Lemongrass Saturn

I find inspiration for cocktails: in food, in deserts, but most often, I find inspiration in the spirits themselves.  Whenever I'm getting acquainted with a new spirit, I taste it neat, and identify the primary flavors.  I then try to think about what other flavors will either compliment or contrast against the dominant flavors in that spirit and build a concept around that.  Lemongrass is a flavor that struck me in the new Bowling & Burch gin, the small batch gin made from 17 botanicals grown on the Limestone Branch Distillery grounds.  I was surprised to see Lemongrass as an ingredient in their gin, because it is an ingredient that I love and use a lot when I'm cooking.  I wanted to try an unexpected cocktail playing up the lemongrass flavor - and immediately thought about a Saturn. 

The Saturn is a classic Tiki drink, invented in 1967 that uses gin, lemon juice, passionfruit, orgeat and velvet falernum.  They are delicious, and even more delicious when made with lemongrass infused gin.  I made mine with passion fruit syrup, but I always recommend using fresh juice whenever possible.  

Enjoy!

Lemongrass Saturn

Created by Gastronomista

1-1/2 oz Lemongrass Infused Bowling & Burch Gin

1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup

1/2 oz Orgeat

1/4 oz Velvet Falernum

Shake with ice and strain into a Tiki mug filled with crushed ice.  Garnish with a fresh lemongrass stalk, a fresh flower, and a cocktail cherry.

Lemongrass Infused Gin

3 Stalks Lemongrass

1 Cup Gin

Combine in a non-reactive container and let sit for one week before serving.  

- Sponsored -

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bowling & Burch Gin.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Jungle Bird Milk Punch

I posted this delicious Milk Punch on Instagram a few weeks back, but I thought it needed a more permanent place to live, the internet!

The world is shut down and it's a great time to hone some new skills - like Milk Punch! I've been wanting to make Milk Punch since I got these gorgeous milky-white Little Tomato Glass hand-blown rocks glasses. They have a lip on the inside of the glass to prevent an ice cube from smacking you in the face: #genius. Hope you enjoy this little vacation in a glass!

Jungle Bird Milk Punch

• 1-1/2 oz Blackstrap Rum
• 1-1/2 Pineapple Juice
• 3/4 oz Campari
• 1/2 oz Demerara Syrup
• 1/2 oz Lime
• 1-1/2 oz Whole Milk

Scale up based on the # of servings required.

Add milk in a sauce pan on medium high heat and bring to a simmer. Once boiling, remove from heat. Add the other ingredients, and let the milk curdle, stirring frequently. Let sit for an hour, and strain through a fine mesh sieve and a cheese cloth into a jar. Place the jar in the refrigerator overnight. The next day strain again through a coffee filter, being careful to not disturb the cloud on the bottom of the jar. Transfer the into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Chili Oil Reposado Old Fashioned

I love Chili Oil - and I know I'm not alone.  I always have a bottle in the kitchen, sourced from my local Asian market.  I'm always looking for fun ways to bridge the gap between culinary dishes and cocktails, and my beloved chili oil has become my new favorite way to add savory flavor to my drinks.  

This Old Fashioned is made with El Mayor Reposado Tequila, that hails from the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.  Their Reposado tequila is aged for a minimum of nine months, and is a dry tequila with flavors of agave, caramel, vanilla, and a subtle floral note.  And let me tell you, all those sweet flavors work very well with spice.  

The Old Fashioned is a perfect format for a spicy cocktail.  It's simple enough to showcase the spirit itself and highlight the spiciness of the oil.  In order to add a bit more depth and complexity to the drink, I also used a few drops of Dashfire Sichuan Bitters, doubling down on the heat.   

I hope you all like this one as much as I do. 

Chili Oil Reposado Old Fashioned

Created by Gastronomista

2 oz El Mayor Reposado Tequila

1/2 oz Agave Syrup

3 dashes Sichuan Bitters

5-6 drops Chili Oil (with some chili flakes to taste)

Add tequila, agave syrup and bitters to an Old Fashioned glass.  Stir and add a king cube.  Gently add chili oil to the top of the glass, resting the chili flakes and a small bird's eye pepper on top of the cube.

Enjoy!

-sponsored-

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of El Mayor Tequila.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Strawberry Star Anise Gin Punch

The holidays are officially upon us, which means, holiday party planning.  For those of you looking for an easy-to-prepare punch, I've got just the one for you.  It's made with Boodles Rhubarb & Strawberry Gin (which combines the London Dry style gin with the taste of fresh rhubarb and strawberry), prosecco, fresh lemon juice, ginger tea, and a homemade strawberry star anise syrup.  The Rhubarb & Strawberry gin has a nice brightness to it, and quite a bit of fruity flavor that pairs nicely with the round sweetness of the syrup and the holiday spiciness of the star anise.  

The hardest part of the recipe is the syrup, which I recommend you prepare the day before your party.  It calls for a bag of frozen strawberries, whole anise pods, brown sugar, and water, which you let boil until it reaches a nice syrupy consistency.  The recipe below makes a little extra (because I know you're going to want it), and is delicious on yogurt, ice cream, or mixed with seltzer for a refreshing alcohol-free tipple.

As with any punch, I always double the recipe for the start of a party and depending on the crowd will make sure I provision for an extra double batch to have on hand should the punch bowl run dry.  No one likes an empty punch bowl - NO ONE.

You can either let your guests serve themselves, or you can garnish each glass individually for a bit of extra flair.  Express a lemon peel over every cup of punch, and (if you're up for the challenge), flame a star anise pod for a nice aromatic garnish that will be sure to wow your guests.

So far this recipe has been a hit with my friends and family - I hope it is with yours as well.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Star Anise Gin Punch
Makes 20 Servings

6-1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
13.5 oz Strawberry Star Anise Syrup*
13.5 oz Brewed Ginger Tea, Chilled
18-3/4 oz Boodles Rhubarb & Strawberry Gin
25 oz Prosecco

Combine ingredients in a punch bowl with a large block of ice.  Garnish the bowl with slices of fresh strawberries, star anise pods, and lemon peel slivers.  Garnish each drink with a star anise pod (flamed, or not) and a lemon twist.

Strawberry Star Anise Syrup
Makes Approximately 16 oz of Syrup

2 c. Frozen Strawberries
1/2 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 c. Water

Combine in a medium-large pot and bring to a simmer.  Reduce to medium-low heat and let simmer until you've reached your preferred syrup consistency.  Strain into a non-reactive container, and keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

-sponsored-

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Boodles Gin.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Yuzu Tequila Sour

It’s Citrus Season!!  My most favorite produce season of the year!  I’ve been loading up on all the exotic citrus coming into the market, especially fresh yuzu the Japanese citrus that tastes like a mix between lemons, Meyer lemons, and clementine oranges.  They are bright, and floral, and pair beautifully with unaged tequila.

The classic sour recipe is one of my favorites, and unsurprisingly, works well with yuzu and Patrón Silver tequila.  This cocktail is brighter and more vegetal than a traditional whisky sour, and the yuzu adds a level of complexity that other types of citrus simply cannot.

When you’re picking up your Patrón, keep your eyes out for their seasonal limited edition 1 Liter bottle: it’s a festive bottle that is not only bigger, but makes for a great hostess gift.  I’ve made a neck tag you can download, print out, and give with a bottle of Silver – Limited Edition 2018 1-Liter. Happy Holidays!


Yuzu Tequila Sour

2 oz Patrón Silver – Limited Edition 2018 1-Liter
¾ oz yuzu juice (ideally, fresh)
¾ oz simple syrup (1:1)
1 egg white
2 drops orange bitters
Garnish: Yuzu twist and two maraschino cherries

Dry shake all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed.  Add ice and shake again.  Strain into a lowball glass with a large rock.  Garnish with a twist of citrus and two maraschino cherries.

-sponsored-

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Patrón Tequila. All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Mionetto MioMosa Party

Prosecco has quickly become one of my favorite bottles to always stock in my fridge.  It’s great to sip on its own, it’s an essential ingredient in a spritz, and it’s absolutely divine in a MioMosa (see what I did there, wink wink). 

When one thinks of a mimosa, the first thing that comes to mind is brunch, an association that is difficult to argue with.  The other association is orange juice, but a great prosecco like Mionetto works well with different kinds of juices.  I usually go to the store and stock up on a range of juices: pear, apricot, and mango to name a few.  

I like to set out a big bowl with ice to chill the bottles and juice in carafes so that guests can try different combinations as they wish.  

PRO TIP: Set up a separate table to get the guests moving and out of the most valuable space in your home: your kitchen.

I recently discovered that Mionetto makes the most adorable individual serve bottles of prosecco – which a great for picnics, cocktails on the go, or for sipping at parties.  Just pop one open, add a straw, and maybe a splash of juice and you’ve got a great party-ready cocktail.   

I’m really enjoying playing with different seasonal juice combinations and am really into adding garnishes that add another layer of flavor.  Jalapeno Mango Mimosas, Peach & Tarragon, Strawberry Basil… the possibilities are endless.  I am curious about green juice mimosas, perhaps that is the next mimosa frontier…
On that note, let’s pop some bottles and get this mimosa party started!

-sponsored-
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mionetto Prosecco. All opinions are 100% mine.
Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Ginger Pinot Blanc Spritz

This summer I have been working with the French Ministry of Agriculture to feature some of the products the organization represents, specifically cheese and wine (I know, my job is tough...).  Fortunately for me, all of the products they have sent for me to try out have been delicious - all the wines have been inspiring to say the least.

I wanted to try out making a few cocktails with these gorgeous French wines, and one of my favorites so far is the Ginger Pinot Blanc Spritz, made with Trimbach Pinot Blanc.  I found a lot of crisp pear and apple notes on this flavorful wine, so I wanted to pair it with ginger and mint to give it a bit of spice and herbal sweetness.  I'm really into this spritz, it's a great cocktail for sitting outside on a fall day - bright and refreshing with a hint of fall flavors.

Trying out a new format: Video!  Leave me a comment if you like this new recipe format!




Ginger Pinot Blanc Spritz
Created by Gastronomista

2 oz Trimbach Pinot Blanc Wine
1/2 oz Ginger Liqueur
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
Top with Ginger Soda

Garnish with a lime wheel and a sprig of fresh mint.

Cheers!

-sponsored-

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The French Ministry of Agriculture. All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Winter Citrus Tequila Highball

I am a complete sucker for good packaging, ornate design, and well, anything fancy!  Patrón Tequila recently sent me a bottle of their latest 1-Liter limited edition silver tequila release that is wrapped in a gorgeous silver label that is reminiscent of Mexican Taxco silver.  Naturally, I pulled out my latest vintage find - a set of Taxco silver highballs glasses that look like vintage lace to pair with their new bottle.

Coming from Colorado, I am generally a fan of winter.  I love waking up in the morning to a fresh blanket of snow that muffles the normal sounds of daily life.  It's a moment of pause, and a moment to appreciate the beauty of a white washed world for a day or two.

While I love winter, I know that so many people hate it.  They don't like being cold, nor do they like wintery weather.  But let me give you another reason to appreciate winter - it is citrus season!  Those cold winter months are when the best citrus becomes available: oranges, grapefruit, clementines, blood oranges and those big, green pomelos that always look so refreshing in the market.

Citrus and tequila are two natural partners in crime, after all, they created the Margarita, one of the world's best classic cocktails.  But why leave out all that other amazing citrus?!

For this cocktail I wanted to use lime, pomelos, and grapefruit to create a refreshing tequila highball, a surprisingly seasonal drink for those dark winter months.  This one has already become a hit around Gastro HQ - I hope you enjoy it as much as we have been!!

Cheers!

Winter Citrus Tequila Highball
Created by Gastronomista

2 oz Patrón Silver Tequila
1/2 oz Light Agave Syrup (or to taste)
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
1-1/2 oz Fresh Pomelo Juice
Top with Soda Water

Build in a highball glass and stir.  Add ice to the top of the glass, and top with soda water.  Garnish with a slice of Pomelo and a festive straw.

-sponsored-

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Patrón Tequila. All opinions are 100% mine.

Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.