Author: Dani DeLuna

Autumn Boyfriends

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Ahhhhhhh, autumn. People say summer is the time for a fling but I say, “HELL NO! It’s too hot for a fling in the summah!” Autumn, now here is the time for a fling! Trips upstate to see the pretty leaves, campfires, that slight chill in the air that makes you want to snuggle up.

Autumn Boyfriends are the boyfriends for me. Give me alllllll the Autumn Boyfriends.

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Remember when we made that Citrus Sherbet? Now is the time to use it. We’re going to put it with Calvados (Apples = autumn), Plantation Barbados Rum (Why not? Goes so well with Calvados), Jägermeister (spices galore), and Allspice Dram (even more spices).

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Autumn Boyfriends

  • 1 1/2 oz Christian Drouin Calvados
  • 1 oz Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum
  • 1/2 oz Citrus Sherbet
  • 2 barspoons Jägermeister (1 tsp)
  • 1 barspoon St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (1/2 tsp)
  • Garnish: freshly grated Nutmeg

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into coupe and grate that Nutmeg like you’ve never grated before!

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Dreamy dreamy boyfriends. Gonna sip sip sip til there are no more Autumn Boyfriends.

James Bond & the Americano

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Ahhhhh, a drinker’s movie. Today the newest James Bond film, Spectre, hits the theatres stateside and we lucky people have another opportunity to see Ian Fleming’s famous character in action. There is nothing sexier than a well-dressed, handsome, cavalier, cocktail drinking spy. Swoon.

Most of us associate James Bond’s cocktails with a shaken Martini (weak sauce, amirite?) or a silky Vesper (possibly the best use of Vodka ever). Actually, the very first cocktail James Bond ever ordered was an Americano made with Campari and Sweet Vermouth (Casino Royale p.22).

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That’s right y’all. An Americano.

A tall…

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…fizzy

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…Aperitivo.

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Let’s enjoy one together, shall we?

Americano

  • 1 oz Campari
  • 1 oz Sweet Vermouth*
  • Top with Soda water
  • Garnish: Orange Peel.

Combine ingredients in High Ball glass over ice and stir. Garnish with Orange peel. Yummmm. Super refreshing and totally makes one hungry… hungry for a certain spy. Swooooon again.

*I used Carpano Antica cause it’s my fave Sweet Vermouth.

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Cheers! Enjoy your James Bond Americano and thanks to MBooth for the bottle of Campari!

Citrus Oleo Saccharum & Sherbet #1

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Citrus Sherbet 1

Punch. Punch is what’s happening and so my brain has been itching for a different kind of Sherbet to use in the Punches I’ll be making during the cold months. Lemon Sherbet is clearly the most useful and delightful thing ever, but there are more types of citrus in the world than just Lemon.

Hence, I have begun a quest to create a totally useful Citrus Sherbet. Today, I present Citrus Sherbet #1. Please bare with these iPhone photos, I wasn’t sure that this would turn out properly and didn’t photograph with my real camera. FORGIVE ME!

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To start, I grabbed a few Lemons, an Orange, a Red Grapefruit and made an Oleo Saccharum with Cane Sugar.

Citrus Oleo Saccharum #1:

  • the peels of 3 Lemons
  • the peel of 1 Orange
  • the peel of 1 Red Grapefruit
  • 12 oz Cane Sugar
  1. Combine ingredients in a jar or other sealable container and muddle so that the oil is released from the peels.
  2. Let sit in the jar for several hours or overnight, shaking occasionally. You want a syrup to form from the Citrus oil and Sugar.

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Then it’s time to make Citrus Sherbet #1.

To the Oleo Saccharum you will add:

  • 5 oz Lemon Juice
  • 4 oz Red Grapefruit Juice*
  • 3 oz Orange Juice

Add juices to jar with the Oleo Saccharum, cover, and shake until sugars have dissolved in juice. Remove peels from jar and strain Sherbet into an airtight container. Will keep for approx 2 weeks in the fridge.

*Not Ruby Red Grapefruit, just Red Grapefruit. The juice was still really tart which is important for Sherbet cause if your Sherbet is too sweet, your Punch is nasty.

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Pretty, pretty peels. Luv u lil peelies.

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Congrats! You’re done! You’ve got a tart, yet complex Citrus Sherbet and some delicious peels to use as garnishes in your Punches!

Cinnamon Bark Syrup

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Cinnamon-Bark-Syrup

Due to an overwhelming number of requests for the Cinnamon Bark Syrup, I’ve decided to give it a solo post for easier searching. Happy syrup making y’all!

Cinnamon Bark Syrup

  • 1 oz or approx 0.06 lb Cinnamon Bark (7 or so sticks should do it)
  • 2 Cups of Water
  • 2 Cups of Sugar (Demerara used here)
  1. Muddle Cinnamon Bark until it is in shards. Throw it in a sauce pot.
  2. Add Sugar & Water, and slowly bring to just barely boiling on loooow heat.
  3. Reduce and simmer for 4 minutes.
  4. Let sit overnight.
  5. Double strain into container. Smell it. Think of the possibilities!

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*Edit: Please note that this is a living document. if something has changed slightly since the last time you visited this recipe, it’s cause I’ve been tinkering and found a better method!

Tropicbird with Denizen Merchant’s Reserve

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Woo! This Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Rum is giving me ALLLLLLL sorts of ideas. I’ve been rolling through the Beachbum Berry’s Total Tiki app and making a lil checklist of recipes I’d like to try with this most excellent of Rums. Needless to say, the list is getting quite long.

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If you guessed that Tropicbird is a variation on a Jungle Bird, you’re right! Congrats! You know your Tiki drinks!

The subbed ingredients in this cocktail are Merchant’s Reserve (subbed for Jamaican Rum), Aperol (subbed for Campari), and Cane Syrup (subbed for Simple Syrup). I also reduced the amount of Pineapple Juice because I didn’t have to cut the bitterness of Campari with extra juice.

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Pretty pretty Tropicbird. Won’t you sing to me?

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Tropicbird

  • 2 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Rum
  • 3/4 oz Aperol
  • 2 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/4 oz Cane Syrup*
  • Garnishes: Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry, Pineapple chunks

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into double Rocks glass over cracked/crushed ice and garnish.

*1:1 Ratio of Cane Sugar and Water.

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My my, you’re the prettiest bird I’ve ever seen. Thanks to Denizen for creating this undeniably fabulous Rum!

DD’s Cider Punch

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It’s that spoooooky time of year! The time for sizzling dishes, ghoulish wishes, and festive gatherings. Seriously, if you’re throwing any kind of Halloween/Dia De Los Muertos/Harvest/I Love Autumn party, you can’t go wrong with Hot Apple Cider Punch!

I created this Punch last Friday for a party my illustrious girlfriend was attending that night. Being deep into Apple season, we decided go to with Apple Cider as the base and Rum as the main spirit. Let’s jump into the recipe.

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You’ll need spices. I recommend getting Mulling Spices that contain Allspice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Star Anise, Cloves, Black Peppercorn, and Orange peel.

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You’ll need spiced liqueurs. I wanted to pump up the Allspice, so I included some St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram. Then I wanted to add the luxurious sensuality of Bénédictine D.O.M. which has notes of honey, citrus, saffron, cardamom, ginger, and is super silky.

Lemon Sherbet

You’ll need Lemon Sherbet. You’re so shocked right? Unheard of that I would use Lemon Sherbet in a recipe.

Why Lemon Sherbet in Apple Cider? 1. It’s my fave ingredient right now. 2. Lemon gives the Punch some brightness and bite.

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You’ll need a big pot, ceramic dutch oven, or Crockpot. Simmer baby, simmmmmer.

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Everyone got their stuff ready? Awesome. (Note, the Lemon Sherbet isn’t in the photo cause I used it all!)

DD’s Cider Punch (serves 12*)

  • 70 oz Apple Cider**
  • 2 oz Lemon Sherbet
  • Mulling spices
  • 16 oz Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum
  • 4 oz Hamilton 151 Demerara Rum
  • 6 oz Allspice Dram
  • 6 oz Bénédictine D.O.M.
  • Garnish: Clove studded Apple slices
  • Glassware: Mugs
  1. Combine Cider, Mulling spices and Sherbet in pot and heat until liquid begins to simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to looooooow and simmer for around 40 mins, or until the Mulling Spices have done their thing. “Nice spice, man.”
  2. Turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting. Add Liqueurs, Spirits and heat until the Punch is hot enough to drink but nowhere near simmering/boiling. You don’t want to cook the Alcohol out of the Punch, just warm the Punch back up.
  3. Serve in Mugs with Clove studded Apple slices.

*This recipe will yeilds ~104 oz Punch (evaporation could occur), which means 12 of your friends can have ~8 oz of Punch each, that is unless they’re big drinkers…

**I started with 64 oz Cider, and thought the Punch was awesome. My girlfriend thought it might be too strong for her friends and asked that I dilute a bit. I added 6 more oz of Apple Cider for a total of 70 oz of Cider. Then it was perfect. Remember, always ask your customers what they like most.

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Oh and y’all, these two Rums together, WOOOOOOOOO-eeeeeee. Killer combo! Both Plantation Barbados 5 and Hamilton Demerara 151 are in what I would call the “Smooth” category yet both have real depth of flavour without being too overpowering. If you’re using different Rums, I recommend staying in this category.

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Cheers to you and all your holiday Party Punches!

Muertito Vivo at Glady’s Caribbean!

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Wooooooooooo! So a while back, Shannon Mustipher and I were working on Secret Tiki Drinks at Glady’s Caribbean, and now one of them is on the menu!

Glady's Oct 2015 Menu

Yeaaaah y’all!

Muertito Vivo = Spiced Tiki and it’s just as interesting as you might imagine! The Jägermeister + Pastis makes this drink really intesting. It’s also really dry thanks to the Santa Teresa Rum + Allspice Dram + Lime juice, yet super refreshing!

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Let’s not forget, TIKI FLAAAAAME!

If you live anywhere near NYC, stop by Glady’s Caribbean in Crown Heights, Brooklyn for Muertito Vivo and some of the best Rum Cocktails ever!

A Lost Monk with Frangelico

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Happy Hump Day y’all! Today I’ve got a tasty stirred cocktail with the deliciously nutty Frangelico! Let’s dive right in.

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The inspiration for this one was totally “Apples + Nuts + the fruity/raisiny business in Bonal has got to = something amazing right?” Yes. It totally did! This a like a fall dream come true!

A Lost Monk

  • 2 oz Calvados
  • 1/4 oz Frangelico
  • 1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane Quina
  • 1/4 oz Dolin Dry
  • 2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stir. Strain into double Rocks glass over one big rock. Express Orange peel and drop it in the drink.

Campari Portfolio Brands

And remember, Frangelico is part of the big happy Campari family. Collect them all and remember to #DrinkItalian!

Thanks to MBooth for the bottle!

Punch for Two: Liberties Punch

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Yeahhhhhhhh, now that it’s Punch for Two season, I’m just gonna keep rocking and rolling with these tasty recipes. Today’s Punch features the undeniably delicious Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey in a classic format. I’m drooling just looking at the photos.

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As we discussed in the last Punch for Two post, I’ve been reading the totally hilarious and immensely practical book Punch by David Wondrich. Therefore, I’m trying to keep things classic, keeping the garnishes to a minimum, and perhaps most importantly, adding WATER.

It also means that I worked up the courage to tweet David Wondrich and ask if he’d ever used Teeling Small Batch Whiskey in a Punch. (Cause y’all, that shit is aged in RUM CASKS! Perfect for Punch!)

He replied that he had not and wanted to know how it turned it out. Teeling also weighed in and wanted to know the results of a Small Batch Punch. HOWEVER, I don’t have the Small Batch right now, I have the Single Grain, and while I don’t YET have a recipe for that, I do have a recipe for this!

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Here are our cast of characters for this most libertarian of Punches: Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey, Ruby Port, Lemon Sherbet (if you haven’t made this by now, I’m not sure if we can still be friends…), and Bittermen’s utterly fantastic Elemakule Tiki Bitters.

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Liberties Punch for Two (yields 2-3 servings per person)

  • 4 1/2 oz Teeling Single Grain Irish Whiskey
  • 1 1/2 oz Ruby Port
  • 1 1/2 oz Lemon Sherbet
  • 2 dashes Tiki Bitters
  • 3 oz Cold Water
  • Garnish: Lemon peels from the Oleo Saccharum

Combine ingredients in container and stir. Place in refrigerator for around an hour, til liquids have chilled. Serve in Punch cups with ice, garnish with Lemon peels from the Oleo Saccharum.

Yummmmmm. 🙂

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*I would like to point out that these three supporting elements make one of the best Punch bases I’ve tried.

Cheers to Teeling for their supremely delicious Whiskey and the Baddish Group for sending it to me.