Watermelon Frozé

Yeah, yeah, yeah, the heat has broken and we are moving from the dog days of summer and into fall.  I hear you.  I'm going to keep drinking Watermelon Frozé anyway.  (And I know you want some, too). 

This recipe is extremely easy, and is wonderful when you serve it in those cute little mini watermelons.  Seriously, there is nothing I love more than drinking boozy beverages out of fruit vessels.  Nothing.

But I digress.  The trick to froze greatness is selecting a fruit-forward rosé - one with a darker color (and a lower price point).  After all, each rosé has its place in the world: some deserve a place in a wine glass un-tainted by fruit and additional booze, and some deserve a place in a blender with sugar, mint, and frozen watermelon. 

The day before, open that bottle of $9 rosé (seriously, don't spend more than that) and pour it into a large vessel such as a pie dish or a casserole dish and stick it in the freezer.  Carefully, cut the tops off of your mini watermelons, and scoop out the fruit making sure not to puncture the watermelon rind.  Place the fruit in a bowl and freeze overnight.

Day of, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend with ice.  Garnish with fresh orchids and a sprig of fresh mint! 

Cheers!


Watermelon Frozé

1 750ml Bottle of Rosé, Frozen Overnight
2 Mini Watermelons, Fruit Removed and Frozen Overnight
1 Cup Mint Simple Syurp
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

Add frozen rosé, frozen watermelon, simple syrup and lemon juice to a blender.  Add ice and blend until smooth.  Pour into carved out mini watermelons, and garnish with a fresh orchid and a sprig of mint. 

Mint Simple Syrup

1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Fresh Mint

Add water and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.  Add mint and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Remove mint, and let cool.

Also - big thanks to Imbibe Magazine for featuring my Watermelon Frozé photo in their summer #imbibegram round up! 

Party Tricks Part 1 - BACARDÍ Pineapples!

Today kicks off a four part series I am doing with BACARDÍ to share some of my favorite party tricks that are guaranteed to make your next party memorable and keep your guests talking for years to come. Including BACARDÍ in your holiday festivities is a great way to bring summer vibes to the colder months in the fall and winter.

Mother of Pearl + Zacapa Rum = Happiness

A few weeks back I spent a breezy Sunday afternoon at Mother of Pearl in the East Village enjoying amazing Zacapa cocktails and the company of friends.  The sun was coming through the curtains, the drinks were perfectly cold and tropical, and everything was just about as perfect as a New York afternoon could be. 

But, you see, this was a private party and to my dismay, these drinks are not available on the Mother of Pearl menu.  Which meant, I might never taste their sweet ambrosia ever again....

But then, the recipes arrived in my in-box!  Hallelujah! 

I'm not usually a one to do a recipe dump here at Gastronomista, but let's be honest, I'm doing this for my own selfish reasons (information hoarding).  And, I guess (eye roll) you, dear readers, should know make these cocktails at home so you can understand the full talents of Head Bartender Jane Danger. 

So here you have it, 3 Perfect Rummy Drinks from Mother of Pearl:

Sugar Cane Honey Magik - Photo by Shannon Sturgis

Matt Talbert - The Cocktail Painter

When Gastronomista first started, it was less about cocktail culture as is it today, and was more about that fuzzy crossover between food and art.  I spent my time searching the internet looking for obscure installations, videos, sculptures, and of course, donut paintings.  But, then I fell in love with whiskey, and it seems I've been down the boozy rabbit hole ever since.

But for a moment, I would like to get back to my roots and talk about the work of Matt Talbert, the Los Angeles based painter who makes gorgeous still life paintings of cocktails.  (Booze & (Good) Art, a Gastronomista's dream beat!)

Gastronomista Gift Guide - R(h)um

1.  We recommended this delicious rum last year, and we will again this year.  Santa Teresa 1976 is an excellent sipping rum for anyone who loves the dark spirits. $35

2.  When mixing and shaking, you might need a little kick in your cocktail.  We recommend Brooklyn Bitters Spicy Charred Pineapple bitters to add some fire to your libation.  Buy local!  $20

3.  We're smitten with Owney's white rum, made right here in Brooklyn.  Buy local, ya'll.  Sips great, and mixes well too.  (Read us wax on about our lady crush on founder, Briget Firtle, here)  $35

4.  Want to take that Dark n' Stormy to a new level?  Use Cruzan Black Strap Rum - it's Navy Strength and guaranteed to put some hair on your proverbial chest.  $18

5.  Dark chocolate rum cordials?  Yes, please.  $35 for 5 lbs

6.  It may be kitch, but we love all things tiki.  We love coconut cocktails, anything with an umbrella in it, and fabulous retro tiki dresses and hawaiian shirts.  

7.  People, tiki drinks are delicious.  Add Bittermans 'Elemakule Tiki Bitters to your rum cocktails, manhattans, or even a light cocktail of sparkling water.   Instant happiness.  $25

8.  The best cocktails have fresh squeezed juices in them, so a juicer is essential.  Get a good one, like the Breville 800JEXL (sounds professional, no?) $225

9.  Cacao Prieto in Red Hook, Brooklyn is making an incredible chocolate liqueur made with a rum base.  It's got a hint of coffee to compliment the chocolate and the round sweet notes of the rum.  Buy local!  $52

10.  Rum was definitive in the formation of both New England, and America.  It was a main player, once considered to be matched with the gold standard.  How's that for liquid gold?  Learn about the History of the New World (and rum) through ten cocktails.   $11

11.  Plantation White Rum is a delicious white rum made from a white rum from Barbados, a 3-year aged Trinidad rum, and a Jamaican rum that is 12 years old.  It's a nice, light rum with flavors of sugarcane, vanilla, tropical fruits and banana.  $25

12.  What says holiday better than Rum Cake?  Nothing.  Serve with fruit or vanilla ice cream.  $36

13.  Looking for a good white rum that you won't feel guilty about mixing?  We love Denizen - smooth from aging in bourbon barrels, a bit of funk from the Jamaican rum, and it mixes like a champ.  $17

14.  Goslings Old Rum - the ultimate sipping rum packaged in old champagne bottles and dipped in that extra sexy black wax.  Swoon.  $90

15.  Ok, maybe we're tiki obsessed (can you blame us?), but we love vintage tiki mugs.  They come in so many different shapes, themes, and colors, they are sure to liven up any bar.