Lemme See That El Camino

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Whoop! Here’s another post where I get to talk about the Home Bar Girl Tequila Challenge and Something Awesome. Last time the Something Awesome was Penelope Cruz, this time it’s that oh so sexy El Camino.

1. The Tequila Challenge: to encourage us Home Bar Gurls and Dudes to think of Tequila as more than “shots!” and/or “Margarita Time”. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good Marg as much as the rest of the world but Tequila is versatile! Think about using Tequila in place of Gin or Whiskey in your cocktails. Pair it with Vermouth, Amari, Bitters and Chartreuse Jaune. Stir it, Shake it, Serve it, Sip it. Yep, Sip your Tequila, don’t Shoot it! If this means you need to stop buying gross Tequila like José or Patrón, then please do so immediately. Mmmk? So many other tasty Tequilas await!

2. The El Camino: I love the Early-70s El Camino SS. I think they’re awesome muscle cars and despite being half car/half truck, I still think they’re dead sexy.  Super Sport? Quit teasing, just lemme drive it! And dropped? Hot damn, gimme that Lowrider! Perhaps my inner SoCal Mexican is shining through a bit too much with all this El Camino talk. I would even say that the El Camino is the Mullet of the South Western USA. Business in the front, Party in the back, but oh so much party in the back!

1973 El Camino SS

This is not my car, I want this car, it will be mine. Photo via www.speedsports.net

Now, what does the badass El Camino SS have to do with a badass Tequila cocktail? You’ll have to make one to find out.

Lemme See That El Camino

  • 2 oz Blanco Tequila
  • 3/4 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
  • 1/2 oz Agave Nectar
  • 1 dash Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters
  • Orange peel

In tin, combine Tequila, Averna, Grapefruit Juice, Agave and Bitters. Dry shake until Agave has dissolved. Add ice and shake shake shake again. Express Orange Peel and garnish.

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Copa de Oro

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My love of Calvados continues here at Home Bar Girl with a stirred Aperitif cocktail. We named it Copa de Oro after my girlfriend suggested that the drink resembled a California Poppy.

California Poppy Copa de Oro Cup of Gold

“Poppies, poppies will put you to sleep, sleeeeep, now they’ll sleep.” -The Wicked Witch of the West

ummmmmmmm. Perhaps we shouldn’t have named the drink after Poppies. This is not a sleepy drink, it’s a before dinner/start the night out kind of drink! Don’t listen to that Wicked Witch!

Copa de Oro

  • 2 oz Calvados
  • 1 oz Cocchi Americano
  • 1/4 oz Cynar
  • 2 Dashes Angostura
  • Orange Peel

In tin, combine ingredients and stir over cracked ice. Strain into coupe. Express Orange Peel and garnish.

Cheers to you all!

Maxime

Maxime

There are a wide array of botanicals and a touch of bitterness in Maxime and I’m in love. Does this make me an old lady with old lady taste buds? Am I actually Maxime? Are we all Maxime? Perhaps.

Dorothy Parker Gin and Calvados play well together along with Bonal and Dolin Rouge making this the perfect Aperitif Cocktail with an autumnal flair.

Maxime

  • 1 oz Dorothy Parker Gin
  • 1 oz Christian Drouin Calvados
  • 1/2 oz Bonal
  • 1/2 Dolin Rouge Vermouth
  • 1 dash Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • Orange peel

In tin combine Gin, Calvados, Bonal, Vermouth and bitters over cracked ice. Stir and strain into chilled coupe. Express orange peel and garnish.

Saint Negroni

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.