Warm, sunny weather calls for a light, cheery cocktail, and what better way to satisfy that requirement than with a champagne- and fruit-based libation?
This twist on the French 75 incorporates muddled strawberries for an even more Springlike feel, and the inclusion of gin and elderflower liqueur makes it more evening-appropriate than its brunchy cousin the mimosa.
For optimal flavor, enjoy it as a pre-dinner drink on a sunny deck. Sound enticing? Get the recipe!
In the Summer, gin is my go-to spirit — nothing's more refreshing than a crisp gin and tonic on a warm day. But in the Winter, I turn to richer liquors like whiskey and bourbon, and mix up classic old-fashioneds and sazeracs. So when I picked up a bottle of Ransom Old Tom Gin, I thought I was in heaven — it's the best of both worlds.
Ransom is an authentic Old Tom gin, which means it's made from malted barley and corn, much like a whiskey. Then, it's aged in oak wine barrels for a few months.
The result is a spirit somewhere between gin and whiskey, and unlike anything I've ever tasted. The barrel aging gives the gin a woody, herbaceous flavor, but it still retains gin's signature juniper and citrus flavors.
Since Ransom is richer and more complex than regular gin, I wouldn't use it in a gin and tonic; if you want to mix it into a cocktail, I'd recommend using it in place of whiskey or bourbon in an old-fashioned, or even in a sidecar. But it's also incredibly smooth and delicious on its own and is perfect served neat or on the rocks.
Have you ever tried a barrel-aged gin?
It's been raining incessantly in San Francisco, quite the departure from our stay in Florida, where we were in town for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
As a San Franciscan who'd never seen the staggering good looks of Miami Beach, I was more than happy to head back home to Fog City and be in my element.
However, now more than a week later, I'm longing to be back there. The image that keeps playing in my mind? The serenity of lying in the sun poolside at the classic Eden Roc, where I stayed, with a riveting book in one hand and an even more compelling cocktail in the other.
I can't replicate the sun, sand, and surf, but sipping on one of these warmer-weather libations puts me at least halfway there. I love the combination of strawberries and basil; it's a little earthier than mint. Gin, too, adds a bit of complexity that's not there with vodka. For a cheerful drink recipe to remind you of sunnier climes, keep reading.
After making a blood orange margarita, I had a couple of blood oranges lying around. Thus, I decided to juice them and use them in another cocktail — this time with gin as the base spirit. The resulting drink is packed with the refreshing flavor of oranges. Its gorgeous color makes it easy to sip and the addition of agave nectar provides a necessary, but not overpowering sweetness. If you're a fan of oranges, you'll enjoy this beverage. Don't like gin? Use vodka instead! Here's my recipe.
Since a bottle of alcohol is a pretty standard holiday gift, every year I like to make some sort of spirit. Normally I stick to liqueurs like kahlua, Irish cream, or limoncello, but this December, I'm giving homemade gin!
Basically, gin is vodka that's been infused with juniper berries, so it's made like you would any other flavored vodka: let the aromatic seasonings infuse the vodka for a certain amount of time, strain, and then enjoy! The finished product has a cloudy color and classic herbal flavor. Give in a festive bottle or package with tonic, limes, and a couple of glasses.
To check out the easy recipe and watch a video of me making it, keep reading.
This holiday season, surprise your hostess with a bottle of homemade gin. Quick, easy, and inexpensive, all you need to make this festive spirit is vodka, juniper berries, and the seasonings of your choice. In our latest how-to, which we shot at Hipcooks, we show you how it's done. Watch it now!
If you think the assortment of food in the tasting tent at the New York City Wine and Food Festival was overwhelming, wait till you hear about the drinks! There was sparkling wine, red wine, white wine, tequila, rum, flavored vodka, kombucha — basically every spirit and drink imaginable. As your fearless representative, I sampled and sipped my way through the tables. Here are the most exciting liquids I tried.
I consider gin, with its piney, clean flavors, to be the ideal spirit for creating thirst-quenching cocktails. When I got ahold of this recipe with ginger beer and blueberries, I had a feeling it'd be the ultimate refreshment. And it is: the blueberry buck is floral and zippy, with an effervescent ginger finish. For the recipe, be sure to read on.
All day yesterday, I couldn't wait to get home after work. I was planning on making a blackberry margarita. I spent some time researching recipes before I left; there's a lot of interesting blackberry margaritas out there, from thyme-infused ones to others that are muddled with mint. After hitting up the market and Bevmo, I arrived home ready for my marg and realized I had no limes!
I couldn't make a margarita without fresh lime juice, so I set out to create a blackberry-lemon cocktail. Gin was my base spirit, although you could substitute vodka. The resulting concoction hit the spot. It was fruity and boozy in the best kind of way. Want to see what I came up with? You know what to do: keep reading!
