Hello all! Thanks for letting me publish this diary to the group. I had originally intended to write something about what we typically think of as "summer foods". Seeing as others have already done (great) diaries on grilling and smoking, two of my favorite things to do during the pleasant weather months (okay...I'll admit that I do grill outside when there's several inches of snow on the ground), I figured I'd write about cocktails, as they're a year round interest of mine. Plus, July is the perfect month to discuss libations, as parties and get-togethers when many of us tip back a few are often held. Also, Tales of the Cocktail is going on this week (July 20 through 24) in New Orleans. I've never been, but maybe I'll get down there one of these years now that my cousin and her new husband have settled there.
But I digress... On to some of my favorite Summer beverages!
Equipment
For most good cocktails you really don’t need any fancy equipment, particularly if you are used to freepouring liquor like I am. However, here’s a list of very basic stuff that's handy to have:
1. Jigger/pony - The small metal cups that you see more pro bartenders using these days. One side holds 1.5 oz. of liquid (jigger), the other holds 1 oz. (pony).
2. Muddler – typically made of wood but newer versions are made of metal or silicone; used to ‘muddle’ or mash up ingredients, such as herbs, spices, fruit to release their oils and flavors.
3. Pourers – you know the little rubber/plastic and metal spouts you often see in liquor bottles behind the bar. These make pouring out of a bottle easy.
4. Boston shaker – not absolutely necessary (I often just pour a drink between two glasses to mix), but one of these will help mix drinks and the metal will help chill liquids quickly.
5. Simple syrup – This is just a combination of equal parts (or your favorite ratio) of sugar to water, simmered for 5 to 10 minutes to dissolve the sugar and then cooled. If kept tightly covered, simple syrup can be stored in the fridge almost indefinitely. However, I suggest that you make only small quantities (1-2 cups) at a time, unless you know you'll be using a lot of it. I save empty liquor bottles to store this in. Simple syrup can be flavored with nearly anything you’d like – e.g., ginger, mint, spices.
6. Glassware – I won’t go into this much here, as I’m not a stickler at home or at parties for having the correct glasses (only at the bar). But there are four or five basic types: the Collins glass, highball, old-fashioned or rocks glass, cocktail glass (what has become commonly known as a “martini glass”), and pint glasses.
I've gotta start this diary with a tip of the hat to one of my favorite NA beverages for the summertime: the Arnold Palmer. Yes, named for the famous golfer, this drink is simply a mix of half iced tea and half lemonade (or whatever ratio you like). Always refreshing, and you can add booze (vodka, rum, gin, or whatever) to this if you prefer a more adult version.
Also, I recently discovered a new lemonade recipe provided by the lovely Miss Evelyn from Virginia. Not really going to go into it here because everyone has their own recipe, Ms. Evelyn uses either brown sugar or another less-processed sugar like Demerara in her mix of lemon juice, water, and sugar. I think she uses a small amount of lime juice too, but she wouldn't tell me all her secrets.
Adult Beverages
I've tended bar for something like 12 years now and I believe in the utter correctness of classic cocktails; most of the stuff that are called martinis today are utter abominations (IMHO, of course). That said, I am not a true drink snob; if you like it and want to drink it, that's fine with me; just don't offer me one, I may bite . A Note: many of the quantities listed show a range or aren't really exact; I am not one to follow recipes closely, and I believe that everyone eventually tailors their drinks to their taste.
I’ve divided the following beverages up by their respective base liquor (vodka, gin, etc.). There’s plenty more than I’ve listed here; I’m just sharing some of my favorites. Perhaps I’ll do a part 2 someday.
Moscow Mule
I love these vodka-base cocktails all year round, but they seem to be more refreshing in the summertime. Any good bar will serve these in copper cups or mugs (often available for less on EBay or Craigslist, or sometimes in your local thrift shop), but they are not required. I’ve never done any empirical trials, but they say the reaction between the lime and the copper enhances the drink. Tall Collins glasses are fine.
2 oz. vodka 1 oz. lime juice (I often just use 1-3 lime wedges, depending on how juicy they are) 4 oz. Ginger beer
The ginger beer may be the most essential part of this drink, as it creates the refreshing aspect of the Moscow Mule. However, ginger ale will suffice in a pinch. Luckily, my local pub has a local brewery that makes fantastic ginger beer for these (they have the copper cups too).
Pimm's Cup
I recently rediscovered this cocktail back in May; my cousin served it at her wedding reception. Most recipes will just call for Pimm's No. 1 (a low-alcohol specialty), ginger ale/lemon soda for those who can get it, and some cucumber. Here's one that I like:
1/4 ounce Simple Syrup (or to taste) 3 to 4 mint leaves (optional) 1 (3/4-inch-thick) lemon wedge (about 1/8 of a medium lemon) 1 ounce dry gin 1 ounce Pimm’s No. 1 Ice Cucumber, sliced lengthwise into strips with a vegetable peeler 1 1/2 to 2 ounces ginger ale 1/2 teaspoon peeled, freshly grated ginger (optional)
Place simple syrup, ginger, mint, and lemon in a cocktail shaker and muddle gently. Add gin and Pimm’s and stir to combine. Fill a collins or pint glass halfway with ice. Coil 1 to 2 strips of cucumber around the inside top half of the glass. [I am often lazy and just throw a couple of cucumber slices in the glass, muddle them a bit, continue with the build, and then garnish with a slice of cucumber on the rim of the glass]. Strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into the glass and top with ginger ale (the Brits and maybe other Europeans can use their preferred lemon soda here). Stir gently and add additional ice cubes to fill, if you wish. If you’re using the ginger, either grate or (lazy, again) throw a couple of slices into the glass and muddle with cucumber before building the drink.
Negroni
This Italian cocktail is pretty well known. I dirk these all year-round, but then I love bitter things. Campari is a readily available bright pink Italian bitter aperitif – really reminds me of a juicy grapefruit with herbal undertones.
1 oz. gin ¾ to 1oz. sweet vermouth 1 oz. Campari
[I used to mix this at about a 2:1:1 ratio gin to vermouth to Campari, but find that the listed recipe is good too.]
Shake all ingredients with ice and serve in a cocktail glass; or pour all ingredients into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and stir. I sometimes make this in a tall glass and top with club soda.
Daiquiri
Yes, this is the original true daiquiri that Hemingway drank. Correct proportions are important here, but it’ll still be good if you don’t care that much about recipes.
2 oz. light rum ¾ oz. to 1 oz. lime juice ¼ oz simple syrup, or to taste
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
If I don’t have nay simple syrup on hand, I often just use a dash or two of water mixed with some powdered sugar, to taste. Once you shake the heck out of this one, the sugar pretty much dissolves.
Chuck’s Mai Tai
I had to share this recipe from an old bar guest named Chuck who used to come in every Thursday afternoon and drink screwdrivers or mai tais made with freshly squeezed OJ. Haven’t made this one in years and this does require a few more ingredients and fresh juices (bottled will work fine), but it is worth it. Figured I’d share it here for those who haven’t found their favorite Mai Tai yet.
1-1.5 oz. Dark rum (Chuck likes Myers) 1-1.5 light rum 2 oz. fresh OJ (or the juice of 1 orange) 1-2 oz. fresh lime juice (or the juice of 1 lime) 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz. creme de almond or orgeat syrup (if you can find it); I often just use grenadine 1/2 oz. triple sec 1-2 dashes Angostura bitters
Mix all ingredients in a tall glass filled with ice. Sit back and pretend you're on vacation.
Mint Julep Here is one cocktail where you’ll want a muddler to really release the flavor of mint. I drink these all summer; this refresher shouldn’t be confined to just one day in May when horses race. And, silver or pewter julep cups are nice to have, but really not necessary. I’m just hoping my grandmother will gift me with her julep cups someday…
3 oz. bourbon or rye whiskey 3-4 long sprigs of mint, or to taste 2-4 Tbsp simple syrup, to taste
Muddle the mint and simple syrup (you can use a hefty spoon) in a rocks or old fashioned glass. Add whiskey, muddle again for 20-30 seconds and add ice. Stir to mix and serve.
Note: For this drink, I often keep it pretty rustic: I strip 1-2 sprigs of mint into my glass (enough to fill the glass about ½ way), throw in a teaspoon or two of sugar and a dash of whiskey and muddle. I then repeat this step with the rest of the mint and then add in the remaining whiskey and ice, a dash of water and then stir and serve. I tried using demerara sugar the other week; it was great and added an extra dimension of flavor and body to this.
White Wine Spritzer This bev is super easy. Use any decent white wine, dry to sweet, whatever you prefer. 7-up can help cover up off flavors in cheap wine; I often mix maybe an oz. of 7-Up (or whatever lemon-lime soda you have) with club soda. This recipe can be scaled up to serve several people for a party, just use an entire bottle of wine (750 mL or about 4 servings per bottle with a 3-4 oz. pour), maybe 12 to 16 oz. of seltzer, and ice.
2-3 oz. white wine 2-3 oz. seltzer, club soda, or 7-up Ice
Simply combine all ingredients in a large wine, Collins, highball, or pint glass. Garnish with a lemon twist (twisted and dropped in the drink), or wedge.
Sangria Mrs. CS has perfected our version of this popular summer punch, but hey there’s about a million recipes on the Interweb, all very similar and really the proportions and ingredients are all to taste. Here are the ingredients we use:
1-2 bottles of good but inexpensive red wine - we use valpolicella or rioja, sometimes pinot noir ½ to 1 C. brandy, or to taste ¼ to ½ C. triple sec or Cointreau, or to taste Fruit – whatever you have lying around Ice
Mix all ingredients with ice in a large bowl or jug and serve.
Margarita
Everyone knows these. Without further ado, my recipe. Freshly squeezed juice is a must; bottled juice will do in a pinch. Don’t get me started on “sours mix”. Even the stuff labeled as “all natural” often has HFCS in it.
1.5 oz. tequila (I like plain white or silver tequila) ¾ oz. triple sec or Cointreau ½ oz. orange juice or lemon juice ½ oz. lime juice
Mix all ingredients together over ice, shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, or into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime, lemon, and/or orange slice.
Paloma
Another simple one.
1-2 oz. tequila 4 oz. grapefruit soda
Pour ingredients over ice into whatever glass you like (i like a tall one with plenty of ice). Use whatever grapefruit soda you like, I usually use Squirt, Fresca, or Jarritos when I can find it.
Scotch Sour
This is what it sounds like: simple, yet refreshing.
1.5 to 2 oz. scotch (your favorite blended) Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1/2 to 1oz. simple syrup Splash of club soda or seltzer (optional)
Fill a rocks glass/old fashioned glass with ice. Add in liquids, stir or shake, and garnish with a lemon twist dropped into the drink. Top off with a splash of seltzer or club soda if you wish.
Well, it's been great sharing these drinks with y'all. By the time you see this, I'll likely be in Nashville for a week. Have a great summer, friends.
