cocktails Archives | Page 2 of 3

Tomato Purple Basil Vodka Cooler

August 2, 2017

I had a purple basil plant back in our Kentucky garden. I love the deep purple color it adds to a landscape that is otherwise all green. When I found one here earlier this spring, I decided to give it a go.

After our first hot spell, I thought it had bit the dust. The strong sun here tends to turn the leaves a brownish gray, not the purple I was hoping for. But a couple weeks ago, it started coming back a bit. I’ve upped the watering and it now has new purple leaves peeking out.

Next year I think I’ll try it in more shade, but for now, I have enough purple basil for garnishes and cocktails.

Garden Cocktail Week

August 1, 2017

I’m still working on cracking the code for successfully growing food here in the Central Valley. Blueberries and citrus are going well and I can pull off some kale through winter.

Peppers last year were a no go, and I’ve murdered a few tomato plants as well. As I continue to attend workshops and talk with others, I’m slowly gaining more knowledge. I do see a few tomatoes and maybe an eggplant in the near future.

Fennel Vodka Pink Grapefruit Martini

February 11, 2017

A couple months ago, I bought a bulb of fennel from the farmers market. It had the most gorgeous long stem, overflowing with feathery fronds.

This kind of fennel is harder and harder to come by. Not a chance at our local super markets. They like to chop off the beautiful tops to make the bulbs all tidy when stacked.

It always makes me feel like I’m getting ripped off when I have to purchase fennel like that. I do as much with the fronds as I do with the bulb. So whenever I spot it at the farmers market, I grab it.

Well, this time around I had loads of greenery left over after a project. I started to think about how its licorice-like flavors would pair with the Costco-size bottle of vodka sitting on the counter (don’t judge). I’d had fennel infused cocktails before, but it was as a flavor accent, in the syrup or as a garnish, versus the main attraction.

Pixie Rum Punch

April 12, 2016

If you’d told me a few years ago that soon I’d be a regular visitor to the L.A. area, I would have thought you were crazy. I never could have envisioned myself driving around those interstates at all, let alone 3 times in the past 3 months.

These short road trips have been for both business and recreation. I’m getting to know the area better each time and one sign that always catches my attention is the exit for Ojai.

Cara Cara Orange Old Fashioned Cocktail

February 14, 2016

When winter rolls around and citrus season becomes evident across most of the state, I’m reintroduced to my fondness for Cara Cara oranges.

I’ve lost count of the foods I’ve discovered since moving to California. Most have quickly moved to the top of my favorites list, and these oranges are no exception. Considering the positive feedback I get when mentioning them, it seems they have made their way across the country. But I had no idea they existed until 3 years ago.

Spiced Bourbon Soaked Cranberries

December 22, 2015

Quick. If you make these cranberries right now they will be ready for your New Year’s Eve cocktails. And trust me. You are going to want them for your cocktails.

These tart little berries are sweetened with a syrup made of raw sugar, rich bourbon and aromatic whole spices. They take only minutes to prepare and they make a good destination for the half bag of cranberries left in the fridge that you can’t find a use for.

Concord and Gin Cocktail

September 4, 2015

Concord grapes are in a league of their own. I don’t put them in the same category as the red and green seedless table grapes that are common, regardless of the season.

Their flavor and texture sets them apart. The tart skin busts open in your mouth leading the way to a sweet, gummy bear-like pulp inside. I enjoy these qualities so much that I can easily overlook the pesky seeds.

Grilled Cherry Mezcal Cocktails

July 21, 2015

I was preparing kebabs for the grill when the idea came to me. We love grilled fruits, but one fruit I had never grilled were cherries. I’m sure it’s been done before, but the idea was new to me. It was also pretty exciting because I adore cherries. Blueberries have always been my favorite fruit, but these days cherries are neck and neck for first place.

Considering a few grilled cherries led me to wondering what kind of smoky sweet flavors that grilling would add to them. No surprise that those thoughts led to our home bar and the bottle of smoky mezcal that I’ve found to be a challenging ingredient to incorporate into our drinks. If there is one thing that it had to go well with the spirit, I figured grilled cherries would be it.

Blackberry Scofflaw Cocktail

June 18, 2015

I like cocktails that have a seasonal twist. When Templeton Rye sent me a bottle of their whiskey to try in celebration of Father’s Day, it gave me the perfect opportunity to add a touch of summer with this Blackberry Scofflaw Cocktail.

I grew up with more blackberries in a single summer than most people eat in a lifetime.

For as far back as I can remember, at least one side of the property of my parents home was lined with blackberry plants that would produce buckets all season long. These then turned into bag after bag of berries that filled our freezers throughout the rest of the year.

And not those puny berries that are so tart you can barely eat them. These were berries that grew to the size of a cherry tomato. They were so plump that if you squeezed a little too hard while picking them, splatters of juice could find their way from your forehead down to your ankles.

Bourbon Cocktails for Derby

April 28, 2015

I’m stepping outside of Kentucky this week and giving Oregon bourbon a try! These Derby-inspired cocktails are made with Burnside Bourbon provided by Eastside Distilling in Portland, Oregon.

After 10 years living in the Bluegrass state, it’s no surprise that I rarely look beyond Kentucky for my bourbon. It’s good stuff. Pretty much the whole world agrees.

But as we explore new craft spirits, I’m trying more and more that I like, including bourbon. We are in California now, of course. So maybe it’s time to celebrate Derby week with something a little more local, or at least on the same coast.