lemon juice

Capone’s Curse

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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I was totally ready to share a stirred drink with y’all, when suddenly it snowed again here in Brooklyn! This change of weather has me feeling pressed to post another Tiki The Snow Away drink (and this one uses Templeton Rye ). MAY THE GODS FAVOR US WITH BETTER WEATHER!

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Warmer climates! Warmer climates! Oh how I wish I was in a warmer climate!

Seriously though, doesn’t the sight of this drink make you wanna get on a plane to Central America/Hawaii/The Caribbean/Southern California? Me too.

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Here are your cast of characters:

  1. If y’all can’t tell, I’m on a bit of a Templeton Rye kick: “The Good Stuff” is so smooth and plays so well with others. It works extra well with Rum!
  2. Speaking of Rum: Smith & Cross + Templeton Rye is a great split base. Highly recommend.
  3. Orgeat, Piña, Lemon: These three make for a really killer Tiki “punch base”
  4. Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters: Tiki in a bottle. Seriously, the spices are perfect.

 

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The name of this one is a play on the fact that Al Capone was obsessed with Templeton Rye during his bootlegging days. I imagine that Capone took a vacation to the Caribbean, and though surrounded by Rum, still couldn’t get Templeton out of his head.

Capone’s Curse

  • 1 3/4 oz Templeton Rye
  • 3/4 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat*
  • 10 drops Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears, pineapple chunk, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into tall Tiki Mug over crushed ice and garnish.

*Every Orgeat is different, adjust according to the sweetness of your Orgeat.

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Cheers to y’all in this strange February weather!

Pérola Branca with Yaguara Cachaça

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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Wooooah-ho-ho, y’all. Tiki The Snow Away + Yaguara Cachaça = a whole new world of tropical flavor! And this is my first ever Cachaça post! MAGICAL DREAMS DO COME TRUUUUE.

If you want to share a tropical drink during the month of January, use the hashtag #TikiTheSnowAway on Instagram and Twitter, or tag u/homebargirl on reddit.

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I’ve tasted Cachaça before, had a Caipirinha or two, but I’ve never been truly excited about this spirit until now. Yaguara is by far the best, smoothest, and tastiest of Cachaças with notes of Banana, Strawberry, Coconut, a bit of grassy funk, and a whole lot of YASSSS GURRRRL.

It’s divine and I’m putting it in everything I possibly can, including the following drink.

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Pearly, sensuous, giant mint hat.

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Here are your cast of characters: Yaguara Cachaça, Grand Marnier, Orgeat, Lemon Juice.

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Pérola Branca 

  • 1 1/2 oz Yaguara Cachaça
  • 1/2 oz Grand Marnier*
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat**
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • Garnish: the biggest Mint bouquet of all time

Combine ingredients over ice and shake like a rocket. Strain into double Rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish with the biggest Mint bouquet of all time.

*Magically enough, dry Curaçao works just as well at 1/2 oz.

**Every Orgeat is different, some sweeter, some more dry, adjust accordingly.

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Cheers! May all your Tiki The Snow Away drinks be sensational and may you enjoy Yaguara Cachaça as much as I am.

Red Sunset with Templeton Rye

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Happy National Bootlegger’s Day to all you scoundrels and scallywags. To celebrate, I’ve made a Tiki The Snow Away drink with Templeton Rye and yes, it’s REALLY DAMN TASTY.

If you want to share a tropical drink during the month of January, use the hashtag #TikiTheSnowAway on Instagram and Twitter, or tag u/homebargirl on reddit.

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Today, January 17th marks the birthday of Templeton Rye and its most famous patron, Al Capone. Back during Prohibition, an enterprising group of farmers from Templeton, Iowa began secretly making some really killer Whiskey. Soon afterwards, “The Good Stuff” as it was called by those in the know, made its way into the hands of Al Capone whose bootlegging network helped Templeton reach many a dry mouth.

Since it’s Winter and I’m in total-Tiki mode, I thought I’d pay homage with a Tiki-Rye drink. The inspiration for this cocktail comes from Blood Oranges (SEASONAL Y’ALL) and how well they pair with Rye Whiskey.

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The sun sets in a vibrant hue, enticing us to drink up and celebrate the night.

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Here are your cast of characters: Templeton Rye, Jägermeister (such excellent spice), Cinnamon Bark Syrup (goes really well with Blood Orange), the aforementioned Blood Orange, Lemon Juice, and of course a Luxardo Maraschino cherry.

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Since this is the reddest drink I’ve ever made, and I’ve got the Cherry positioned like a setting sun in the circular sky, the name “Red Sunset” hit me like a flash. If only all drink names were so easy and so…obvious.

Red Sunset

  • 2 oz Templeton Rye
  • 1/4 oz Jägermeister
  • 1/4 oz Cinnamon Bark Syrup
  • 1 oz Blood Orange Juice
  • 1/4 oz Lemon Juice*
  • Garnish: Blood orange wheel, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry speared with Tiki Umbrella.

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into double rocks glass or short Tiki mug over crushed ice and garnish.

*Needed the extra tart-acidity to balance the sweetness of the Blood Oranges.

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Cheers to you and yours on National Bootlegging day! May your Templeton Rye drinks be tasty!

 

Citrus Oleo Saccharum & Sherbet #1

/ Dani DeLuna / 4 Comments

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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!

National Hazelnut Month with Frangelico

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Did y’all know that September is National Hazelnut month? Neither did I, but I’m so happy I found out about it! What delicious Liqueur is made with Hazelnuts and comes in a bottle shaped like a monk? Frangelico!

Frangelico has been leading the charge to get the mighty hazelnut on our collective consciousness. This liqueur hails from the Piedmont region of Italy, using inspiration from centuries old recipes. It has warm, sweet prominent Hazelnut notes, followed by Vanilla, and Cocoa.

Let’s get to the cocktails!

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I decided to start with a Rum sour cause to me, Nuttiness + Rum = hell yes! I didn’t want to go full Tiki, but the Pineapple wedge gives a little island feel to the drink.

Angelica in the West Indies

  • 2 oz Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum
  • 3/4 oz Frangelico
  • 1/2 oz Honey Syrup
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura
  • Garnish: Pineapple wedge

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into double Rocks glass with ice. Garnish with Pineapple wedge.

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Next I decided to get spice-y and desert-y, cause I had a feeling that Frangelico + Jägermeister + Carpano Antica would be a great flavour set. It was. It was such a great flavour set that I keep thinking about it. To dry things out, I added Hine H Cognac as the base and topped it off with a couple dashes of Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters. DESSERT!

The Road to Turin

  • 1 3/4 oz Hine H Cognac
  • 1/4 oz Frangelico
  • 1/2 oz Jägermeister
  • 1/2 oz Carpano Antica
  • 2 dashes Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrrr. Strain into chilled coupe and serve.

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Cheers to MBooth for including me in National Hazelnut Month!

Lemon Oleo Saccharum & Sherbet

/ Dani DeLuna / 9 Comments

Lemon Sherbet

Since Lemon Sherbet is my new fave cocktail ingredient, I thought I’d give it it’s own post. I configured this recipe based on instructions in Punch by David Wondrich, which holy shit, so many fabulous things in that book. GET IT NOWWWWW. It will change your liiiiife.

In order to make Lemon Sherbet, we must first make Lemon Oleo Saccharum, an old skool syrup made from Lemon peels and sugar.

Lemon Oleo Saccharum

  • The peels of 4 lemons
  • 8 oz superfine Sugar

Combine Lemon peels and Sugar in a jar and muddle. Let sit for several hours or overnight, shaking occasionally. You want a syrup to form from the Lemon Oil and sugar. Remove peels from jar. Save the peels for garnishes if you like.

Taste the jaw-dropping fabulousness. Your Cocktails will never be the same again.

Lemon Sherbet

  • Lemon Oleo Saccharum
  • 8 oz fresh, strained Lemon juice

Combine Oleo Saccharum and Lemon juice together and shake until all of the Sugar has dissolved and everything is swimming together nicely. Keep for around 2 weeks in the fridge.

Lemon Sherbet

Use Lemon Sherbet as often as possible, obvi, I have. You’ll never want to use Lemon Juice & Simple Syrup again. I swear to the stars! The concentrated flavor from the Lemon oil makes everything so much more rich.

Cheeeeeeers!

Ed Note: I’ve updated the recipe to say 1 cup of sugar for 4 Lemon peels, equaling 2 oz of Sugar per Lemon. This is a more favourable ratio. 

Blackberry Rum Bramble

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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When I was a youth back in Marin County, California, my family and I used to go to a nearby creek and pick Blackberries from the bushes in late Aug – early Sept. Every year, I think about those hilarious times of fumbling through the brambles, trying not to get too many cuts, and gathering as many berries as we could hold. Then we’d take our treasured fruit back to my mom, who would cook them into a cobbler. (Wow, I sound really provençal right now.)

Ahhhh, childhood.

Anyone up for a late season Blackberry Bramble? Yes? Not just any Bramble though, a Rum Bramble in a Mule cup!

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I got this nice Mule cup from my friend Drinks and Ink at my birthday, thanks dude!

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Blackberry Rum Bramble

  • 2 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 3/4 Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 Cinnamon Bark syrup
  • 7-8 Blackberries
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters (optional)
  • Garnish: Lemon Peel

Combine Blackberries, Lemon juice, and Cinnamon Bark syrup and muddle. Add Rum and shake over cracked ice. Dirty pour contents of shaker into Mule cup.

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Scrumptuousness in a mug y’all. Cheers!

Sage Rose

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Y’allllllll, I don’t usually have Jameson in My Home Bar but my girlfriend brought a 375ml bottle home after a business trip. Now, whenever we go out to a dive bar, concert, or somewhere that isn’t a cocktail bar, we usually just order Jame-o on the rocks. It’s great on its own and it hits the spot every time.

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But after getting more Sage from the farmer’s market, it hit me that I could make a sort of Irish Rose with muddled Sage! This is the perfect cocktail to make with Jameson or any other Irish Whiskey you may have in your Home Bar. Simple and supremely delicious.

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Honestly, this is one of the tastiest Whiskey Sours I’ve ever had.

Sage Rose

  • 2 oz Jameson or similar Irish Whiskey
  • 3/4 oz Grenadine
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 5 Sage Leaves
  • Garnish: Sage

Combine Lemon Juice, Grenadine, and Sage leaves in tin and muddle. Add Irish Whiskey, ice and shake. Double strain into double Rocks glass over ice. Garnish with Sage.

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Delicious Whiskey cheers to you all!

Sage + Gin Name Contest: The Wise Sailor

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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SAAAAAAAAAAAAGE. This cocktail is fully inspired by some Sage I got at the Farmer’s Market. A friend of mine is obsessed with Gin + Sage cocktails, so when I got this lil bunch of supremely delicious herbes, I thought about what she might like to drink.

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I posted a photo of the pretty pretty Sage on Instagram and asked people if they had any Sage cocktail recipes they wanted to share. People shared some fabulous ideas but the one that stood out to me the most was when @booksandbitters said Pineapple and Sage went well together.

HELL YES! So true, so magnificent!

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So, then I remembered the greatest infusion of all time, Pineapple infused Plymouth Gin, and the rest of the drink just came together. I wanted the Sage to be complemented by Salers Aperitif and Lemon Juice was a perfect fit.

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Lastly, we’ve got the name. Since I asked Instagram for Sage cocktail recipes, I thought that Instagram should name the cocktail. The only stipulation I gave was that the word “Wise” should be in the name. (A play on the another meaning for the word Sage in English) The winning name of the cocktail is by @cmyk3000 who used the word “Wise” and a play on Salers with the word “Sailor”.

The Wise Sailor

  • 2 oz Pineapple infused Plymouth Gin
  • robust 1/4 oz Salers Aperitif (slightly more than 1/4 oz)
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
  • 5 Sage leaves
  • Garnish: Sage sprig

Combine Sage leaves, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup and muddle. Add Pineapple Plymouth Gin, Salers, and Ice. Shake and strain into double Rocks glass over ice. Spank the Sage sprig and garnish.

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Thanks to everyone who participated in the Sage + Gin name contest! Cheers y’all!

Rhubarb Express

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Y’all! Worlds have collided, tomorrow is World Gin Day and it’s also Rhubarb Season! Mercury Retrograde be dammed or whatever, this shit is happeniiiiiiing!

Now, obvi you need to read the post about Barb’s Rhubarb Cocktail & Syrup so you can make the Syrup (and read a blog post in a Victorian Era British Lady’s voice). Once you’ve done that, it’s time to make Rhubarb Express.

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You did read read the post, right? You made the Syrup, savoured the gloriousness of cooking Rhubarb and Sugar together and you’re all ready to go? Yes? Great!

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I chose Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters because they are made with four different citrus peels, gentian root, and spices. In fact I would say these bitters are as crucial to Rhubarb Express as Peychaud’s is to a Sazerac. This cocktail is super tart and complex from the herbes in the bitters and vegetal Rhubarb notes, with a shimmering quality from the Lemon Juice.

Rhubarb Express

  • 1 3/4 oz Plymouth Gin (sub Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, any smooth dry Gin)
  • 1 oz Rhubarb Syrup
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1 dash Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters
  • No Garnish

Combine ingredients over ice and shake vigorously for around 15 seconds. Strain into coupe.

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Bonus: this drink is supremely awesome on the rocks with a splash of soda and a Mint sprig.

Cheers!