Mother’s Day with NOLET’S Gin

SJ-Fizz-1

Happy almost-Mother’s Day y’all!

Isn’t “mother” a funny word? Your mother, my mother, every mother! Mother… mother, mother. Mother may I? Ya mutha’. I feel like the more I say it, the stranger it sounds. I actually call my mother “Mamoo” which is sort of like Mom +Mam-e (another nickname for her) + “Faboo!” (Animaniacs). I also call my Mother “Hun” or “Dear Hun” and she calls me the same.

My Mamoo is a fabulous lady who likes the finer things in life, so I wanted to celebrate Mother’s Day with the fanciest Gin on earth: NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin.

NOLET'S-SILVER-Gin

NOLET’S Gin is one of the most delicious and unique Gins I’ve ever tasted. It has prominent notes of Turkish Rose, Raspberry, Peach, and Lemon sherbet, along with the usual Gin botanicals. The viscosity is excellent (to die for in a Martini), it’s 92.5 proof, and when you sip it, this Gin straight up makes you feel elegant.

SJ-Fizz-4

Now that we’ve got a glorious Gin, let’s make our mothers a celebratory cocktail or three, shall we?

We’ll start with one based on an Aperol Fizz but with a bit more booze and lots of fruit. Mamoo likes strawberries and oranges, so I’ve thrown those into the mix.

SJ-Fizz-3

I’ve named this drink for my Dear Hun and these are her initials.

SJ Fizz

  • 1 oz NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
  • 1 oz Aperol
  • Chilled, dry sparkling Rosé like Cava Rosat or Rosé Brut
  • Garnish: Strawberries, *Cara Cara Orange Wedges, Mint Bouquet

Build in glass: add fruit and a couple of ice cubes to a wine glass. Add NOLET’S Gin, Aperol and gently stir til things are swimming along nicely. Top with sparkling Rosé and garnish with a Mint Bouquet.

*Note: I’m obsessed with Cara Cara Oranges. They are so much more pleasant than regular Naval oranges, have floral & berry notes, and are less acidic tasting.

Dutch-65-2

For this next one, keep that bottle of sparkling Rosé handy cause we’re going to make a French 75 variation. NOLET’S Gin is from the Netherlands, so I’ve named the cocktail accordingly. The number I’ve chosen may or may not have to do with a certain Mamoo’s age…I’ll never tell.

Dutch-65-3

We’re also going to make a pretty pretty princess Citrus peel rose garnish. Grab one Lemon, one Red Grapefruit, a peeler and a cocktail pick. Peel a strip from each fruit, trying to make your peels about the same length. Roll them together into a rose and spear with the pick.

Dutch-65-4

Nice right? A rose for ya mutha’ and to compliment the rose notes in the Gin. SYNERGY!

Dutch 65

  • 1 oz NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 oz Rich Cane Sugar Syrup
  • Chilled, dry sparkling Rosé like Cava Rosat or Rosé Brut
  • Garnish: Grapefruit & Lemon peel rose

Combine NOLET’S Gin, Lemon juice, and syrup over ice and stir. Strain into your prettiest coupe or champagne flute. Top with sparkling Rosé and garnish with Citrus rose.

Maddox-Cup-2

Lastly, we’re going to make a variation on a Pimm’s Cup cause what mother doesn’t love Pimm’s? (Every mother loves Pimm’s, she just doesn’t know it yet.)

To make the cucumber garnish, you’ll need to cut the cucumber into long spears, get a zester/channel knife, and score the cucumber.

Maddox-Cup-1

My mom’s family name is Maddox, hence the name of the cocktail.

Maddox Cup

  • 1 oz NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
  • 1 oz Pimm’s No.1
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 oz Rich Cane Sugar Syrup
  • Club Soda
  • Garnishes: Strawberries, Cara Cara Orange wedges, scored Cucumber spear, Mint Bouquet

Build in glass: place cucumber spear in glass, then layer fruit and ice. Add NOLET’S Gin, Pimm’s, Lemon Juice, Syrup, soda and stir gently. Top with Mint Bouquet

Maddox-Cup-3

Man, that cucumber garnish is really speaking to me. So fresh, so healthy! Your mother would be proud of you for eating your veggies!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of your Moms! May they have the fanciest day ever. Cheers!

 

 

Spring Cocktails with Jägermeister

Little-Red-Jacket-1

Yes, you read that right! Spring Cocktails with Jägermeister!

Do you know who had no idea how versatile Jägermeister is? ME! I had no idea but oh my goodness, I’m so into it!

When I was initially approached about this campaign, I was a tad hesitant because when I thought of Jäger, I thought of shots (and y’all know i’m averse to shots). But then I read about some of the ingredients in Jägermeister: Cinnamon, Star Anise, Orange peel, Ginger root, Cardamom, Lavender, and I got really excited!

Bonus: as a part of this campaign, I have been given a couple of recipes from one of my fave bartenders, none other than Sother Teague from Amor y Amargo! If Sother endorsed Jägermeister, then I most definitely wanted to give it a try!

Jägermeister

Jägermeister, a fantastic combination of herbs and spices.

If we’re going to make recipes with Jägermeister, then we should start by treating it like we should treat any good Amaro/Aperitif/Digestif and break down the flavors.

Tasting Notes:

  • Nose: Ginger, Licorice, Spices, Anise, Root Beer, Citrus,
  • Tongue: Mint, Cinnamon, Clove, Cardamom, Honey, spices, earthy, robust
  • Finish: long and wide, full bodied

Exciting right? Totally totally exciting! Let’s dive into some recipes!

Precision-Timepiece-1

We’ll start with one of Sother’s Recipes, Precision Timepiece. This recipe feels like a Negroni variant, albeit one full of flavour and spices.

Precision Timepiece

Combine ingredients over ice and stir. Strain into double Rocks glass with ice. Express Orange peel and garnish.

Bonus: if you add a little Club Soda, you suddenly have spirited “Root Beer”.

Little-Red-Jacket-2

For the next recipe, you’re going to want to keep that bottle of Aperol handy but also get some Strawberries cause what says spring like Strawberries? (The answer is: nothing)

Little-Red-Jacket-3

To the Jäger and Aperol we add Chartreuse Jaune which has a mille-fleurs + honey aroma and is magical in spring cocktails.

Little Red Jacket

  • 1 1/2 oz Jägermeister
  • 1/2 oz Aperol
  • 1/4 oz Chartreuse Jaune
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 2 Strawberries
  • Club Soda
  • Garnish: 1 Strawberry, Lemon Wheel, Rosemary sprig

Muddle Strawberries and Lemon juice in tin. Add Jägermeister, Aperol, Chartreuse and ice. Shake and double strain into Collins glass over ice. Top with Club Soda and garnish with Strawberry, Lemon Wheel and Rosemary sprig. Sensational.

German-Vacation-2

And now it’s time for perhaps the most exciting formula yet: Jägermeister + Aged Rum = spiced Rum. I mean, why isn’t everyone all over this? I don’t have any Spiced Rum in My Home Bar but by combining these two together, I NOW HAVE SPICED RUM.

German-Vacation-3

Again, we’ll start with a recipe from Sother Teague cause this recipe is BRILLIANT.

German Vacation

  • 1 oz Jägermeister
  • 1 oz Flor de Caña Aged Rum
  • 3/4 oz Ginger Syrup*
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice (Lime Juice works really well too)
  • Garnish: Heavy dashes of Peychaud’s bitters. I added the Hollowed out Lime half, Maraschino Cherries and Sail. Really, as long as you add the Peychaud’s, use whatever garnishes you want! (Candied Ginger would be amazing btw)

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into Collins or Tiki Glass over Cracked or Crushed ice. “Paint” the top of the drink with Peychaud’s bitters and garnish as you please.

Ginger-Syrup

*Ginger Syrup – Combine 1 cup of Sugar (Demerara or Turbinado), 1 cup of water and 1 cup of roughly chopped Ginger root in a Saucepan. Heat on low until just before liquids start to boil, then remove from heat. Cover and let sit for around 8-9 hours. Strain into jar and refrigerate. **If you are going to keep this syrup for several weeks, add around 1 oz aged Molasses Rum (like Flor de Caña) to syrup to preserve. Will make approx 2 cups of Ginger Syrup.

Gamekeeper's-Grog-2

The Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears are back again!

For the last Spring Cocktail with Jägermeister,  I’ve got a total West Indian Tiki cocktail for y’all!

Gamekeeper’s Grog

  • 1 oz Jägermeister
  • 1 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 1/4 oz Cinnamon Bark Syrup
  • Garnish: Hollowed out Lime half, Grapefruit peel Rose, Maraschino Cherry, Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Strain into double Rocks glass and garnish.

Gamekeeper's-Grog-3

Wasn’t that totally delicious? Yes, it totally was! Don’t worry, this isn’t the end of my relationship Jägermeister as a cocktail ingredient. I’ll keep posting recipes as I come up with them.

Note: I cannot emphasize how thrilling of a discovery it was that Jägermeister + Aged Rum = spiced rum. YAAAAAAAAS Kween!

Thanks to M Booth for including me in this exciting campaign and sending the bottles of Jägermeister, Aperol, Amaro Montenegro and Dale Degroff’s Pimento Bitters!

It’s Pimm’s Season

Mexican-PImm's-3

Well here we are, together in the bright cheer of spring. And what do we drink in this most thrilling of seasons? We drink Pimm’s No. 1!

For those of you who haven’t had the supreme pleasure of sipping a Pimm’s Cup yet, it’s divine. Pimm’s No. 1 is a Gin based Liqueur which was originally envisioned as a “bottled cocktail”. There used to be six different Pimm’s Cups each with their own base spirit. Today there are the orginal Pimm’s No. 1, Pimm’s Blackberry & Elderflower, Pimm’s No. 3 Winter Cup, and Pimm’s No. 6 with a Vodka base. In the NYC area, I’ve only seen the No. 1 and Blackberry & Elderflower.

Pimm’s No. 1 tasting notes:

  • Nose: Ginny & juniper, coriander, delightfully fruity and herbaceous bouquet, Orange, Strawberry, spices
  • Taste: Gin, vegetal, citrus
  • Finish: short and wide

So essentially, we’re talking the greatest spring/summer Liqueur for anyone who loves Gin!

Pimm's-Cup-3

Pimm’s No. 1 Cup (official recipe)

  • 60 ml / 2 oz  Pimm’s No. 1
  • 150 ml / 5 oz  Lemon Soda (the dry British sort)
  • Garnishes: Mint, Strawberry, Orange Slice, Cucumber

Combine ingredients in a Collins glass over ice and stir. Serve with a straw and fabulous garnishes.

Now, you know this wouldn’t be a Home Bar Girl post without some variations, so here we go!

Pimm's-Collins-1

Pimm’s Collins

  • 2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
  • 1 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
  • Top with Soda Water
  • Garnishes: Mint, Cucumber, Strawberry, Orange Wheel

Combine Pimm’s, Gin, Lemon Juice and Simple syrup and stir. Strain into Collin’s glass with ice and garnishes. Top with soda water and serve with a straw.

Carribbean-PImm's-4

Caribbean Pimm’s Cup

  • 2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
  • 1/2 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1/2 oz Flor de Caña 7 Aged Rum
  • 1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • Top with Ginger Ale
  • Garnishes: Mint, Pineapple, Cucumber, Strawberry, Orange slice

Combine Pimm’s No. 1, Rums, Falernum, Lime Juice and stir. Strain into Collins glass with ice and garnishes. Top with Ginger Ale and serve with a straw.

Mexican-Pimm's-4

Mexican Pimm’s Cup

  • 2 oz Pimm’s No 1
  • 3/4 oz Casa Noble Blanco Tequila
  • 3/4 oz Cointreau
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • Soda Water
  • Garnishes: Cucumber, Orange Wheel, “Mexican Flag” of Lime Wedge, Banana Slice and Strawberry

Combine Pimm’s, Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, Lime Juice and stir. Strain into Collins glass with ice and garnishes. Top with Soda.

Mexican-Pimm's-2

Let’s just look at this again cause this “Mexican Flag” garnish is my fave thing ever. Also, yummmm.

Cheers to you and yours during Pimm’s Season! Thanks again to the Baddish Group for the Casa Noble Tequila!

Fruity Cocktails with Fino Sherry

Stafford-Cobbler-4

Edit: If you’re here for #SherryWeek, have an excellent time with these recipes!

Y’all, I have been waiting for this post ever since I got that bottle of Inocente Fino Sherry back in January. From the moment I put my lips on this Sherry, I knew, I knew it was going to go with fruit and I knew I was going to use it Long or Tiki style.

I’ve been biding my time.

Today on Instagram, I was challenged to make a Fog Cutter by @el_nova_1 (the person behind last week’s Navy Grog challenge who loves Tiki as much as many of us do) and make the drink immediately! It’s DAMN FABULOUS! LIKE DAAAAAAAYUM FABULOUS. Citrusy, dry, great flavour arc, deep. I’m in luv. With this challenge comes a great opportunity for me to post a couple of other Fruity Sherry drinks I’ve had sitting in my notebook.

Karl-the-Fog-Cutter-1

First things first about this Fog Cutter: I don’t have any Grape Brandy! I only have Calvados! The recipe also calls for Cream or Amontillado Sherry and I only have Fino Sherry. So, like any good Home Bar Gurrrrrrl, I’ve made some adjustments (ahem, Old Tom Gin) and named the variation “Karl the Fog Cutter” after my beloved San Francisco Bay Area’s archnemesis (or claim to fame), Karl the Fog.

Karl-the-Fog-Cutter-3

Karl the Fog Cutter

  • 2 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1 oz Calvados
  • 1/2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 1/2 oz Inocente Fino Sherry (float)
  • 2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1 oz Orange Juice
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat
  • Garnish: Sherry float, Orange wedge with Maraschino Cherry spear, Monkey

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into Tiki Mug or Collins Glass over Cracked Ice. Float the Sherry, garnish with Orange wedge with Maraschino Cherry and Monkey.

Marley's-Map-2

This next one came from a flavour pairing obsession I currently have: Fino Sherry + Apricot Liqueur. It’s to die for. The nuttiness from the Orgeat & Fino go sooooo well with the Apricot. Literally the greatest thing since Smith & Cross Rum + Teeling Irish Whiskey. This one is straight up Tiki, so be sure you have a mint sprig and some Orgeat ready to go!

Marley’s Map

  • 1 1/2 oz Flor de Caña 7 Rum
  • 1/2 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1/2 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Inocente Fino Sherry
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Mint sprig, two Pineapple chunks and a Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into double Rocks glass or short Tiki mug over ice. Garnish with Mint sprig, two Pineapple chunks and a Maraschino Cherry.

Stafford-Cobbler-1

Now back to that Cobbler. Goodness, I get such a thrill out of making and/or drinking a Cobbler! This one came to me in the night and I had to write it down before I fell asleep. Again, we’re using the glorious Apricot + FIno Sherry combo along with Carpano Antica Vermouth, Old Tom Gin, and Boker’s Bitters. I wanted this one to taste Old Skool/Pre-Prohibition.

I definitely Flavor Bible’d the Rosemary + Blueberry + Strawberry + Lemon + Orange flavours. If you don’t have the Flavor Bible yet…get to it!

Stafford-Cobbler-3

Stafford Cobbler

  • 1 1/2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 1 1/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
  • 3/4 oz Inocente Fino Sherry
  • 1/2 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 3/4 oz Lemon juice
  • 1/4 oz Honey Syrup
  • 2 dashes Boker’s Bitters
  • Small handful of Blueberries, muddled
  • Garnish: Strawberry, Blueberry, Orange wheel, Rosemary sprig

In tin, combine Lemon Juice and Blueberries and muddle. Add remaining ingredients, ice and short shake. Strain into Stemmed glass filled with ice and fruit, Orange wedge and Rosemary Sprig on top. Serve with a straw and a spoon so your guests may eat the fruit!

Stafford-Cobbler-2

Yassssss gurrrrrrrl, Ms Stafford Cobbler, lemme get real close.

Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the fantastic bottle of Carpano Antica!