Tag Archives: Cocktails

Gooseberry Margaritas Are New For May

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Gooseberry Margarita

Margaritas are really up there for being a favorite Spring and Summer drink. I love them with more than Mexican food. I think they blend well with LOTS of different types of cuisines. And of course, they are spectacular on their own or with salty, deep-fat fried foods.

Over the course of some years, I have found my favorite margarita recipe. And I have experimented with lots of different variations. I’ve made blood-orange margaritas, skinny margaritas, spicy margaritas, and so many more. Then I stumbled upon the gooseberry margarita. Mostly because I was living in Kuwait and most of my produce was coming from Europe and Africa. My go-tos for produce when I was in the Americas weren’t readily obtained. So, I discovered the cape gooseberry

Cape gooseberries are these cute little berries which are in a paper cover and are this vibrant, orange color. They are not like those sour green ones. Perfect for cocktail making, imo. Well, they both are but for different reasons. As soon as you find them in the supermarket, run out a grab some.

Cape Gooseberry Recipe

  • 2 oz tequila
  • 1oz lime juice
  • .75 oz Cointreau
  • .5 oz agave syrup
  • 6 cape gooseberries
  • lime wedges

Muddle 3-4 cape gooseberries in a shaker with the agave syrup. Let it sit a minute or two for the flavors to incorporate. Then add the rest of the liquid ingredients. Shake, Shake, Shake. Double Strain into a rocks glass that has fresh ice and few cut up cape gooseberries. Taste. Squeeze a lime cheek into the glass, if needed. Otherwise, just add a few lime wheels for garnish. I wouldn’t add salt because this is a sweeter margarita. But if you’d like, add the salt to the rim of the glass before the ice and pouring.

Warm Weather means Cool Spritzes

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Warmer weather always ushers in the season of the Spritz. It’s just goes hand in hand with the higher degrees outside. For me, it also brings up memories of Italy and good times. But it’s not just me. I was out for a girls’ night the other evening and I saw two ladies enjoying a spritz or two. They were having them in the normal big bulbous gin glasses and not the one I used for mine in this picture. The glass is less important than the ingredients.

The one pictured is a Campari Spritz. Which I love. But I have been known to enjoy other spritzes as well. The Spritz is great using Aperol instead of the Campari making it an Aperol Spritz. You can used St. Germain and make an elderflower spritz. Bonus points if you make it in their carafe with the proportions written on the outside. There is a new kid on the block, a bergamot- savory orange- forward liqueur called Italicus, which makes a pretty good spritz as well. I prefer the Italicus Spritz with gin to tame the sweetness. And lastly, my cocktail club–Shaker & Spoon–have a spritz called the Myrtle Spritz made with spiced blueberry syrup. No matter which spritz you chose, it is sure to be refreshing.

Campari Spritz

  • 1.5 oz Campari
  • 2 oz Prosecco/Sparkling White Wine
  • Splash of Sparkling water/Soda water/Fizzy water
  • garnish with a slice of orange and a green olive

Add the Campari and the Prosecco to a gin glass. Add green olive and stir. Top with ice cubes. Add splash of Sparkling water. Put orange slice along the side of the glass. Add a straw. Give it a small stir. Enjoy!

You can substitute Aperol,/St. Germain/ Italicus+Gin for the Campari in the recipe above. I would start with the same proportions and then add or subtract depending on your palate and whether you like it sweeter, more bitter forward, etc. With the St. Germain and Italicus+Gin, I would leave off the olive as a garnish. And maybe play around with some cool bitters. A peach one or a juicy orange one. Lots of new ones on the market out there. There is no end to the experimentation possible. And a whole Spring, Summer, and Fall in which to try things out.

Even out of Season, Bees Knees are Just That

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You wouldn’t think honey and gin and lemons would turn into something magical, but they do. It’s the Bees Knees, y’all. Really. No, really. It’s super delish.

I use Barr Hill Gin because it’s made with honey. But more importantly, they donate a part of the proceeds to sustaining honey bees. It’s a total win for me, for the bees, and for our planet. I can’t tell you how important it is to us and our plant to keep the bees around all happy producing honey and being like little flying sunshine nuggets. If I have to drink Barr Hill Gin to help out the bees, well, I can be a helpful bitch. I really can.

To make this yummy concoction, you will need a martini glass or a large coupe and a shaker.

Bees Knees

  • 2oz Barr Hill Gin
  • .5 oz honey
  • .75 oz lemon juice

Put all the ingredients into a shaker, fill with ice, shake for 45-60 seconds, Pour into a martini glass. You can garnish it with a lemon twist. Or you can just drink it down. Either way, know you are doing good for the world.

Espresso Martini… and My Hunt for the Perfect One

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I discovered the Espresso Martini in the last couple of years. I’m pretty sure it’s a throw-back to the 1980s and my Kailua fueled college years. It’s taste reminds me of my past. Plus, they are super delicious.

The recipe I’ve been using lately is pretty simple:

  • 2 oz vodka
  • 2 oz espresso
  • .75 oz coffee liqueur

Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake. Pour. Garnish with 3 beans. Viola.

Sometimes, if I’m feeling myself, I will add a thin layer of fresh soft cream on top. I like cream with my morning coffee, so it’s not a stretch that I would like a little with my espresso martini. Other times, I add some Frangelico and add a little hazelnut flavor. That’s the beauty of this drink. With just a little of this or that, you can make it fresh and new.

Or be like me and just drink the classic.