet the rim of the glass and press it into the salt on a plate)

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a salt rimmed coupe. Cheers!

** Ingredients:

Jalapeño-infused mezcal - Scrape membranes and seeds from 2 jalapeño peppers, discarding green exterior. Put into a glass jar and top with 8 1/2 ounces of mescal. Let steep for about 10 minutes. Taste for heat. Steep up to 5 minutes more if you want it spicier. Strain out solids.  You could use tequila in a pinch, I suppose, but then you would not get the smokiness that the mescal brings. I think that smokiness is essential to this drink.

Rich Sugar Syrup - Measure 1/2 cup sugar into a heat proof measuring cup or bowl. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water into the sugar. Stir until dissolved. (Or almost dissolved. Doesn't have to be perfect.) Let it cool. Alternatively,  you can combine the ingredients in a small sauce pan, bring it just to a boil. Remove it from the heat and stir until dissolved.

Celery Juice - If you have a juice extractor, make it according to the manufacturer's directions. I made mine in my Vitamix Blender, adding some water to get it going. This was a sort of trial and error thing for me. I strained the puree through a very fine mesh strainer to get the juice. I don't know if a less powerful blender will work. Or, you can consult the oracle, www.google.com for different instructions.  A few stalks will make a generous amount. The juice is fresh tasting and a pretty color and I am sure it has some magic medicinal qualities.

The Maid Cocktail Family

Good evening, Thirsty Readers. Tonight, I have for you two variations on a theme. I wanted to craft a cocktail that features mint and cucumbers. Mint because it is the only plant that this black thumbed mixologist can grow in any quantity. I have copious amounts bursting from a large pot on my porch.  Cucumber because the real gardener in this household just picked some wonderful cucumbers from his VERY SERIOUS AND SUCCESSFUL GARDEN.

I went to the oracle and found many options for this combination, but the one that captured my imagination was on Food 52, a fabulous site for all things foodie.  Food 52 listed this option as "The Entire Maid Family". The basic recipe is flexible in terms of what spirit you like.  Variations are:

The Kentucky Maid (bourbon)
The Polish Maid (vodka)
The Mexican Maid (tequila)
and
The Old Maid (gin)

I immediately chose for myself the Old Maid option because I've been favoring gin lately and because it reminded me of being one - even officially and legally for a moment in time.

I married when I was 35, a late age to some, I suppose. A couple of years before that, I bought a house. When I went to review the closing documents, I was rather surprised to see myself characterized as:

Joni Lynn Ruller, Spinster.

I'm not gonna lie. Seeing myself described as a Spinster dampened my Buying-a-House-all-by-my-Mighty-Girl-Self excitement.  But the moment passed quickly. I signed the documents and moved into my beautiful antique house on an acre of land. Never mind that I had no idea how to fix anything or mow a lawn... but that's a story for another time.

So, I chose the Old Maid and my taster chose the Kentucky Maid. Here are the beautiful Maids.

The Kentucky Maid, all gussied up

The Old Maid in her finery.

Thirsty Readers, I am surprised to report that I preferred The Kentucky Maid by a far piece over the Old Maid. It was, if I may say, a rather perfect drink. Before I tasted it, I couldn't imagine pairing lime with bourbon. That'll teach me to have such a narrow imagination! The Kentucky Maid was well balanced and very refreshing, boozy and deliciously tasty. Seriously delicious. It is a KEEPER.

The Old Maid was nice as well, but of the many gin drinks that I enjoy, it is not my first choice. There was just nothing special about it.  Sorry, Old Maid...

Without further delay, here is the basic recipe for the "Maid" family of drinks. I modified the Food 52 instructions by adding a muddling step. I am certain that this makes a tastier and more interesting cocktail.

The Basic Maid Recipe

2 ounces spirit (gin, bourbon, tequila,vodka...hell...why not rum?)
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 ounce simple syrup (my taster thought it could use a bit less, I thought it was perfect)
4-6 fresh mint leaves
3 cucumber slices

In a mixing glass, combine mint, cucumber and simple syrup. Muddle until nicely blended. Add ice and spirit. Shake until cold. Strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a cucumber wheel speared with some mint. Delight in this fabulous summer beverage!

Cheers!

The Sicilian 75 for Vincenzo Nibali

Thirsty Readers, tonight I have for you a boozy Champagne cocktail of sorts. I was inspired by my lately hero, Vincenzo Nibali, winner of this year's Tour de France, which finished yesterday in Paris.  Isn't he just darling?

Vincenzo Nibali upon winning the Tour de France yesterday, drinking Champagne but secretly wishing he had a Sicilian 75 in his hand. 

And, here is an even more exciting photo of Mr. Nibali, riding in the peloton.  How they don't constantly crash into each other is a mystery to this humble cyclist.

Vincenzo! I love you!

But, back to the cocktail, which is why we are gathered here, no? The Sicilian 75 is a variation of an old cocktail called the French 75. The French 75 is made from gin, Champagne, lemon juice and sugar. It was created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris. The drink was said to have a kick that compared to one created by a French 75mm field gun. The concoction went on to be popularized by the Stork Club in New York and the recipe for it was put into print in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930.  There are a few variations on this drink, and the one I have chosen to feature this evening was created by Louro in Manhattan.  Like the French 75, The Sicilian 75 is deceptively light tasting drink with a kick.

This libation is lovely to behold and quite nice to drink. While it won't be one of my evening go-to cocktails, it will most definitely be on my list of drinks to serve the next time I host a groovy relaxed brunch.

Here is the beautiful beverage, garnished and ready to go.

So, if you are reading this Vincenzo Nibali - and of course you are - Congratulations on your triumph!  We lift our glasses to your achievement.

Without further delay, here is the recipe for The Sicilian 75

The Sicilian 75 for Vincenzo Nibali

1 oz. fresh blood orange juice, plus a slice for garnish

1 oz. gin

1/2 oz. simple syrup

1/4 oz. Campari

2 oz. dry Champagne 

Combine juice, gin, syrup and Campari in an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain into a flute. Top with the Champagne. Garnish with the orange slice.  Enjoy.

Cheers!

The Suzy Yeagley Nice and Strong Cocktail - aka The Corpse Reviver 2

Thirsty Readers! You must be absolutely parched by now, waiting for this new cockail with eager anticipation. My apologies for making you suffer so.

I've been galavanting hither and yon for the last three weeks,  putting nearly 3000 miles on my car's odometer. At an average speed of, say, 60 miles an hour, that's about 50 hours of sitting in a car. There were, on this trip, many additional hours spent sitting while writing (yay! progress) and watching the Tour de France. To that sedentary experience, add many sumptuous meals with friends and family, and my perhaps-should-be-patented moveable cocktail feast. I took a rather full bar of booze with me so I could mix up craft cocktails for my loved ones visited on the way. They were happy about this, as you can imagine.

All of this has resulted in a girl who is way off of her fitness game. I realized upon coming home that I needed a workout and - of course! -a cocktail that would revive me.

First, the workout.

To start getting back into shape, I did a 75 minute bike ride yesterday, but it was a mostly humbling and somewhat discouraging experience.  I came back the opposite of revived.

This morning, I tried a different option. I took a class at the Bloomington Body Bar, founded and owned by Suzy Yeagley, for whom today's drink is named. I take a class at the Body Bar almost daily when I'm in town in order that I can remain fit enough to mix and drink a cocktail each evening. One must have priorities.

This morning, for my first class after this driving/imbibing extravaganza, I took willPower & grace taught by Suzy.  willPower & grace is one of many kinds of classes at the Body Bar. Go to their website right now and sign up for one. You're welcome.

Though willPower & grace is a very challenging workout, especially for the "recently un-fit", it is,  under the capable guidance of Suzy, an exhilarating and inspirational hour. Sure, I was a little sore and tired afterward, but I was encouraged that my body was on its way to being back in shape. I was, after a hard workout, not discouraged or exhausted. I was revived!

So, in honor of that revival, today's drink is named for Suzy. Why Nice and Strong? Because when she cues us to plank in her classes, Suzy always says "nice and strong" when she describes what to do. And, believe it or not, this brief phrase actually makes me stronger. Who knew?  In addition, the drink and Suzy share some characteristics. Both are good looking and elegant. Both are strong, but not harsh. Both have very good balance. And, neither is very common. You can't find a drink or instructor/businesswoman/coach of this quality just anywhere.

So here's the drink. The recipe is adapted from The Savoy Cocktail Book, a classic tome written in the 1930s by Harry Craddock. There are at least three Corpse Revivers.  I've only had the 2nd. It is, quite possibly, one of the most perfect cocktails I've ever made or consumed. Seriously. It is well balanced, smooth but still has the edge I love, and is boozy without being harsh.

The perfect cocktail made more so by a house-made Brandied Cherry.

This cocktail is easy to make and you should definitely make one. Unless you are a cocktail person, you aren't likely to have absinthe or Lillet Blanc. I do think it is worth adding both to your collection, if only just to make this one perfect libation.  Justify the purchase by knowing that both are are used in many other delicious cocktails that you will enjoy. You will see that this recipe calls only for a "dash" of absinthe.  You might be tempted to skip it. Very no. Do not do this. That dash is critical.'

Without further delay, here is the recipe.

The Suzy Yeagley Nice and Strong Cocktail 

aka 

The Corpse Reviver 2

1 ounce gin

1 ounce Lillet Blanc

1 ounce Contreau (or other triple sec but make sure it is GOOD, not some bottom shelf junk)

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 dash (I estimate about 1/8 ounce) absinthe

Orange peel or really good cherry for garnish

Shake all ingredients together in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail/martini glass. Garnish. Enjoy. Resist mixing up a second. It'll be hard, believe me.

Cheers!

The Old-Fashioned

Good Evening to you, Thirsty Readers. Tonight I have for you a classic cocktail, The Old-Fashioned. It is a simple cocktail, but one that many (alas, far too many) bartenders do not know how to make well. Often when I order one at a bar - and I've learned to be very specific when I do - I get a cloyingly sweet concoction that bears no resemblance to what I think an old-fashioned should be.

The old-fashioned embodies what the original "cocktail" was - spirits, bitters, sugar and water, essentially. You can make this drink with bourbon or rye. I made two tonight. One with Bourbon for my taster and the other with rye for me, because I prefer it. That's why.

What made tonight's cocktail special was the addition of (drum roll please) a HOUSE MADE cocktail cherry! It is a bit of a bastardization to add a cherry, perhaps, but if you tasted one of these ethereal, amazing, addictive little spheres of cherry heaven, you'd want to add them to everything, too. I don't even mind that my fingers are stained with cherry juice or that my elbow aches from pitting 18 pounds of cherries over the weekend. My pantry is filled with pint jars of these beautiful boozy gems and it was worth it.

Here is a photo of the cherries.

There's still time to be super nice to me so you get on my Christmas gift list...

I will, at some point, publish the recipe I used. I adapted it from Jeffrey Morgenthaler's The Bar Book.  But tonight, I am eager for an early bedtime so that I can snug in with my new book. I know. I lead a crazy wild life.

But, back to the drink.  I take some tiny liberties with the erudite BT Parson's basic old-fashioned recipe in his Bitters book. I prefer to muddle some orange peel with simple syrup and bitters before adding the spirit. I like a fruit accent in this drink. I also cut back the amount of syrup by a bit. You don't have to, of course.

Here is the drink.

The Old-Fashioned Cocktail

2 ounces rye or bourbon

1/8 ounce simple syrup (or 1/4 ounce, if you insist) 

3 dashes Angostura bitters 

Thick piece of orange zest (and an extra one for garnish, if you like)

House made cherries for garnish (optional)

In a mixing glass, muddle the orange zest with the simple syrup and bitters. Add ice and rye. Mix until well chilled. Pour into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with large pieces of cracked ice or a large ice cube. Garnish with the second orange zest and a house made cherry if you are lucky enough to have one.

Sip and enjoy.  

Cheers!

The Rusty Nail, in honor of Mr. Schmid

Good Evening, Thirsty Readers. The subject cocktail is not one I had tonight, but one that my tester requested. I passed on it  - I think it is too sweet and too wintery for this time of year. I opted instead for a gin martini made with Old Tom style gin. But, more on that cocktail tomorrow.

The Rusty Nail is a mix of Scotch and Drambuie Liqueur. It might have been around as early as 1937, but became popular in the 1960s.  I looked it up on Wikipedia and found this:

[Cocktail authority] Dale DeGroff notes, "The Rusty Nail is often credited to the clever bartenders at the 21 Club in Manhattan sometime in the early 1960s."  The cocktail's name was finally cemented in 1963, when Gina MacKinnon, the chairwoman of the Drambuie Liqueur Company, gave the Rusty Nail her endorsement in The New York Times. DeGroff observes that in the early 1960s "the Rat Pack was enamored of the drink, which may have been responsible for the wide appeal in those years."

Whenever I think of the Rusty Nail, I can't help but remember Mr. Schmid, my music teacher and band director at Herkimer High School, back in the day. The Rusty Nail was, and I believe it still may be, one of his go-to cocktails. Mr. Schmid was nothing short of an awesome teacher, band director and friend.  So, here's to you, Mr. Schmid! 

I think of the Rusty Nail as more of a winter drink, so if you want, you can save this recipe for colder days. Or if you love Scotch and Drambuie all year round, have at it. It's a cinch to make. For those who like a very sweet drink, you can increase the amount of Drambuie. Some recipes call for a 1:1 mixture. I would find that far, far too sweet for my taste, but don't let that stop you. I used 1 part Drambuie to 4 parts Scotch and thought it was plenty sweet. 

Has a simple elegance, doesn't it? Note the perfect ice cubes.

 The Rusty Nail, in honor of Mr. Schmid

2 ounces Blended Scotch (use a good one, please)

1/2 ounce Drambuie Liqueur

Pour the Scotch and Drambuie into an old fashioned glass. Add a goodly amount of ice and stir. Raise a glass to Mr. Schmid's health. Cheers!

(Alternatively, one could make the "Straight Up Nail". Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass.)

Cheers!

The Tom Collins

This cocktail reminds me of my childhood, Thirsty Readers. Not because I was throwing back Tom Collins Cocktails whilst still in elementary school. I just remember it being a "thing". I remember my parents and their friends drinking Tom Collinses (how does one make this plural?). But, I also remember the ubiquitous Tom Collins "MIX".  Which, I suppose still exists.  Though as you can imagine, I cringe at using a mix of anything I can make from scratch.

And speaking of mixes, my good friend and gifted baker, Michelle, owns a fine bakery in Fairfield, CT called Sweet and Simple. She makes everything from scratch using only the finest ingredients. You can imagine Michelle's surprise - nay, horror! - when a customer ordered a cake from her and then provided  some boxes of Pilsbury Funfetti cake for Michelle to use.  (Michelle does great mail order. Click HERE for her site.)  In the interest of customer service, Michelle obliged. But, I bet it was very hard. I've asked her for a photo of this bastardization of baked goods and if I get it, I shall share it.

But, as I do, I'm digressing.

Back to the Tom Collins. This is a simple drink, but if well executed, it is quite perfect, especially for summer. Like, really perfect. Seriously.

I mixed up tonight's drink using a recipe from the brilliant and witty Jeffrey Morganthaler. It is in his new and gorgeous book, The Bar Book.  The book is mostly about drink making technique, but it also includes great recipes for some cocktails and for ingredients you need to make great cocktails.  Like Quinine Syrup, for instance, which is used to make the best Gin and Tonic EVER. Or so he says. I can't speak to this directly because I could not procure the ingredients necessary to make such syrup in Bloomington, the place where there isn't even a GAP.

But, fret not, Thirsty Ones. I've ordered powdered cinchona bark and gentian root from the miraculous inter-web. They are on their way and soon, I'll be all set. You can be sure that you will be reading a post on the perfect Gin and Tonic in the next week or so. Stay tuned.

So, here is a photo of tonight's beverage in a vintage Collins glass. My mom gave me her entire set of these - some have green dots like the one below and others have black or red.  Thanks, Mom! The photo angle belies the fact that the glass is straight sided, and the perfect volume for the Tom Collins.

Herkimer High Colors for those Magicians. You Herkimer peeps will know what I mean!

The only thing you might not have at the ready for this drink is simple syrup. But, you ought to make some up and put it in your fridge. It will keep and it is handy for a great number of good drinks.  I've included the simple syrup recipe below.  Make the Tom Collins. I implore you. It is delicious, refreshing and summery. For those of you who want to know more about the interesting origins of this delightful libation, check out the Wikipedia entry for the  Tom Collins HERE.

The Tom Collins Cocktail

2 ounces Gin, preferably Old Tom style. (I didn't have any, so I used Beefeaters, a London dry and it was still wonderful)

3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice (FRESH. Nothing else will do, trust me.)

1/2 ounce simple syrup (see below)

Ice Cubes

2 ounces chilled soda water (seltzer)

Lemon peel for garnish

Comine the gin, lemon juice, and simply syrup in a cocktail shaker or mixing glass. Shake with ice cubes until chilled. Add the soda water to the shaker.

Strain into a chilled collins glass filled with fresh ice. Twist the peel over the surface of the cocktail and drop it in the drink to serve.

Cheers!

Simple Syrup

1 cup white granulated sugar

1 cup water

In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a simmer, stirring the mixture occasionally to dissolve the sugar. At the first crack of a boil, remove from the heat. Cool completely then store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. It will keep for up to a month.

The part about removing it from the heat at the first crack of a boil is important. If you keep boiling it, the sugar will crystallize out in the fridge.  You don't want that. 

Thanks to BT Parsons for this recipe. It's from his wonderful Bitters book. 

The Treacle Cocktail (aka The Bijou)

Blech, Thirsty Readers. This one is almost as bad - maybe even AS bad - as the Old Hickory, the major taster of which turned out to be my kitchen sink drain. I should have known this would be too sweet. The original recipe of this old and classic cocktail calls for 1 part each of gin, green chartreuse, and sweet vermouth. Add a dash of orange bitters and there you go. I followed the recipe as written, even though there was the following note:

"A popular modification of this drink dials up the gin by half an ounce while cutting back on the vermouth and Chartreuse by half and ounce each, resulting in a drier cocktail."  The author of this passage, (my Bitters hero,BT Parsons) goes on to suggest that one ought to give "this original version a try. As my college writing professor used to say, you have to understand the rules first before you can start breaking them."

So, I tried the original version. Why? Because I'm all about the following the rules.  Until they don't suit me. Only then do I break them.  After I tasted this cloyingly sweet, almost syrupy drink, I proceeded to break the rule right away. I emptied half of the glass out and filled it back up with gin. And, it is still much too sweet for me.

Will I drink it anyway? Yes. Yes, I will. Why? Because I am in need of some chemically induced relaxation after a couple of stressful days of running around getting my kid ready to go to Whale Camp this weekend. Who knew that finding pants for this kid would be such a challenge? He's 13, is a mens' small and has a 34 inch inseam.  Try finding that combination in Bloomington, a town that does not even have a GAP.  Oh. Excuse me. I digress.

Back to the drink.  If you like really thick, treacle-y, sweet drinks, the original recipe of this drink is for you. Otherwise, I advise you to skip it for something else. That's the lovely thing about the world of Cocktailia (isn't that a totally sexy name?); there are nearly infinite options. A drink for every palate and then some.

Here is the photo of the drink. I garnished with the pedestrian Maraschino Cherry. Apologies to those with better taste in cherries. I 'm just not ready to shell out the thirty smackers for the jar of high-brow, mixologist acceptable cherries. I'll come around; we all know it's just a matter of time. Just not yet. It's like your first pair of really, really, great boots. You fight it for years and then you give in, never to go back again, much to the detriment of your bank account balance.

Too tired to take a glam shot. There will be those days, Thirsty Readers!

The Treacle Cocktail (aka The Bijou)

1 ounce gin

1 ounce green chartreuse

1 ounce sweet vermouth

1 dash orange bitters (this drink is so sweet, I don't think it matters what bitters brand you used. I imagine even a dash of Sunny D or Orange Kool-Aid would do)

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry of the socio-economic class of your choosing. Drink and keep a shot of insulin handy in the event you go into a sugar coma.

Cheers!

The willPower & Emily

Good afternoon, Thirsty Readers! Today's drink is being brought to you before the (mostly) obligatory 5PM because it is a Mock-tail. And as such, it can be consumed by anyone, with abandon, at any time. The willPower & Emily is a very fresh, watermelon, mint, and lime soda, carbonated with dry champagne yeast.

The willPower & Emily is named for Emily Mallory. She and the beverage share several lovely qualities. Both are fresh, pretty, delightful, bubbly, and smart. (Yes, this is a smart soda because it is free of anything artificial!)  Emily is not yet 21 - soon, though - so her namesake cocktail is sans hooch.

And...drumroll please... Emily is now a certified willPower and Grace (R) instructor, having passed her exam this week. Congratulations to Emily! If you haven't tried a willPower and Grace (R) class, do it at the first opportunity. It's an outstanding and fun workout.  I did it this morning and believe-me-you, I've earned my evening cocktail. Tonight, I think I'll have the tried and true, Cranberry Crush.

Thirsty readers of drinking age, feel free to add some gin or vodka to the willPower & Emily.  I haven't tried that yet, but I might not get the chance because my bottle of this delicious brew might be gone by 5PM.

A couple of things about the method here.  You'll need an empty 2 liter soda bottle. It's not elegant, but it does the trick. If you want to transfer the soda after fermentation/carbonation, leave me a comment and I'll send you instructions on how to do it. It's not hard, you just need a chopstick, a funnel, and a flip-top bottle.

Here is the beautiful brew in a fancy bottle. It would make a nice hostess gift, no?

Fresh ingredients, macerating before being pureed. I'm ridiculously proud of my homegrown mint.

I got the recipe from a book called, True Brews by Emma Christensen.  The only change I would recommend is to add some extra lime juice. As you have probably gathered by now, I like an edge to my beverages. The extra lime cuts the sweetness in a way that is just right. Don't be intimidated by the whole home-brewing thing. This is simple to do and will make you look really impressive to everyone you know. And after all,  looking really impressive can be pretty satisfying.

The willPower & Emily

4 pounds seeded and cubed watermelon (11-12 cups from a 6 pound watermelon)

1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup (or more) freshly squeezed lime juice

1 cup water, plus more to fill the bottle

9 T white granulated sugar (next time, I'm going to cut this back and see what happens)

pinch of salt (don't be shy)

1/8 tsp dry champagne yeast (if you live in Bloomington, get this at the Butler Winery store on N. College Ave)

1. Combine watermelon, mint leaves and lime juice in a large bowl.

2. Bring the cup of water to a boil. Remove from heat. Add sugar and salt and stir to dissolve. Pour this over the watermelon and mint. Mix it around and let it be for about 10 minutes.

3. Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor. Work in batches. Strain the puree through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.

4. Pour the juice into a clean 2-liter plastic soda bottle, using a funnel. I suppose you could eat the solids, but I think they are just too sweet. I tossed them. Top off the liquid in the bottle with water, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace. You can add more lime juice now, or wait and add it to the finished beverage on a glass by glass basis, which is what I do.

5. Add the yeast. Screw on the cap and shake the bottle gently to distribute the yeast. Let the bottle sit at room temperature, away from direct light,  for 12 - 48 hours until the bottle feels rock solid with very little give. It usually takes about 12 hours in my experience.

6. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 weeks. Open VERY slowly. I mean, VERY slowly, to avoid it fizzing all over everything.

Pour over ice and garnish with a mint sprig.  Enjoy your soda, and the feeling that you are really cool for having made it yourself.

Cheers!

The Carthusian Sazerac

I learned something from tonight's Cocktail, Thirsty Readers. Turns out, that the Carthusian Sazerac is a teacher, of sorts. I was looking for a drink that featured, or at least included Green Chartreuse, a new addition to my "barder".  I stumbled across the subject drink, which apparently originated in Cleveland, Ohio. Why? I have no idea. But, I'm glad that I found it. Not because I loved the drink. I didn't, really. But, because I learned about a documentary that I want to watch now. It's called Into the Great Silence. It is about the Carthusian order of monks. Here's the connection to the cocktail. The Carthusians are the monks who make, and have since the 1700s have made,  Chartreuse. Boom. Now, you've learned something too.  Apparently, God is on the side of some booze - Chartreuse and Benedictine being among the blessed.  If you are interested in learning more about the blessed Chartreuse, click HERE.

As I write, I am waiting for my casings to finish soaking so that I can finish making Chorizo link sausages. Yes, your mixologist is a countess of many trades. I thought I would include a picture of the soaking casings because their appearance in water belies their humble -- some might say rather gross -- origins. They look to me like long strips of linen.

But, back to the drink.  I like each of the components in the mix, but I cannot say I liked the drink much.  It was very balanced, in that all the flavors blended well. But, if I may say, they blended almost too well. The Carthusian Sazerac was rather flat, too round, too "edgeless" and frankly, a bit cloying. It improved considerably after the addition of about a half ounce more of rye, but still, it wasn't a favorite.  There are many better ways to feature Chartreuse (see here for the Last Word) and, there are most definitely numerous better ways to enjoy a good Rye Whiskey.  All that said, I shall  include the customary photo and recipe, because after all...I am not the "last word" on what is good. Beauty and deliciousness are in the eyes and mouth of the beholder. Far be it from me to deprive you of something that you might find lovely just because I didn't.

Here is the featured cocktail next to a glass of white wine. The Editor joined me tonight for libation. She eschews hard liquor for white wine.  The drinks look nice together, no? 

And here is our featured cocktail on my treasured Herkimer Masonic Order platter. Why? Why not.

The Carthusian Sarazac

2 1/2 ounces rye whiskey

1/4 ounces Green Chartreuse

1/2 tsp. simple syrup

Absinthe rinse

2 dashes lemon bitters

Lemon twist

Pour a little bit of Absinthe into a coupe and twirl to coat the surface. Pour out excess. Combine remaining ingredients except for the lemon twist in a shaker filled with ice. Shake while maintaining a strict vow of Carthusian silence. Strain into the couple. Garnish.  Drink and enjoy.

If you need some sexy music to accompany this Monkish drink, try this.

Until next time, Cheers!

The Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes! Cocktail

Good Evening, Thirsty Ones! Tonight I have for you The Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes! Cocktail, also known as the Pegu Club Cocktail.

You might be wondering why this cocktail has two names. Well, the latter name comes from the club in Burma - The Pegu Club - at which this fine libation originated. The recipe was shared in the classic The Savoy Cocktail Book, in 1930 by Harry Craddock. I learned of this delicious old-style drink from my lately favorite book, Bitters, by BT Parsons.

For the purpose of tonight's post, I took the liberty of naming the drink in honor the truly fine Diania Maisonneuve.  Diania, or "Mama Mais" as many know her, is an absolutely kick-ass Indo-Row coach at the Bloomington Body Bar. I am lucky to row with her a few times a week.  She motivates me (and probably every other lucky person else she coaches) to a level of performance a far piece beyond what I ever think is possible. She does this every single time I row with her. It is a rare and special person who can be a gifted coach. Diania is one of those people.

In addition to her prowess at coaching, Diania (the second "i" is silent) is the real deal. She's the good citizen, compassionate and loving, giving to the nth degree, and just plain fun to be around.  I admire her and adore her and am so glad to call her friend.

Why the name, "Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes!"?  Because whenever we are about to increase our rowing output or start a new "wave", Diania asks if everyone is ready. Rather than waiting for an answer from her class, she exclaims,  "Yes, yes, yes, and yes!"  There were many things I could have called the drink, but to me the concept of YES is Diania.  She lives an enthusiastic YES kind of life.

This cocktail was one of my favorites, so far.  It has the rare quality of being both boozy and refreshing.   I love that in a drink.

Looks  a bit like Fresca, but is intensely flavorful.

The Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes! is quick to put together. Well, it is if it isn't your first time at the rodeo using a Boston Shaker, that is. I purchased one today with a view toward being a hipper and more professional mixologist. I followed my beloved BT Parson's instructions on how to use it, but apparently, I slapped the thing together with a bit too much force. I was unable to separate the parts after I shook the drink and had to begin again with my tried and true, though amateur, cocktail shaker. I tweeted to Mr. Parsons for advice. He was very helpful. I did end up separating the two glasses, but only after my taster and I finished our drinks. We split the (very diluted) first cocktail that had been trapped in the Boston Shaker. I am happy to report that even the diluted version of this drink was incredibly tasty.  Not many drinks can boast that, eh?

I need much more practice at this.

Here is the recipe for this gorgeously delicious drink.  Do yourself a favor and add it to your summer repertoire of cocktails. You'll thank me.

The Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes! 

(aka The Pegu Club Cocktail)

2 ounces London Dry Gin

3/4 ounces orange curaçao

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

1 dash Angostura Bitters

1 dash orange bitters (as always, I used Regans' No. 6)

Lime twist for garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish. Raise your glass to truly good coaches.  Enjoy.

Cheers!

The Emerald Cocktail

Tonight, for no reason other than my taster requested a drink with Irish Whiskey, I present to you, The Emerald. It is not green, nor is it a hokey St. Patrick's Day drink. The Emerald Cocktail is a variation on The Manhattan, but with Irish Whiskey instead of Rye, and orange bitters instead of Angostura bitters. And, there is no maraschino cherry.  

Aside - I was surprised to note that the Irish spell whiskey with an "e".  The Scotch don't use the e and neither do the Canadians.  I wish the Americans didn't either. I just prefer Whisky to Whiskey.
Less is more. Except when we are talking about really good French Fries. In that case, more is always best.

But, back to the drink. I have Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey in what I am going to start calling my "BARder", so I used it. It's a lovely smooth whiskey. I don't find it nearly as interesting as Scotch Whisky or Bourbon, but it is quite nice.  I prefer it solo, either neat with a drop of water, or on ice. It turns out that most people do. There are very, very, few cocktails that call for Irish Whiskey. Apparently, it does not play well with others.

I must confess that I had a sip of The Emerald this evening, but I didn't make one for myself. I opted for my go-to cocktail of late, The Negroni. I detest The Manhattan Cocktail (ironic seeing how much I adore Manhattan.) Since tonight's cocktail is a variation on one, I knew it would not be for me.  It might, however, be for you. My taster, a Manhattan Cocktail fan - but not at all a fan of Manhattan, go figure - really loved this drink. Very. Much.

While it did not appeal to my taste buds, it was quite appealing to my eyes.  It had a surprising and rather fetching amber color. I garnished with some orange peels and a freshly picked black raspberry from our garden. If you haven't eaten raspberries still warm from the sun, you haven't eaten raspberries. They are delicious and I will be featuring them in a libation in the next week or so.

Here is our Irish Beauty:

Apologies for the screen in the background. But still, it's a pretty drink, no?

The Emerald Cocktail

2 ounces Irish Whiskey

1 ounce Sweet Vermouth

2 goodly dashes orange bitters (as always, I use Regans' Orange Bitters No. 6)

Pour the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice. Shake whilst doing an Irish Jig. Strain into a cocktail glass or a coupe. Garnish as you like.  Raise your glass to St. Patrick. Enjoy.

Cheers and until next time -

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rain fall soft upon your fields,

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

The Friday Fusion Blue Ball Cocktail

I know, I know, Thirsty Readers. You missed me yesterday. I apologize for leaving you parched, but it was just one of those days on which many things conspired to keep me from my muddler and my shaker. Be comforted, though, because I'm back with a lovely new drink that you will enjoy. It is the Friday Fusion Blue Ball Cocktail, named in honor of a kick-ass class I took (from the super fit and lovely Jill Gengenbach Resnick) today at the Bloomington Body Bar. In this class, the other mighty women and I worked very hard with blue balls.  Here is a photo:

Still life of Mighty Women working very hard with Blue Balls

Fortunately, I had a quart of blueberries on hand, so making a blue cocktail without some hideous colorant was possible. I found several variations on the Blue Berry Smash (the more traditional and, if I may, boring name for this drink). I selected the one that included St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, because I think it is dreamy. 

Here is the cocktail. The picture doesn't do it justice.

The Friday Fusion Blue Ball Cocktail. So elegant, no?

You could mix this drink with gin or vodka; tonight, I chose white rum. Why? Because I haven't featured a rum drink so far and wanted to try it. I used more blueberries than most recipes called for and I'm glad that I did. I tried one with a half teaspoon of white sugar in place of  the St. Germain and found that the extra sweetness made the blueberry flavor pop. So, if you don't have St. Germain, use sugar. 

Without further delay, here's the recipe.  

The Friday Fusion Blue Ball Cocktail

1.5 ounces white rum 

0.5 ounces St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

3 fresh mint leaves

1/4 lime

15 fresh blueberries (I suppose you could use frozen)

In a cocktail shaker, muddle together the mint leaves and blueberries. (If adding 1/2 tsp. sugar, add it with the mint leaves and berries for muddling.) Squeeze the juice from the quarter lime into the muddled mix.  Add white rum and St. Germain, and fill the shaker up with ice. Shake, shake, shake. Double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.  Raise your glass to the mighty woman in the picture above. Enjoy!

Until next time, Cheers to you!  And, please feel free to leave comments and requests below.

BloomingtonGirl's Beach Plum Sour

Salutations, Thirsty Readers.  Tonight, I set out to make a "Ruby's Sour." I saw a picture of it on the Twitter feed of a bar in Manhattan. The drink featured a spirit I really love: Greenhook Ginsmiths Beach Plum Gin Liqueur. (I cannot wait to tour their distillery when I am in NY over the summer. I am a fan, as you probably have guessed.)  The bar in question posted the ingredients of the cocktail, but not the recipe. So, I rang them up and requested it. I explained, in my adopted very-pleasant-and-polite midwestern manner, that I lived in Indiana and couldn't very well pop over and have them make one for me.  The man on the other end of the line was entirely unsympathetic.  He advised me to email the beverage director and see if "he would be willing to part with the secret recipe."   

Bah! As if I have the time or patience for that nonsense. Undeterred, I set out to make up a recipe of my own.  I looked up the classic whiskey sour recipe - one that used an egg white to make it foamy - and adapted my drink from that. The result?  Success! And, bonus!  I don't even have to name it after Ruby, because I made it up. Take that, Ruby...whoever you are.

Now, this was my first trip to the rodeo...the rodeo of making a drink with an egg white, that is. I didn't have to worry about getting sick because we are practically on a first name basis with the chickens who lay our eggs. 

I couldn't find my go-to cocktail book to advise me on technique. I did remember that it one should do a "dry shake" for drinks containing egg whites, which is to say that one shakes the drink ingredients first, then adds ice and shakes again. It worked like a charm, though the pressure that built up in the shaker during the dry shake did cause the shaker to pop a bit when I opened it. Lucky for me, I don't mind a little mess in the name of making a good cocktail.

Here is a photo of the lovely libation. The darker red swirls on top of the foamy surface are actually Peychaud's Bitters.  I carefully placed a couple of drops on  the top of the drink and then attempted - in vain  - to bend said drops to my creative will. Clearly, I need some practice in drink-top styling. But, no matter. It tasted pretty great. It is a keeper.

And finally, I garnished with still-hot-from-the-sun red and black raspberries picked moments before from our berry patch. Pretty sweet, no?

Isn't this a fancy-pants little cocktail? 

Here is the recipe, for those of you lucky enough to get your hot little hands on Beach Plum Gin Liqueur. 

BloomingtonGirl's Beach Plum Sour

1 egg white (preferably from a hen that you know)

2 ounces Greenhook Ginsmiths Beach Plum Liqueur

1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 dashes Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters (or orange if that's what you have)

Peychaud's Bitters (or other red bitters...optional)

Garnish - whatever you have on hand that is pretty

Place egg white, liqueur, lemon juice and rhubarb bitters in a shaker without ice. Shake for about ten seconds to blend well. Add ice. Shake again until chilled. Strain into a pretty cocktail glass or coupe. If desired, place a few drops of bitters on the foamy surface and attempt to make a pretty design. Garnish nicely.  Toast your BloomingtonGirl and enjoy.

Cheers!

The Southside Margaret Jones Cocktail

Hello once again, my Thirsty Ones. Tonight, I am serving up the Southside Margaret Jones Cocktail. Margaret earned this honor by crushing every one of her 200 meters rows at the Bloomington Body Bar "Shockwave" class today.  There were seven of us in the class. We were each pretty fierce and amazing - just saying - but Margaret just plain bested us on the rower. And, she did it with her customary grace and style. Here's to you, Margaret Jones!

The Southside is an old classic cocktail and there are more than a few ways to make one. I took a basic recipe that called for lemon juice. Some call for lime.  I altered the recipe so that the mint flavor would really come through. I also made one drink  with the sugar reduced by half. These modifications were nods to Ms. Jones, who requested a minty, not-too-sweet, cocktail for tonight's post. And, last but certainly not least, I added some bitters to the recipe: A few dashes of Peychaud's. I chose Peychaud's because I thought its floral flavor would compliment the drink. I also hoped that its beautiful red color would give The Southside Margaret Jones a bit of a blush. (Margaret is the kind of woman who would blush. She is a real lady.)

A couple of notes on the sugar content. The reduced sugar version (1 tsp. instead of 2) was very refreshing and had a strong lemon edge. The version with 2 tsp. was still refreshing and light, but it was smoother. It also had a stronger mint note, which I preferred.  

Here is the lovely Southside Margaret Jones photographed on our patio. In this photo, Margaret is double strained. Had she been single strained, she would have had minty green flecks throughout. Next time, I might add a few more dashes of bitters to make her blush more.

Our first Hydrangea of the season looks on, probably with envy.

The Southside Margaret Jones Cocktail

2 ounces Gin (I used Beefeater Gin tonight with good results)

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 or more fresh mint leaves

3 dashes Peychaud's Bitters

1-2 tsp. of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your Margaret

Mint for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, muddle together the mint, sugar, and bitters making sure you really crush up the mint leaves for flavor. Add the lemon juice and muddle a bit more. Add the gin and ice. Shake until chilled. Single strain if you want little green minty specs in the drink, or double strain if you don't. 

Cheers, Thirsty Readers! Until tomorrow.

 

The Cherry Bourbon Fizz

Good Evening, Thirsty Readers. Tonight's delightful libation was inspired by a two pound bag of Bing Cherries I picked up today at Bloomingfoods. As is my custom with cherries, I make myself into a complete pig immediately upon the getting the cherries home.  I'm not terribly proud of my gluttony, but I will continue to eat cherries in season until my stomach hurts. After I pitted and ate a rather large bowl at a rapid pace (fear not - I wouldn't do this in public), I began to ponder what kind of drink I could make using these beautiful red cherries. I also began to wonder whether I would need to eat dinner, so full was I of cherries.

To find a recipe, I went, of course, to the Oracle, otherwise known as Google. After perusing several seemingly worthy options, I came upon a promising looking recipe for The Cherry Bourbon Fizz on a really groovy food blog called Bowen Appetit.  If I lived in Madison like Bowen does,  I would make her be friends with me.  I'd  show up at her house all the time to eat and drink what she makes. When time allows, I'm going to try out a few more of her recipes.

But, back to the drink. I made a couple of minor changes to the recipe to punch up the cherry flavor. I also added my beloved Regans' Orange Bitters No. 6  to the mix, because just about every drink benefits from at least a dash or two of bitters . If you do not have a bottle of this particular one in your pantry, procure it immediately. I am not kidding. Do. It. Now. Big Red near Kroger on the east side carries it (if you live in Bloomington.) Otherwise, you can find it on a number of different sites on line. It makes most drinks sing.  You'll wonder how you ever lived without bitters. You're Welcome.

The Cherry Bourbon Fizz is a deliciously flavorful, easy-to-drink summer cocktail. And bonus, it is pretty simple to make. If you prefer a boozier cocktail, go ahead and bump up the Bourbon to 1 3/4 to 2 ounces. My taster did this and was quite pleased with the result.

A must have. (Did I mention this is a must have?)

Here is a picture of the beautiful cocktail. Who needs artificial colors when nature is this good to us?

What the camera didn't capture was a lovely transparent quality to the drink. Gorgeous!

The Cherry Bourbon Fizz

5  juicy Bing Cherries (Bowen says you can use other kinds if you want)

1-2 tsp. granulated sugar (I used 1.5 and thought it was perfect)

1 1/2 ounces Bourbon (I used Wild Turkey Bourbon)

1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

1-2 dashes of Regans' Orange Bitters No. 6

Splash of soda (I used soda in my taster's drink and Q Tonic in my own. Both were very good)

In a cocktail shaker, muddle 4 cherries with the sugar and the bitters. (Marvel at the stunning color while you do.) Fill the shaker half way with ice. Add Bourbon and lime juice and shake until chilled. Double strain into a cocktail glass. Gently splash in a little soda or tonic and give it a little stir. Garnish with the remaining cherry and a lime wedge or twist. 

OR, you can strain it into an old-fashioned glass with a few ice cubes. 

Until next time, Thirsty Ones, Cheers!

The Countess

I think if I got to choose my royal title, I would choose Countess. I don't know why exactly, but the title has always appealed to me much more than Queen, Princess, or Duchess. I don't even know exactly what a real Countess is or does, but I am pretty certain I would enjoy being one. As a Countess, I  would throw a lovely party for the more fun-loving lesser royals and at such party, I would feature a terrific signature drink. A terrific signature drink such as The Countess.

The Countess Cocktail is a simple little drink that tastes refreshing, light and a bit mysterious. It's a Gin and Tonic with a little extra something special. I made the recipe as suggested on the Q Tonic website (still working on using up the $7 bottle, Thirsty Readers). Next time I make it - and there will probably be a next time, because this is a delightful beverage - I'll use more St. Germain and garnish with mint AND a little purple flower. Why purple? Because it is the color of royalty, of course.

Here is The Countess, ready for her close up:

The mint is from my own mint plant.  (Be very impressed by this, Thirsty Readers. I have a very black thumb.) 

Here is the recipe. You can start out with these proportions, but I'm going to amp up the St. Germain by at least 50% next time. If you don't feel like springing for an entire bottle of the stuff, they sell little bottles for about $4. It's pretty yummy. Click HERE to go to the St. Germain website and learn more about this fancy and elegant cordial.  

The Countess

Fill a highball glass with ice

Add 2 oz of your favorite gin

Add a little less than .5 oz St-Germain Elderflower Cordial

Top with 3 to 4 oz Q Tonic 

Garnish with a mint sprig (and a violet, if you have one handy)

Cheers!