Woozy Wednesday: Blood Orange Martini

I found it!  I’ve finally found it!

See, after trying and loving Smitten Kitchen’s blood orange margarita, I was craving a vodka-martini version that would really show off the blood orange’s subtle flavor (and look amazing in a martini glass).  I tried a bunch of different recipes from the Internet but nothing quite scratched my itch.  (Also, once again, Internet, I need to remind you that “buy blood orange martini mix and combine with vodka” is not a cocktail recipe.)

The unsatisfactory recipes all had one problem in common: too much Cointreau. ”Is too much Cointreau even possible?!” you cry.  I know, I know, I was surprised too.  But Cointreau is powerful stuff, guys.  Add too much and it completely overwhelms every other flavor in your cocktail — especially if you’re starting with a base that’s already orange-flavored.

So I tinkered on my own and finally discovered what I think is the right formula. Ignore all of those recipes that have equal amounts of vodka and Cointreau.  If what you want is a drink that tastes like a boozy blood orange — instead of a Cointreau-flavored drink that uses the blood orange for color and not much else — this is the recipe for you.

Petite Chablis Blood Orange Martini

2 oz blood orange juice, fresh-squeezed
1.5 oz vodka
0.25 oz (1/2 Tablespoon) fresh lime juice
1 tsp simple syrup
1 tsp Cointreau or triple sec

Shake all ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass.  For a smoother texture, strain the blood orange juice through a mesh strainer before adding it to the cocktail shaker (the strainer on the lid of the cocktail shaker will filter out most of the pulp, but not all of it).

Note: these were particularly dark blood oranges, so don’t worry if your cocktail isn’t quite this color.  The flavor will still be amazing.

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Woozy Wednesday: Sparkling Whiskey Gingerade

If my home bar could only contain one item, I would choose bourbon without a second thought — which is probably why I’m so damned picky when it comes to my bourbon cocktails.  More often than not, I’ll try out a promising recipe for a bourbon cocktail and end up wishing I were just drinking Bulleit straight.

I know, my life is hard.

But this cocktail?  This heavenly mixture of fresh ginger, lemon, bourbon and sparkling water?  This is going into my regular rotation.  It’s easy, it’s inexpensive, and it’s delicious.

Sparkling Whiskey Gingerade

Recipe at the Bonjon Gourmet

I didn’t have any agave, so I substituted 1.5 ounces of simple syrup and was very happy with the result.  If you do make this with agave, let me know how it turns out!

And, as long as I’m shamelessly taking advantage of other peoples’ cocktail genius, I tried Smitten Kitchen’s Blood Orange Margarita last week. (No photos — what can I say, the drinks looked too yummy to wait!)  Deb’s recipe is really good, but I liked the drink even better when I used 3 tablespoons of lime juice and 2 tablespoons of Cointreau.  I thought the taste of the blood orange came through better with less sweetness and more acidity — but remember, I’m a sour-mouth, so if you like your cocktails sweet try Deb’s version first.

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Woozy Wednesday: The Ophelia

There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. – Ophelia, act IV scene V of ”Hamlet”

Guys, I think the Sparkling Meyer Lemon Cocktail gave me a rosemary addiction.  I liked it so much that I had to seek out other ways to use the rest of my fresh rosemary in delicious drinks.  Google searching brought me to the amazing blog Creative Culinary and to the Ophelia cocktail.  Lemon, gin, rosemary syrup, and club soda combine to make a refreshing and delightful drink!

The Ophelia

Recipe here

Two quick notes.  First, you’ll want to use a juniper-y gin for this recipe (i.e. this isn’t the time to pull out the Hendrick’s).  The official Ophelia recipe calls for Tanqueray gin; I used Plymouth because that’s what I had on hand.

Second, Creative Culinary recommends using a small food processor or an herb mill to grind the rosemary before making the rosemary simple syrup.  I don’t have an herb mill and my food processor is too big for grinding herbs, so I decided to just throw in all of the rosemary stalks I had left and hope for the best.  My cocktail had a lovely rosemary flavor but I wouldn’t have minded even a bit more herbal intensity.  So if you do have an herb mill and want to give this recipe a go, let me know how it turns out!

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Woozy Wednesday: A celebration cocktail!

Looking for a slightly exotic but still sparkly-fun cocktail for a New Year’s party?  Look no further!  How does the combination of rosemary, Meyer lemon, and prosecco sound?  Sound good?  Then let me introduce you to the Sparkling Meyer Lemon Cocktail.

I know, it’s a terrible name.  But for once it’s not my fault — I found the recipe in Cooking Light and it already came with the boring name, so there.  Here’s what the name won’t tell you: the secret to this cocktail is the killer combination of Meyer lemon and rosemary.  Yes, rosemary.  If you’ve never had or mixed cocktails with herbs before, this is the place to start.

If you’re going to make a full pitcher, follow this link to the party-sized recipe.  If you just want to make a couple to try it out, here are the single-cocktail proportions.

Sparkling Meyer Lemon Cocktail

1 ounce rosemary syrup (recipe in Step 1 here)
1 ounce fresh-squeezed Meyer lemon juice
2 tsp vodka
2 oz (1/4 C) prosecco

Combine first 3 ingredients in a martini glass or a champagne flute.  Top with the prosecco, stir gently, and serve!

The question you’re probably asking at this point is, “can I make this with regular lemons?”  Yes.  However, you’ll need to change the proportions slightly: Use 3/4 of an ounce of lemon juice in the single-serving cocktail and 3/4 cup in the pitcher.  I think this is one of those occasions where the milder taste of the Meyer lemon works better, but if you can’t find Meyer lemons in your grocery store (or balk at their price tag), the rosemary is really the star here.

One final thought: I think this would work extremely well with another sparkling wine, like Cava, but I haven’t tried it yet.  I will report back when and if I do.

Happy New Year!

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Woozy Wednesday: Cocktail and wine gifts for under $25

Last week I suggested some pricey gifts for wine and cocktail lovers.  But if you’re on a tighter budget or if you’re just looking for a basic hostess gift, this post is for you.  Happy gifting!

1.  Evan Williams Single Barrel Reserve (around $25)

I know I’m a broken record on the subject of EWSBR, but seriously, it’s unbelievable for the price — spirits reviewers consistently give it 90+ points.  If you’re on a budget and need a gift-worthy bourbon, this is the one.

2.  Bottles of fun bitters (price will vary but it will be easy to keep this under $25)

If you’ve got a cocktail-mixing friend but can’t drop $50+ on Crème de Violette, pick up a few bottles of bitters.  They generally won’t set you back more than $15 apiece (usually less), and any cocktail lover will be thrilled to experiment with orange bitters, lavender bitters, or grapefruit bitters.

3.  4 Viv Martini Glasses from Crate & Barrel ($20 plus tax)

Back when I was living in Canada, I bought these glasses so I’d have something to mix Cosmos and Manhattans in.  I loved them.  Our stemless Boston glasses, while cute, just don’t compare to the elegance of a stemmed martini glass.  Any cocktail lover who’s just starting her home bar will get a lot of use out of these basic, classy glasses.

Also fun: the Zie Manhattan Glass ($5 each) or the CB2 tower shooter glasses ($2.50 each)

4.  A lacquer-free wooden cocktail muddler ($15)

Have I told you how annoying it is to use the handle of a wooden spoon to muddle mint and lemons for a whiskey smash, or limes for a mojito?  No?  Well, it’s really annoying.  A skinny handle is a very inefficient smasher.  I would love a proper cocktail muddler and if you’ve got a cocktail mixer in your life, I bet she would too.

But: make sure it’s lacquer-free.  A lacquered wooden cocktail muddler will look all shiny and pretty in the store, but after it’s smashed a few lemons and limes the acid will start to make the lacquer chip.  Lacquer-free.  Trust me on this.  No one wants floating lacquer chips in a mojito.

5.  A 2010 Côtes du Rhône ($10-15)

Yes, I know I just suggested this vintage last week.  I’m suggesting it here again because the 2010 vintage was so good, it will be worth gifting at $10-25 a bottle as well as at $50+ a bottle.  Need a hostess gift for a cocktail party?  Here you go.

This is one of those occasions when vintage matters.  Some 2011 Côtes du Rhônes are starting to hit the shelves and I’ve been disappointed by them.  So make sure you’re grabbing a 2010!

Images from klwines.com and vicfirthgourmet.com

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