Tenement Yard (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

I'm on the lookout for vegetable cocktails that really scream spring. This one really hits that mark. The recipe calls for snap pea-infused gin. I one-upped that recipe with asparagus-infused homemade gin. I made it according to my recipe for homemade bathtub gin with the addition of three asparagus stems. The asparagus adds earthy vegetable notes to the gin without overpowering the juniper and gin goodness.

The rest of this recipe is super straightforward. For once, I'm using Genepy because it is called for in the recipe. This French alpine liqueur has bright herb and citrus notes similar to Chartreuse. 

One final note: Death & Co. makes their own orgeat by cooking a syrup with almond milk and toasted almonds, which is a great method. Though I have a bottle of Liber & Co. orgeat, it is full of my homemade orgeat. (I couldn't make this without mentioning the hard work that went into it.) This orgeat is made from the soaked almond and hand-pressed method that takes days and a lot of almonds. I don't recommend doing this for restaurant work, but feel free to try it at home. It's kind of on the order of installing your own appliances or making your own shoes. If you do it right, you will have the satisfaction of having achieved something few others do.

The experience of drinking this cocktail is the enjoyment of fresh floral notes from the Genepy and orange blossom in the orgeat, then sipping and picking up toasted almond and green sprouting asparagus cleared away with bright citrus. It's kind of amazing, really, that so few ingredients pack so much flavor.

• 2 oz. sugar snap pea-infused Plymouth gin (homemade asparagus gin used)
• 1/2 oz. Dolin Genepy
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. orgeat

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass. 

Eye of the Torino (Death & Co. recipe)

 

Scotch from Islay is still an island spirit. That's the thinking behind Eye of the Torino. Death & Co. is at it again, changing people's expectations of spirits like Scotch. No, even a single malt scotch like Bowmore 12 doesn't have to be trapped in a Glencairn glass or on the rocks. You can make an excellent Tiki cocktial with single malt from Islay because it has a rich profile similar to rum. 

Yes. Bowmore 12 (or in this case McClelland's Islay, which is my less expensive way to get Bowmore in a different label) is the main ingredient in this tropical drink that features huge coconut flavors. The title of the drink suggests the need to hide Cocchi di Torino in a fruity drink that resembles a Bahama Momma. With all the coconut, pineapple, cream and orgeat, it's hard to taste that sweet vermouth, but spicy scotch still stands out with peat notes and a bit of smoke. But don't tell your Tiki drinking friends it's in there, just pretend it is smoke from the Tiki torches. 

This drink is intended to be served in a coconut shell, which is a lot of trouble to get and cut. I figured a large Tiki mug would be fitting. 

• 2 oz. Bowmore 12-year scotch
• 1/2 oz. cocchi vermouth di Torino
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. orgeat
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. coconut cream
• 1/4 oz. heavy cream
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• 1 dash chocolate mole bitters
• 1 pineapple wedge and cherry flag for garnish

Combine all ingredients is a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a coconut mug (or Tiki mug, as pictured) full of crushed ice. Use a pick to pin the stem cherry to the pineapple wedge and stick it on the rim.

Irish Drinks with Knappogue Castle

The Kerry Cooler (above) benefits from using a single malt Irish whiskey like Knappogue Castle and a quality sherry. The effect is a sweet orgeat and lemon sour with a nutty malty richness that swings between a solid Whiskey and Soda and something more tropical.

• 2 oz. Irish whiskey (Knappogue castle)
• 1 oz. medium sherry
• 1 oz. orgeat syrup
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• club soda
• lemon peel

Combine all ingredients except club soda and zest in a shaker full of ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass. Top with soda and garnish with a lemon peel. 

Irish Buck--I've done this drink as a standard Buck with lime juice and soda. That kind of defeats the purpose of using a quality Irish whiskey. Just like the "correct and proper" Scotch and Soda, the Irish Buck dispenses with the citrus juice and just uses the scent from a slice of lemon or a twist of the peel. Nothing gets in the way of tasting that lovely malt of Knoppogue Castle, but you'll appreciate how much the essence of fruit changes a plain Irish Whiskey and Soda into a fabulous cocktail.

• 2 oz. Irish whiskey (Knappogue Castle used)
• club soda
• twist or slice of lemon

Build the cocktail with ice and whiskey in a Collins glass. Top with soda and stir gently. Twist the lemon peel and drop it in the glass. 

Pernod Flip

Whoever came up with this drink was either a genius or insane. Yes, you can flip any spirit, but it's more fun to flip something weird like Pernod with its intense anise flavor. This cuts through the creaminess in the way that old world cookies with anise flavor can me sweet and delicate but also spice-assertive.

This recipe calls of orgeat syrup, which I made special for the drink. With proportions, I felt that there's a chance it can become too creamy, so I cut a half ounce off the half-and-half and upped the orgeat component by equally as much. You get a nuttiness and floral aroma that accompanies the nutmeg and anise.

• 2 oz. Pernod
• 1 1/2 oz. half-and-half (use 1 oz.)
• whole egg
• 1/2 oz. orgeat syrup (use 1 oz.)
• ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients except nutmeg in a blender with ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a sour glass. Garnish with nutmeg.

Mermaid's Song and Tropical Storm (Non-Alcoholic)

Today I'm posting two non-alcoholic drinks as part of my new interest in virgin cocktails. Virgin drinks are really becoming popular at restaurants where they can be served to kids or pregnant mothers, and still be high quality cocktails. They also include the drinker in the fun of having something special from the restaurant, not just a bottled soda or juice. Both of these drinks use passion fruit juice, which makes them very tropical. With just small differences in their proportions, they are very similar, so they get one posting. If you have all the ingredients for one, you can do the other.

Mermaid's Song (Left)

• 2 oz. orange juice
• 1 oz. passion fruit juice
• 1 oz. coconut milk
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• maraschino cherry

Combine all ingredients except cherry in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled white wine glass. Garnish with the cherry.

Tropical Storm 

• 2 oz. pineapple juice
• 2 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. passion fruit syrup (made from juice)
• 1/2 tsp. orgeat (almond) syrup    
• pineapple spear (optional)

 Combine all ingredients in a highball glass full of ice and stir. 

Glasgow

Glasgow is the whisky capital of Scotland. Most blend recipes are maintained by master blenders working in the city. This is a soft cocktail that makes use of almond syrup or orgeat to make a sour drink more smooth. It makes for one of the best rocks sippers. For this recipe, I chose Cutty Sark's Prohibition Edition, which already has a caramel candy flavor to go with the almond.

• 2 oz. scotch
• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. almond syrup

Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass full of fresh ice.

Cape Cod Cooler

Tired of the same old vodka and cranberry Cape Codder? Enhance your cranberry juice with sloe gin. Sloe gin is made from a liqueur from the sloe berry, which is related to the plum. It's much sweeter than gin, but there's still the juniper spice that dry gins have. The fun thing about sloe gin is the deep purple color--and of course the fun you can have with puns on the word "slow."

This cocktail was really sweet. The addition of orgeat syrup more than compensates for the sour lime and bitter cranberry juice. It has a tropical, Sling, sort of feel, much like the Singapore Sling without the fizz.

• 2 oz. sloe gin
• 1 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. orgeat syrup
• 5 oz. cranberry juice or to top
• lime slice

Combine lime juice, orgeat syrup and gins in a highball glass with ice. Top with cranberry juice and stir gently. Garnish with the lime slice.

Bali Hai

What a fun champagne tiki! It's really acidic and dry with brut champagne and all the citrus, but stick with it. The almond syrup and grenadine give it a lovely pink color and flavor complexity but there's not enough to sweeten the drink too much. So this is an example of a tiki that makes you pucker, and a rare one with the kick from champagne fizz.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. aguardiente (kirschwasser used--as any clear fruit brandy is acceptable as aguardiente)
• 2 oz. lemon juice
• 2 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. orgeat syrup
• 1 tsp. grenadine
• chilled sparkling wine or champagne

Combine all ingredients except champagne in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a grim-faced tiki mug and garnish with whatever fruit you have on hand.

Arawak Cup

The Arawak are the indigenous people of Caribbean Islands, so this, like the Gauguin, is a Westerner's interpretation of tropical paradise. Again, passion fruit is necessary to give the Arawak Cup the exotic zip of the Mai Kai No, but there's no soda here and pineapple juice (and South African baby pineapple spear) make the Caribbean theme a little spurious. This was a rich, dark brown cocktail that disappeared quickly when sipped through a straw.

• 2 oz. dark rum
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. passion fruit syrup
• 1 tsp. orgeat syrup
• pineapple spear

Combine all ingredients except pineapple spear in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a tiki or highball glass full of fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple spear.

Mai Kai No

I was going to compare the Mai Kai No to the Mai Tai or Zombie, but it is its own monster. It's one of those tart tikis with lots of lime juice and only orgeat syrup to sweeten it and add a nutty complexity. Passion fruit sets it apart from the rest, and passion fruit syrup mixed with sugar is sweeter than the plain juice. Put this drink in an opaque tiki mug because the orange colored syrup and dark rum really make an unappealing brown liquid, but just taste it and you'll recognize the burst of tropical flavors that this tiki packs.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 2 oz. dark rum
• 1/2 oz. 151-proof rum
• 2 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. passion fruit syrup
• 1/2 oz. orgeat syrup
• club soda
• pineapple spear

Combine rums, lime juice, and syrups in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a grim faced tiki full of fresh ice. Top with soda and garnish with pineapple spear.

Navy Grog

This punch was a pretty daunting task. Faced with the winter season and lack of store-bought ingredients, I went out of my way to make the tamarind syrup necessary to give the sweet, tacky flavor that holds the whole drink together. Without the tamarind syrup, this would be almost too limey to stand. That's what I love about tikis--they are tacky!--and they contain ingredients that most drinkers can't identify by themselves. Many times I've gone to the grocery store to buy fresh guava or tamarinds and the cashier has never seen anybody purchase these things before. By themselves, there's nothing special about the ingredients, but a good tiki brings them together in an instantly recognizable flavor profile and body that is unlike any other type of cocktail.

• 1 oz. dark rum
• 1 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. high proof rum (Bacardi 151 used)
• 1/2 oz. guava juice
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. orgeat syrup (from homemade recipe)
• 1 tbsp. tamarind syrup (homede recipe below)
• lime slice

Combine all ingredients except lime slice in a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into an intimidating tiki mug. Garnish with the lime slice.

Here's a few quick steps for making the tamarind syrup!

Get a handful of tamarinds; about a quarter pound, a little goes a long way. They are fruits as well as beans, so they may be tricky to locate at the store. Shred the shells and roots away from the pod innards and seeds.

 Boil tamarinds in 1 1/2 cups of water for five minutes and allow to cool for a half hour.

Press the syrup through a strainer using a coffee filter and collect the dissolved fruit in a bowl. Try to squeeze the soft fruit dry, then discard the pulp. Add 1 cup of sugar and whisk until it is dissolved. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 weeks.

Polo Dream

I was excited to try this drink that uses bourbon and orange juice. Fresh squeezed juice is less obtrusive than from concentrate. The standout ingredient was orgeat syrup, which combined well with the nuttiness of Evan Williams Bottled In Bond. There were great orange blossom notes from the orange blossom water used in the making of the orgeat syrup.

• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 oz. orange juice
• 1/2 oz. orgeat syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnishes are not specified.

Pirate's Julep

Save this one for Talk Like A Pirate Day (September 19)! This is pretty much a mint julep with rum, but before you write it off as same-ole, same-ole, you should try it. Orgeat and triple sec make a big difference in the flavor. It is much more fruity than a bourbon julep and fitting for poolside drinking, whereas the other one is probably good for barbecues.

I love this photo, by the way. It makes me think of the land of El Dorado, where the streets run with gold rum. I think that's how the legend goes.

•  3 oz. gold rum
• 1 tsp. Curacao
• 1 tsp. orgeat syrup
• 10 mint leaves
• fresh mint sprig

Muddle mint leaves in orgeat syrup in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, rum and Curacao and shake. Pour into a julep glass if you have one, or a highball will do. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Fog Cutter Revisited

The Fog Cutter should really be done with a cream sherry, which I didn't have when I made it last. This time I also have my splendid orgeat syrup scented with orange blossom water. The difference is incredible. There's a lot of rum in this drink, but it is mixed down so you really notice the floral notes and even the warmth of the sherry before you say: "Arr. There's  rum in there' matey!" I enjoyed garnishing this drink with all the fruit I happened to have on hand.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. brandy (Cognac recommended)
• 1 oz. gin
• 1 tsp. sweet sherry
• 1 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. orgeat syrup

Combine all ingredients except sherry in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass. Float tsp. sherry on top.

Mahukona

This is a tiki that is similar to a Mai Tai, with citrus and orgeat, but also orange bitters. The pineapple spear really adds to the look of the drink. It makes me wish I had a grim-faced tiki mug to put it in.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. orgeat syrup
• 5 dashes orange bitters
• pineapple spear

Combine all ingredients except pineapple spear in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a chilled highball glass. Garnish with the pineapple spear.

Aruba

A nice tropical drink for the warm winter we're having, the Aruba makes use of the floral scented orgeat syrup that I recently made. Orange blossom water and gin with iris root botanical contribute to this lovely flowery drink. The recipe calls for one ounce of lemon juice, but I fudged it a bit knowing that that much lemon would be pretty sour and the orgeat couldn't balance it. A store-bought orgeat or almond syrup you use in coffee might be have better luck with more sugar, but my orgeat is not that sweet. I'm changing the recipe to 1/2 ounce lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of orgeat to ensure that you will find the drink more pleasing.

• 2 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 egg white
• 2 tsp. orgeat syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Mai Tai

I made this at work for a guest who likes tropical drinks. This was made on the fly, so I floated 1 oz. of dark rum on top. You can do that or just include it in the mix before shaking.

• 2 oz. dark rum
• 2 oz. light rum
• 1 oz. curacao
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. grenadine
• 1 tbsp. orgeat syrup
• pineapple spear, tiny umbrella, or lime wedge, or all three.

Combine all ingredients except the garnishes in a shaker or blender with ice. Mix and pour into a highball or tall Collin's glass (or tiki mug if you have one.) Add garnishes and/ or float dark rum on top.

Wicklow Cooler

This is the most tropical cocktail I've made with Irish whiskey. It helps that there's dark rum and orgeat syrup in it, though. Perfect for poolside once the weather turns in our favor.

• 1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
• 1 oz. dark rum
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. orange juice
• 1 tsp. orgeat syrup
• ginger ale

Combine all ingredients except soda in a shaker or blender. Pour into a chilled Collins glass. Top with ginger ale.

Glenbeigh Fizz

This one is a really nice, whiskey-forward cocktail with sherry and almond notes. Very refreshing for all that, too. If you have a medium sherry and creme de noyaux, you should try this.

• 1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
• 1 oz. medium sherry
• 1/2 oz. creme de noyaux
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• club soda

Mix all ingredients except club soda and lemon slice with ice in a shaker. Pour into a chilled highball glass and fill with club soda.

Scorpion

The Scorpion is a great tiki drink that, like the Zombie, has the curse of making you numb faster than you can finish the drink. I'm having fun with my blender lately, and it is easy to double the recipe as needed when you use a blender. You can even make a big batch and serve it in a vase or punch bowl with straws for intimate tippling. Here's the recipe for one drink.

• 2 oz. gold rum
• 1 oz. brandy
• 1/2 oz. orgeat syrup
• 1 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 oz. orange juice
• orange slice (wheel quarter pictured)

Combine all ingredients except orange with ice in a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a sour glass garnished with orange slice.