Pour

Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast

Today's happy hour starter represents collaboration at its finest. First there was this beautiful image I found on someone else's board on Pinterest, which lead me to the source of this awesome cocktail recipe, which lead to finding an excuse to try this new drink.

So now excuse = large dinner party which means I will need to make A LOT of these. And of course new drink recipe = blog photo op. The problem with that is it's hard to stage a photo op when 14 people are coming for dinner in 40 minutes. In steps my good friend and photographer Michael Rubottom, who just happened to be here for dinner. Voilà - now I have a massive quantity of drinks, food AND a great photo for today. Collaboration is a beautiful thing.

Now on to the drink of the day. Granted the name, Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast, does sound very catchy. However, a closer look at the recipe revealed only 2 ingredients - 3 if you count the garnish and that just didn't seem complex enough for a "signature drink" to kick off my party. A simple way - pun intended, to add layers to a drink is a homemade simple syrup. It's a fast, easy and very versatile way to infuse flavors. Get crazy - fresh thyme, jalapeno, maple syrup, lemongrass, fig leaves - all of these make great syrups.

Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast (Enhanced)

(Makes approximately 20 servings)

3 cups high quality Bourbon - I like this one and it's very reasonably priced at Trader Joe's

5 cups fresh blood orange juice

2 cups ginger/mint/rosemary simple syrup

slices of blood orange and bunch of mint for garnish

Pour all ingredients in a large punch bowl, stir and allow to rest for 30 minutes prior to serving so flavors can meld. Float orange slices and mint. Add ice to the cocktail glasses - NOT the punch bowl.

Ginger/Mint/Rosemary Simple Syrup

1 lg ginger root peeled and sliced

1 sprig of rosemary

1 bunch of fresh mint

1 cup of raw or brown sugar for more depth. Use white sugar if the brown color will have a negative impact on the appearance of the drink - like a lemon drop.

2 cups of water

Bring water and sugar to a boil, stir, add other ingredients and turn down to simmer for at least 20 minutes. Cool completely and strain.

Mint Julep

When I came across this opener in Imbibe Magazine - "Bourbon is as synonymous with the South as sweet tea..." - I had to smile. Not about the Bourbon, although that has been known to loosen up the frown lines, but about the sweet tea.

My California friends don't really know much about sweet tea and when they hear me say it - especially if I put on an accent, they wonder why I'm being so redundant. The look on their face says - why sweet + tea? It's just tea right?

Only if you've never gulped it down in a futile attempt to stay cool on a sweltering hot August afternoon. Then you would know why it's called sweet + tea.  With that said, today's drink is another example of a Southern obsession involving sweet elixirs.

World-renowned as the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep is as steeped in Southern tradition as Coca-Cola. Maybe more so considering a projected 100,000+ will be consumed next Saturday during the famed event.

There are only 4 ingredients in this drink. So you know what that means right? Yep, you gotta use the good stuff. A quality Bourbon is key and I'm using this one.

The next critical step is taking the time to make a proper mint-infused simple syrup. You will read dozens of recipes that call for simply muddling the mint and sugar. Trust me on this one y'all - make like you're below the Mason-Dixon line and take it SLOW. It takes time - overnight to be exact, to infuse the syrup with mint.

Mint Julep

1 oz mint syrup

1 oz water

2 oz Kentucky Bourbon

Crushed ice and mint for muddling and garnish

Gently muddle a handful of mint leaves in a cocktail glass - a silver cup if you really want to run with the Derby theme. I say gently because you don't want shredded mint in this drink - only the mint flavor. Fill the glass with crushed ice - yes, it MUST be crushed. This drink is strong and you want the ice to melt quickly to dilute it a bit. Add the Bourbon, mint syrup, water, and garnish.

Mint Syrup

1 cup sugar - (raw sugar enhances the caramel flavor of the Bourbon)

1 cup water

1 bunch mint

Bring water and sugar to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add mint to a large jar with lid, gently muddle and pour sugar water mixture over it. Allow to cool, close jar and refrigerate overnight - remove the mint before proceeding.

Cheers Y'all! Don't forget to place your bets.    

Maple Sangaree

san·ga·ree /noun/ 1. A sweet chilled beverage made of wine or other alcoholic liquor and grated nutmeg.

Yes, it sounds like and is similar to sangria in word origin but "sangaree" simply means to add a little sugar to a base spirit with a pinch of nutmeg. That's a wide open category with many possibilities to experience this unique spice sans the eggnog.

I like this recipe by David Nelson of Seattle's Tavern Law - on GQ's list for "The 25 Best Bars In America". The melding of bourbon, calvados (apple brandy) and maple syrup is spot on, and apparently until very recently top secret. 

Maple Sangaree

1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. calvados
1 oz. maple simple syrup (2:1 maple syrup to water)
Crushed ice
Tools: bar spoon
Glass: Collins
Garnish: fresh nutmeg 

Combine all ingredients in a glass, fill with crushed ice and stir. Garnish with a grating of nutmeg over the top.

I like the idea of whipping up a charcuterie plate for this one - it's easy to assemble before your guests arrive, can stand at room temp for a long time and the variations are endless and seasonless. This one from 2frugalfoodies gives great tips for making a version that won't break the bank.

I also like the idea of serving it after dinner. 

Sangaree! Just saying it makes me happy.

Bufala Negra

The Southern Issue of my cocktail making bible, chock full of great places to eat & drink in the South, has me longing for a trip home to my old stomping grounds.

But it's Friday, I don't have an airline ticket in hand and we need a happy hour starter. This one will fit the bill - and not simply because a fellow Southerner created it.

I like it because it features not one, not two, but three key elements to a great cocktail.

1. Make your own simple syrups and get creative - think maple syrup, ginger, jalapeno, lemongrass.

2. Mind your garnish - fresh herbs kick it up in a way citrus cannot - think thyme, rosemary, cilantro, mint.

3. Make it sparkle - this makes a stiff drink smoother - think Prosecco, sparkling grapefruit or lemonade.

I would serve this with pulled pork sliders and some homemade pickles.

Cheers Y'all!

Bufala Negra

Bourbon and fresh basil meet the tart and tangy combo of balsamic syrup and ginger beer in this refreshing cooler from H. Harper Station barman, Jerry Slater.

1 1/2 oz. bourbon
4 fresh basil leaves
1 brown sugar cube
1/2 oz. balsamic syrup (see below)
2 oz. ginger beer
Ice cubes
Tools: muddler, shaker, strainer
Glass: Old Fashioned
Garnish: fresh basil leaf

Muddle the balsamic syrup, basil and sugar cube in a mixing tin. Add bourbon and ice and shake hard. Strain over fresh ice cubes into an Old Fashioned. Top with ginger beer and garnish with basil leaf.

Balsamic Syrup

Combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup simple syrup (1:1) in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for one minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely.