campari

Holiday Infusions

/ Dani DeLuna / 8 Comments

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I recently received the Death & Co Book as a present from my fabulous girlfriend. THAT BOOK IS EVERYTHING. The Cocktail recipes are outrageous but what has really stuck with me are the infusions, syrups and batched ingredients. It reminded me that back in the spring/summer, I was infusing anything I could think to put together. Well, I’m back in the kitchen gettin’ busy with Holiday Infusions and Syrups.

Here we go!

Cacao-Infused-Campari

This one is from the Death & Co book but I adjusted the ratios a bit. I found their version to be underwhelming and I wanted MORE CACAO!

Cacao Nib Infused Campari

  • 500 ml Campari
  • 4 heaping tablespoons Cacao Nibs (like how I went from Metric to Imperial units?)
  1. In jar combine Campari and Cacao Nibs
  2.  Let sit for 4 hours, gently rolling or stirring if you have a wide-mouthed jar (you don’t really want air bubbles to happen, just to agitate the liquid)
  3. Double strain into container

Cranberry-Infused-Dolin-Rouge

I’m gonna use this one in ALL the Xmas Cocktails! Oh and eat the cranberries after you’re done infusing! They’re sooooooo delicious!

Cranberry Infused Dolin Rouge

  • 250 ml Dolin Rouge or other Sweet Vermouth. (But try to get Dolin Rouge, it’s so perfect with Cranberries.)
  • 250 ml dried Cranberries (by Volume). I don’t have a scale. Do you have a scale? Lucky you.
  1. In Jar combine dried Cranberries and Dolin Rouge
  2. Let sit for 48 hours gently rolling or stirring if you’ve got a wide-mouthed jar
  3. Double strain into container
  4. Eat the Cranberries or give them to a friend

Pineapple-Infused-Plymouth-Gin

Yep, it’s back. This is my favourite thing ever and I use it in a lot of summer cocktails. For winter, I’m gonna use it in Punch!

Pineapple infused Plymouth Gin

  • 500 ml Plymouth Gin
  • Two handfuls of Pineapple Chunks
  1. In jar, combine Gin and Pineapple Chunks
  2. Let sit for 24 hours occasionally shaking. Yep, get up at 4 am, shake it and go back to bed.
  3. Taste. If you would like it to be more Pineapple-y, discard used Pineapple and add more fresh Pineapple. Let sit for another 24 hours. Rinse, repeat.
  4. When it is to your liking, double strain into container.

Cinnamon-Bark-Syrup

This one I got straight from the Death & Co Book. It’s sensational. Hot damn! Back to Imperial measurements.

Cinnamon Bark Syrup

  • 1 oz or approx 0.06 lb Cinnamon Bark
  • 2 Cups of Water
  • 2 Cups of Sugar (Demerara used here)
  1. In sauce pan, muddle Cinnamon Bark until it is in shards
  2. Add Sugar and Water and slowly bring to a boil
  3. Reduce and simmer for 4 minutes
  4. Let sit overnight
  5. Double strain into container. Smell it. It’s so damn amazing.

Good luck to you and happy infusing/syruping! Holiday Cheers!

A Fashionable Fellow

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

A-Fashionable-Fellow-1

Awooooohoooo, this is a damn tasty cocktail if I do say so myself. I was playing with Boulevardier variations and trying to make a more wintry/holiday version. Here we are: Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Bourbon and Apple Brandy in equal parts. YES!

Note: the Boulevardier is a variation on a Negroni and you all know how much I love Negroni! #EveryWeekIsNegroniWeek

A Fashionable Fellow

  • 3/4 oz Campari
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula
  • 3/4 oz Laird’s Apple Brandy
  • 3/4 oz Elijah Craig 12 Year Bourbon
  • Lemon peel

In tin, combine Campari, Carpano Antica, Apple Brandy and Bourbon over cracked ice. Stir and strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel and garnish.

A-Fashionable-Fellow-2

Boozy and delicious. I almost made two of them but decided to be safe. SAFETY FIRST.

You’re So Kind + Recent Acquisitions

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Just a quick post to update y’all on all of the new booze I’ve gotten recently. No recipes this time, but I wanted to get everyone excited about all the things I’ll be posting on during the Holidaze and Winter Times! Cheers to you all!

Berentzen-Icemint-&-Pear-Liqueur

Berentzen Icemint Schnapps: Look at it? Isn’t it beautiful? It’s also 100 proof and the mint flavor is so clean that I have to say…I like it even more than Wondermint! I’ve been sipping Icemint Schnapps neat, on the rocks and am working on a few cocktails!

Berentzen Pear Liquer: In the same way that the Bushel & Barrel is fruit forward, crisp and clean, the Pear Liqueur kills it! Very fresh and bright pear flavors! I’ve been using it a lot with Gin.

Mbooth-Shipment-Nov-14

Today in the mail, I got these four beautiful bottles of delicious possibilities courtesy of MBooth Marketing. Aren’t they kind? I think they’re pretty kind. YOU’RE SO KIND MBOOTH! Y’all I’m gonna make a LOT of Holiday Cocktails with these!

Campari: You know it, you know I love it. Negroni for life! But Campari isn’t just Negroni, it’s the best citrus bitter Liqueur! I’m gonna use it in punches!

Brugal Especial Extra Dry: This is a totally tasty dry Rum and such a bang for your buck! Toasted marshmellow, vanilla, coconut and citrus. I’m gonna use it in ALL the hot cocktails I possibly can!

NOLET’S Dry Gin Silver: I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS AND IT WAS EVERYTHING I IMAGINED! Seriously though, such a fabulous gin. Raspberry, Turkish Rose and Peach notes are happening and NOLET’S is super smooth. I’m gonna use this every day? In every cocktail? Maybe! Definitely going to make some Martinis and a Martinez with it.

Patrón Cafe Incendio: I’ve been wanting a Chocolate liqueur and with my endless quest for spicy foods and drinks, Incendio fulfills my every need! Chocolate first, Chili spice next and the spice sits nicely on the tongue. I’m definitely planning to use it in Coffee Cocktails, with Añejo Tequila and with Rum.

Purchases-Late-Nov-'14

And then, here’s the recent acquisitions that I bought from the store!

Corralejo Añejo: I LUV Corralejo. Their Reposado is my favourite one to sip and so now that it’s Añejo season, I simply had to get this bottle. I’ll be using it in Old Fashioneds, with the Patrón Cafe Incendio, and sipping it neat.

St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram: Holiday spice in a bottle! So much Allspice! Like the NOLET’S gin, I’m probably going to use this every day in every cocktail I possibly can: Rum, Gin, Bourbon, Añejo, Apple Brandy. All of it. Allspice Dram forever!

Santa Maria al Monte: This is my favourite Amaro and I just couldn’t wait any longer to have it! I feel like Santa Maria is somewhere between Averna and Fernet but drier and less intimidating. Easy to sip neat. If you can have a taste, do it. If you can buy a bottle, do THAT instead. I’ll be sipping this all winter long!

Thanks for reading! The cocktails will be coming soon!

Negroni + Sazerac = Negroniac

/ Dani DeLuna / 3 Comments

Negroniac-1

Ok, bear with me a moment because I want y’all to think about this before you read any further: What if one were to combine a Negroni with a Sazerac? Think about it.

Did you stop and think about it?

Okay.

Fireworks, explosions, singing choruses, high school bands waving banners and cheerleaders flipping through the air right? YES. This could honestly be the best tasting Serious Cocktail I’ve ever created.

This cocktail is especially fantastic if you are able to get that St. George Absinthe Verte. I’ve said it in the My Home Bar page of Home Bar Girl, but this Absinthe is the most delicious one in the world, IN THE WORLD! It’s an herbal paradise with a bouquet of lemon grass, basil, mint, fennel and other herbs.

Really though, the whole idea of combining these two classics was just too good to remain in my head and I had to know! Remember, I keep Negroni bottled so I can use it for occasions such as these. Also keep in mind that the measurements are exact! Too much Rye and the drink is way off!

Negroniac

  • 1 3/4 oz Negroni
  • 1 1/4 oz Rye (Redemption used here)
  • 2 Dashes of Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • St. George Absinthe Verte Rinse
  • Lemon Peel

Rinse rocks glass with Absinthe and chill. In tin, combine Negroni and Rye over cracked ice. Stir and strain into chilled glass. Express and discard Lemon Peel. Santé!

Negroniac-2

Remember, every week is #NegroniWeek!

Saint Negroni

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

Saint Negroni

Myself and my mentor Angel Negrín hold to the firm belief that #EveryWeekIsNegroniWeek. I created this cocktail as a series of drinks for Negroni Week and love how the smoothness of St-Germain mellows out the bitterness of Campari. I like to keep Negroni bottled* and ready to go so that I can use it to mix with cocktails or sip it whenever I so desire. The bonus of keeping it bottled is that the Gin, Sweet Vermouth and Campari will blend together more and more with each passing day!

Saint Negroni

  • 2 oz Negroni
  • 3/4 oz St-Germain
  • Orange peel

Combine ingredients in tin over cracked ice and stir. Strain into rocks glass over one big rock. Express Orange peel and use as garnish.

*For this particular bottled Negroni I used Plymouth Gin, Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth and Campari.