orange bitters

Stirred Drinks with Rhum Agricole: Guadeloupe Martinez

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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Howdy y’all! We’re continuing with the theme of “Home Bar Girl gets obsessed with things and can’t stop talking about them.” The current obsession: Rhum Agricole, the format: Stirred.

Today I’ve got my second Stirred Drink with Rhum Agricole: the Guadeloupe Martinez.

…aaaaaaaaaand it’s so tasty! I’m know i’m tooting my own horn here and I get that this might sound terribly conceited… but y’all, I think this drink is a HOME RUN. I say that because home runs only happen to me like three times a year and this is one of those times!

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Be sure to grab yer prettiest coupe for this drink cause you are going to want to savor every sip of the Guadeloupe Martinez.

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The goal of this Stirred Drink with Rhum Agricole was to put the silky, caramely, faintly funky, and wonderfully delicious Rhum Damoiseau VSOP with some equally as tasty ingredients. I was into the idea of doing a Martinez variation cause I am REALLY into Martinez variations.

Personally, I feel like there are two ways to go with a Martinez and those are: 1. Maraschino direction or 2. Orange Liqueur direction. The flavor of Rhum Damoiseau VSOP sort of screams “ORANGE” to me, so I picked some appropriate modifiers: Bonal Aperitif (I’m also obssessed with Bonal), a bit of Dolin Rouge vermouth to smooth things out, and a dash of Angostura Orange Bitters for extra Orange.

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Speaking of Orange, this Clement Creole Shrubb is super delicious with just the right amount of spices. I’m totally convinced that Rhum Damoiseau VSOP and Clement Creole Shrubb are best friends. BEST FRIENDS Y’ALL.

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I recently learned from the Liquid Intelligence book that one should chill their mixing glasses before use so as to create proper dilution without wasting too much ice to convert heat to cold. If you wanna get really geeky about properly building cocktails, I highly recommend getting this book.

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And now, without further ado, the Guadeloupe Martinez.

Guadeloupe Martinez

  • 2 oz Damoiseau VSOP Rhum Agricole
  • 3/4 oz Bonal Aperitif
  • 1/4 oz Dolin Rouge Vermouth
  • 1 barspoon Clement Creole Shrubb
  • 1 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange Peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrrr til you just can’t stand it (or really about 50 rotations). Strain into chilled coupe, express Orange peel and garnish.

Now for a varition on this variation! I gave the Guadeloupe Martinez recipe to my gurl Shannon Mustipher for a Rhum Clement event she was hosting at Glady’s Caribbean and she made the following adjustments:

Martinique Martinez

  • 2 oz Rhum Clement Vieux Agricole (sub aged Rhum Agricole from Martinique)
  • 3/4 oz Alessio Chinato Vermouth
  • 1/4 oz Dolin Blanc
  • 1 barspoon Clement Creole Shrubb
  • 1 dash Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange peel

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Santé and oh man, I really hope you enjoy these Rhum Agricole Martinez variations as much as I do!

If you, like me, can’t get enough Rhum Agricole, head over to The Sugarcane Press, hosted by the House of Agricole. 

 

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The Queen’s Blush

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Y’all, it happened! The temperature dropped below 70°, I went hiking yesterday and now it really feels like autumn!

What better way to celebrate this seasonal change than with a stirred drink? “Wait gurl, you made a stirred drink? WHUT.” Yes, y’all I finally made a stirred drink and it’s even in a pretty coupe!

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Definitely still obsessed with this Raspberry Syrup cause it’s packing a helluva punch. If you haven’t made it yet, head here for the recipe.

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While mentally working on this cocktail, I thought, “Ok gurrrrl, you’ve got that fabulous new bottle of Julius Drover Alambic Brandy from Shinn Estate, that Hamilton 86 Demerara Rum, why not go for something 19th century style?” So I did.

Cast of Characters:

  1. Raspberry Syrup: Since the point of this cocktail was to get a 19th Century vibe going, I looked up a bunch of recipes that used either Grenadine or Raspberry syrup in Martin’s Index of Cocktails.
  2. I bought the fantastic bottle of Julius Drover Alambic Brandy while on holiday in Long Island Wine Country with my smooth girlfriend. Yes, there is a “wine country” out on eastern Long Island, and it’s pretty amazing out there. This brandy is so damn great, it’s basically American Cognac. Nice n dry, with faint hints of wood, a bit of fruitiness (pear, grape, apple), and a tiny bit floral. Really nice stuff.
  3. The Hamilton 86 is big, molasses-y, spicy, and has notes of leather, tobacco, and dark chocolate, along with some fruitiness. There are a lot of historical punch recipes with Cognac or Brandy and Rum together, so I wanted to put these two in a drink.
  4. The Yellow Chartreuse came about when I was thinking about how to tie everything together. I felt like the flowers and honey from Yellow Chartreuse would play nicely with the notes from the Brandy & Rum. Totally did.
  5. Absinthe: I am fully convinced that Raspberry & Absinthe are perfect partners. Together they create such a sublime marriage that I almost can’t separate them anymore.
  6. Regans’ Orange Bitters: I wanted some citrus top notes since I wasn’t going to use any juice.

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Stir ’til you just can’t stand it anymore! (Or really, about 50 rotations.)

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For this Absinthe application, I went with an atomizer. I’m not really into rinsing these days cause I think it’s kind of wasteful. Plus, you can smell the Absinthe more when it’s on top of the drink.

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The Queen’s Blush

  • 1 oz Julius Drover Alambic Brandy (sub dry Cognac)
  • 1 oz Hamilton 86 Demerara Rum
  • 1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
  • *3/8 oz Raspberry Syrup
  • 2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: St. George Absinthe Vert mist

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrrrrr. Strain into chilled coupe, spritz some Absinthe on top and sip!

*I am so serious about this measurement. Really, it needs to be 3/8 of an ounce or something close to 10ml but if you don’t have those measurements, go for a scant 1/2 oz. If you use a full 1/2 oz, the drink becomes too sweet and the Raspberry totally takes over.

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Hope y’all have tons of fun and enjoy this shift into some autumnal cocktails! May all your Raspberry dreams come true! Cheers!

 

HBG Video: Gin & Orange No. 1

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Hey y’alllllll! Welcome to my first cocktail video! My friend, the incomparable Julian Franco came over to my lil apt, and shot this video of me making Gin & Orange No. 1. Hope you enjoy and here’s the recipe!

Gin & Orange No. 1

  • 1 1/2 oz London Dry Gin
  • 1/2 oz Carpano Antica Italian Vermouth
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau
  • Two dashes Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange peel

Stirrrrrr & Strain. Express Orange peel and garnish.

Cheers!

A Sherried Martini

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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Ooooooh my. The Holidays are literally upon us.

You may be asking yourself, “Home Bar Gurrrrl, why do you want us to drink a Martini when there are so many holiday Cocktails to imibe?”

Y’all, don’t worry. I’m not telling you skip the Egg Nog, Cranberry infused Dolin Rouge, Cacao infused Campari, or any Champagne Cocktails you might come across!

I’m just telling you, that if you want to take a holiday breather, lighten things up for a moment, and chillllllll, then this is the Martini for you.

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Our star players for this drink are: 1. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin which has a wonderful viscosity and loads of botanicals, and 2. Lustau Amontillado Sherry which has a fabulous dryness, loads of spices, nuttiness, and a bit of brine.

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They are supported with Dolin Dry Vermouth (praise be to Dolin Dry), Regans’ Orange Bitters, and an Orange peel.

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Are we ready to stirrrrrrrrr? Yes? Excellent.

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A Sherried Martini*

  • 2 1/4 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  • 1/4 oz Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos Sherry
  • 1 dash Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrr. Strain into coupe. Express Orange peel and garnish.

This is “Sherried” cause there’s just a bit of Sherry, but the 1/4 oz gives an excellent finish to the Martini.

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Yeah gurrrrl, I wanna relax with this Sherried Martini. The holidays can do their own crazy thing.

A Lost Monk with Frangelico

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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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.

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

Thanks to MBooth for the bottle!

Sunburn Club

/ Dani DeLuna / 4 Comments

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Last Sunday, a few friends of mine and I spent the entire day shooting an Editorial on a rooftop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I’ve worked on many photoshoots before but this was my first time doing Cocktail Styling on a shoot! Yes! I was pumped!

It was a very sunny day and the EVERY INCH of the roof was painted with a reflective metallic coating of paint. We tried, oh how we tried not to get burned! Five layers of sunscreen, parasols, covering ourselves with bandanas, and standing in the shade notwithstanding, we were all pretty badly burned by the end of the day. So we poor, sad, sweat-soaked people became, #SunburnClub.

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After getting home, taking the coldest shower ever, and relaxing for a hot second, I made this drink. May the fabulousness of Sunburn Club shine brightly for a thousand summer days! Or at least until my burn turns into a nice tan.

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Sunburn Club

  • 2 oz Berkshire Mountain Distillery Ethereal Gin Batch 9
  • 1/2 oz Aperol
  • 2 1/2 oz Red Grapefruit Juice
  • 1-2 barspoons 18.21 Bitters Lavender & Sea Salt Syrup*
  • 2 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • Soda Water
  • Garnish: Grapefruit Peel Rose speared by a Blue Umbrella

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into Collins glass over ice, add Soda Water, and garnish.

*The deal with the 1-2 barspoons of Lavender & Sea Salt Syrup is that you should add 1 barspoon and taste. If it’s sweet/salty enough, that’s all you need. If not, add 1 more but be warned, this is potent stuff!

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Here’s to summer! Cheers!

#NegroniWeek 2015 – Negroni-Apri

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Welcome to #NegroniWeek 2015! “Always and foreverrrrr, you will be my Negroni Babyyyyy.” (Excerpted from my upcoming hit single about the Negroni).  Negroni Week is put on by Campari and Imbibe Magazine as a charity drive for bars and restaurants to participate in. You can find out all about it here.

Now, if you’re like me, you may be running out of that Bottled Negroni that we discussed in a post from May 31st. That’s ok, we can make variations on Negroni without using Bottled Negroni, in fact, I’ve done so very many times.

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For the spectacular Negroni-Apri, I’m subbing Aperol + Apricot Liqueur for Campari, Carpano Dry Vermouth for Carpano Antica, and keeping the Plymouth Gin (never not Plymouth Gin). To this we add Orange Bitters, that lovely Orange Peel rose and BOOM, we’ve got a totally fabulous summery Negroni variation.

Negroni-Apri

  • 1 1/4 oz Plymouth Gin
  • 1 1/4 oz Carpano Dry
  • 3/4 oz Aperol
  • 1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 7 dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters (yes, 7 dashes)
  • Garnish: Orange Peel rose

Combine ingredients over ice and stir. Strain into double rocks glass over ice. Garnish with Orange Peel rose.

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Practically perfect in every way. 

#NegroniWeek 2015 – Negroniac

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Welcome to #NegroniWeek 2015! The week where all we talk about, drink, and post recipes of are the infamous Negroni! Negroni Week is put on by Campari and Imbibe Magazine as a charity drive for bars and restaurants to participate in. You can read all about it here.

Now, if you haven’t read my post from May 31st about how I like to make and Bottle my Negroni, you best do that first, mmmk? Did you read it? Fabulous Did you not? wellllllll…

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The Negroniac is one of my all time favourite recipes that I’ve ever come up with. It is literally a Sazerac + a Negroni and hoooo boy, does it pack a punch. Essentially, instead of Peychaud’s Bitters, you use a hefty amount of Bottled Negroni and keep the rest of the Sazerac formula intact. (Rye, Absinthe and a Lemon peel.)

Are you ready for this? The Negroniac is high octane madness.

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Keep in mind that this is a very exact recipe. Too much of anything and the drink is thrown way off.

Negroniac

  • 1 3/4 oz Negroni
  • 1 1/4 oz Rye
  • 2 Dashes of Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • St. George Absinthe Verte Rinse
  • Garnish: expressed and discarded Lemon Peel

Rinse a double Rocks glass with Absinthe and chill. Combine Negroni, Rye and Orange Bitters over cracked ice and give it a very looooooooong stir. Strain into chilled glass. Express and discard Lemon Peel. Santé!

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Hello powerful and tasty Negroniac! I will sip you slowly and relish every drop.

#NegroniWeek 2015 – Breakfast Negroni

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Hello Breakfast Kweens and welcome once again to #NegroniWeek! NEGRONIS ALL WEEK Y’ALL! All damn week! Negroni Week is put on by Campari and Imbibe Magazine as a charity drive for bars and restaurants to participate in. You can check it out here.

Now, if you haven’t read my post from May 31st about how I like to make and Bottle my Negroni, you best get to it! Did you read it? Yasssss Kween. Did you not? grrrrrrl, get on it!

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This Negroni is for those of us who, like myself, are 1. obsessed with Grapefruit Juice, 2. love a good Breakfast Cocktail, and obviously 3. can’t get enough Negroni in their life!

Breakfast Negroni

  • 2 1/2 oz Bottled Negroni
  • 1 oz Red Grapefruit Juice
  • 1 dash Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange Peel rose

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into chilled Coupe and garnish with Orange Peel rose.

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I want to drink two of these right now. I shall control myself but goodness, self control is hard y’all! Cheers!

Cocktail Crate Sriracha Margarita

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow! Get ready to shake it up with Sriracha Margarita!

Once again, I have the IMMENSE pleasure of doing a post about a Cocktail Crate Craft Mixer! If you recall, I’ve written several posts about Cocktail Crate Mixers because they are THE BEST! Alex Boyd does not cut corners on the ingredients and you can totally tell! I’m not sure exactly what magic he uses to get such freshness out of a bottled Mixer, but seriously this Sriracha Margarita is FRESH and flavourful!

Obviously the first thing I did was to follow the instructions on the back and make a Margarita. Always follow instructions y’all.

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Cocktail Crate Sriracha Margarita

  • 1 Part Mixer
  • 1 Part Tequila
  • Garnish: Lime wheel

Shake Vigorously with ice. Strain into glass over Ice.

Well, it’s totally delicious and refreshing. I could seriously drink a million of these and I have made one for nearly every person who’s come to hang out at my apartment.

HINT: BUY THIS MIXER FOR ALL YOUR #TEQUILASEASON PARTIES!

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If you feel like you wanted to spruce up the Cocktail Crate Sriracha Margarita or if you are missing the taste of Orange in your Marg, I recommend the following recipe.

Cocktail Crate Sriracha Margarita No. 2

  • 1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila
  • 1 1/2 oz Cocktail Crate Sriracha Margarita Mixer
  • 1/4 oz Cointreau
  • 2 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Lime wheel, pinch of Salt

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into double Rocks glass over ice. Garnish with Lime wheel and drop a pinch of Salt into the glass. Salud!

Wasn’t that easy and tasty? Head over to Cocktail Crate now and order several bottles of this delicious mixer! Thanks to Alex Boyd for the bottle!