Pour

Kumquat Campari Martini

I was thrilled when my friend and fellow blogger, Heather, invited me to do a guest post for Poppy Haus. I love her sensibility, and of course her great ideas for DIY projects. But the thing I love the most is she does it all with 2 very active little boys underfoot. I can relate to that challenge, as I have 2 little wild things of my own.

While it's true there are days when total chaos ensues and our quest for order derailed, we press on in our determination to live, entertain and decorate with a bit of style.

And when it comes to stylish entertaining nothing says - "I've got it all together" faster (and easier) than offering your guests a carefully crafted signature cocktail. I kick off every party this way and I've compiled dozens of recipes here at gather365.

​Heather requested a recipe with seasonal ingredients, so I whipped up a kumquat Campari martini. All citrus marries well with most cocktail recipes, but I especially like this quirky, inside out, sweet and sour variety - the peel is sweet while the fruit is sour. Plus they make for a very festive garnish and no cocktail is properly dressed without that.

Although it would be fun, you don't need to become a mixologist to make great cocktails. Simply adopt a few game-changer techniques like infusing spirits and mixing custom simple syrups, consider the compatibility with your menu and experiment a little. If you really want to pursue the mixology thing though let this be your bible.


If martinis aren't your thing, or you need to make a big batch rather than individual drinks - which I highly recommend for large gatherings, try this recipe. 

Kumquat Campari Martini

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz kumquat infused vodka*

  • 1/4 oz Campari

  • 1/2 oz kumquat, cardamom simple syrup**

  • 1/4 oz fresh lemon juice

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, strain into a stem glass, and garnish with a slice of kumquat.

Techniques:

Infused vodka: Combine 1/2 pint of kumquats, sliced in half, with 12 oz of vodka and store in sealed glass container for at least 24 hours - 72 hours is best. Adjust the amount of fruit and spirit for number of cocktails - this will make approximately 8 drinks.

Custom simple syrup: Combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water plus a hand full of sliced kumquats and 3 dried cardamom pods* in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Cool completely before continuing.

The Vespa

The impetuous for today's drink recipe could have gone totally awry - maybe not a full-on, saloon-style brawl but a heated exchange of some fightin' words for sure!

On my last visit to this said saloon, I ordered a drink called The Lambretta. Partly because it sounded tasty and partly because that word jumps out at a vintage Vespa owner like cigarette pants and a tight sweater.

So either I'm curious or I just plain talk too much - but I inquired; "what, no drink called Vespa?" To which the bartend(ress) replied - "that is the WHOLE idea." Oh NO you did not - diss the Vespa right to my face!

I could have gone on and on about how clearly superior a Vespa is to a Lambretta in the world of vintage scooters - I mean everybody knows that right?! But instead I just quietly sipped my cocktail and smiled a knowing smile - I could tweak this drink and create my own damn recipe called The Vespa!

Here's how I see it. The Lambretta is fast, hard-edged, loud and great for racing - the Vespa is the opposite. So it stands to reason that it's imbibed namesake should be high octane if nothing else. Mixing Death's Door Gin, Ketel One Citroen Vodka and Lillet Blanc in the same glass will do that for sure AND have you steering clear of open flames.

But speed is not everything my friend. Style matters. And this where the Vespa comes in and this is how I'd slow this drink down to a smooth, styling cruisin' speed.

The Vespa

  • 1/2 oz gin
  • 1/2 oz vodka
  • 1 oz Lillet Blanc
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Splash of orange bitters
  • Twist of lemon

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with twist.

The Lambretta 

  • Death's Door Gin
  • Ketel On Citroen Vodka
  • Lillet Blanc
  • Fee Brother's Orange Bitters
  • Stirred & served up with an orange twist 

This is just the list of ingredients per The Night Light's drink list - you're on your own for ratios. Hell, just pour. It's the Lambretta - it's supposed to be fast and you'll need to fix it anyway. 

Fightin' words!

 

My Sparkling Clementine

Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling Clementine...

Seriously dreary lyrics if you examine them closely - which I did before I started writing this post. But never mind that. It's on to the topic at hand - a drink recipe that is far more cheery than that crazy, corny song.

Speaking of cheery. It is hard to beat the uplifting effects of citrus. The vivid colors, the fresh aroma, the perky taste - all of that makes me very happy. Plus I am hard-pressed to think of many great drink recipes that do NOT include some kind of citrus - at the very least as a garnish.

With that said, there are only so many ways to blend in the run-of-the-mill lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit juices. But that's where the fun begins, when you start experimenting with more exotic varieties of this incredibly versatile fruit and mix up drinks like these with blood orange, or Buddha's hand, or ruby red grapefruit or in this case clementine and kumquat.

This drink is an excellent addition to a Thai dinner like this one and it makes for a very bright and festive presentation.

It also includes 2 of my favorite techniques - infusing your spirits before you mix them (In this case with a pint of sliced kumquat). And making a flavorful homemade simple syrup with fresh ginger and lemon grass. It also includes something else I like - bubbles or sparkling juice. That's where the clementine comes in.

I might just call this My Sparkling Clementine.

  • 2 cups of vodka - infused with 1 pint of sliced kumquat for at least 2 hours
  • 1 cup of coconut rum
  • 1 cup of lemon grass/ginger simple syrup - combine a handful of chopped ingredients with 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water and simmer for 20 minutes
  • 1 bunch of fresh mint

Combine all ingredients in carafe or punch bowl and let stand for at least 30 minutes. To serve, pour over ice leaving enough room for a generous pour of sparkling clementine juice - I found a tasty one at Trader Joe's.

Michelle's Ultimate Bloody Mary

While the origin of the Bloody Mary is a bit unclear, most accounts give credit to Fernand Petiot for creating this American classic.

While bartending at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in the 20's, Fernand mixed equal parts vodka with tomato juice, took the recommendation of a patron and called it "Bloody Mary". The patron said it reminded him of the Bucket of Blood Club in Chicago and a girl there named Mary.

I'm so happy the story did not end there - not only was that tale boring, so was the drink. In 1934 Fernand came to the King Cole Bar in NYC and he added spicy ingredients kicking this drink up to the version most of us know and love today.

And I do love this drink - especially with brunch. However, two features are critical for me. Consistency - I cannot take a second sip if it's too thick like soup or ketchup. I do not drink those and adding vodka will not change that. The second feature is aggressive and complex layers of spice.

There are a few ways to thin a tomato juice drink apart from the obvious one of adding more vodka than the recipe calls for. You can do that but pace yourself - we are talking brunch here.

I never start with plain tomato juice. Using a Bloody Mary mix or veggie juice mix like V8 is half the consistency battle plus it adds more flavor. The other half is lots of fresh citrus juice - I like using both lemon and lime. 

Regarding spice, less is definitely not more in my opinion.  I take a everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach here and add practically everything I have on hand. With that said, there are two ingredients I must have on hand - Worcestershire and fresh prepared horseradish. If I don't have those, I don't make this drink.

Michelle's Ultimate Bloody Mary - A Generous Pitcher

Ingredients

  • 2 cups vodka
  • 3 cups Bloody Mary mix 
  • Juice of 2 lemons plus 1 cut into wedges
  • Juice of 2 limes plus 1 cut into wedges
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • generous amount of fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1-3 dashes of hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
  • garnish - celery stalk, lime wedges, olives, or cocktail onions

Muddle lemon wedges, lime wedges, horseradish, jalapeno and celery salt in the bottom of a pitcher. Add vodka, Bloody Mary mix, juice, Worcestershire and stir to combine. Add black pepper and hot pepper sauce to taste. Pour into glasses over ice, garnish and serve.

Cheers! Here's to a Happy Easter brunch!

Ginger-Rosemary Lemon-Drop

After what feels like 40 days and 40 nights of rain, we finally have some sunshine here in the SF Bay Area. Time to dust off the patio furniture and move happy hour outdoors.

One of my favorite warm weather cocktail ingredients is lemon. That could be because it tastes best when it's ice cold, it mixes equally well with vodka, gin, rum and tequila or maybe it's just fond childhood memories of lemonade - and who doesn't love lemonade?

You could just make a standard lemon drop - a very simple drink of vodka, lemon juice and sugar, but I like this recipe I found in Sunset Magazine. It's more complex with the addition of ginger and rosemary. To add yet another layer of flavors try one of the Buddha's hand infused vodkas - Hangar One makes a great one. With that vodka you'll get additional flavors of jasmine and baking spices.

In case you're not familiar with Buddha's hand, it is a fragrant citron fruit indigenous to Northeastern India and China. Apart from flavoring food and drinks, it is often used in fragrances in Chinese and Japanese cultures and as a religious offering in Buddhist temples.

In terms of an appetizer to go with it, I say you run with the Buddha's hand theme and make this one - just pop it on some crostini to make it a finger food.

This drink recipe is for a pitcher of lemon-drops, which I highly recommend - making drinks by the pitcher that is. Not making drinks one by one frees you up to revel in the warmth of your guests and the long, sunny days ahead.

Cheers to that!

Ginger-Rosemary Lemon-Drop 

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3  cups  sugar
  • 1  piece unpeeled ginger, about 1 1/4 in. by 1 1/4 in., sliced into 1/8-in.-thick coins
  • 2  sprigs rosemary (5 in. each), plus 8 sprigs (1 1/2 in. each) for garnish
  • 1  cup  fresh lemon juice (at least 5 lemons)
  • 1  lemon
  • 1 1/2  cups  citron vodka

Preparation

1. Make lemon concentrate: In a medium saucepan, bring 2/3 cup sugar, ginger, 5-in. rosemary sprigs, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Let steep at room temperature 20 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl, discarding rosemary and ginger, and stir in lemon juice.

2. Pour remaining 2/3 cup sugar onto a plate. Slice 2 thin slices from lemon and quarter the slices. Insert a 1 1/2-in. rosemary sprig through center of each quarter. With a wedge cut from remaining lemon, moisten the rims of 8 cocktail glasses. Twist rims gently in sugar to coat.

3. Fill a large pitcher half-full with ice cubes. Pour in vodka and lemon concentrate and stir vigorously. Strain into glasses, dividing evenly. Float a rosemary-skewered lemon quarter in each.