Category: food

Cocktail of the Week: The Lucien Gaudin

2014-05-31 19.25.13

Lucian Gaudin was a fencer, at least that is what this wikipedia page says, I like to think the reason a drink is named after him was because he won gold in fencing a couple times at the Olympics and at the time the French were super into fencing. Who knows though?

This cocktail is another request by D, who seems to find all sorts great cocktail recipes without even looking. I didn’t have any Campari on hand but a quick trip to the store rectified that. After sampling the Campari before making the cocktail I was a little worried, because it was really bitter. And, no, I didn’t notice that Campari is a bitter. Nor did I notice the giant calligraphic ‘bitter’ printed on the label. I am a moron. My fears were unnecessary.

The ingredients
The ingredients

The Lucien Gaudin

  • 1 oz Gin
  • 1/2 oz Campari
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau (or triple sec)
  • 1/2 oz dry vermouth

Mix all ingredients with ice. Pause, then mix again. Strain and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist if you so desire.

2014-05-31 19.25.59This cocktail is a beautiful soft, pink color. I commented to D after making it that it looked like Kool-aid a little. It does not taste anything like Kool-aid or any other sugardrink you might be familiar with. The Campari and Cointreau are a perfect pair with the gin and vermouth adding little hints and subtle variations to the flavor. This is a surprisingly strong drink though. Definitely a drink to sip, and slowly enjoy before dinner.

Cocktail of the Week: Kentucky Buck

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Last week, while I was enjoying my margaritas, a friend’s instragram caught my eye. It was the picture of two deep amber cocktails with the caption being “Kentucky Buck.” I’d never heard of the drink and so sent them a small note asking what it was. The reply? “Think a Moscow Mule but with bourbon and lemon instead of vodka and lime.” That definitely got my attention! So, with excitement, I jotted down the drink name and the recipe in order to make it this week.

The ingredients
The ingredients

Kentucky Buck

  • 1.5 oz Bourbon whisky
  • .5 oz lemon juice
  • .5 oz simple syrup
  • 1 strawberry
  • 2 dashes Angostora bitters
  • ginger beer

In a shaker muddle the strawberry and lemon juice. Add bourbon, simple syrup, and bitters to the shaker. Fill with ice.  Shake well. Strain into glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with lemon wheel and strawberry slice.

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Maybe I just like cocktails with ginger beer in them? ‘Cause this was a fantastic drink. The bourbon pairs wonderfully with the sour lemons and the sweet strawberry and all of it is tied together and giving some effervescence by the carbonated ginger beer? I don’t know what magic is happening in this drink. I just know I want to drink more of it. The more of these cocktails I make the more I want a front porch to sit and enjoy them on. Cocktails are domesticating me!

Anyway, this was a phenomenal drink that I want to encourage all of you to make it or go out to a nice bar and order it; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Shout out to friends Justin and Dior for bringing it to my attention.

Cocktail of the Week: Cucumber Jalapeno Margaritas

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This probably would have been more appropriate last week. But, I’m not really big on Cinco de Mayo and margaritas are a great cocktail for any time of the year. D found this recipe and has been begging me to try it for a while now. I have to admit the mix of jalapenos and cucumbers had me intrigued… So, this weekend I made sure I had all the ingredients and go to work!

Most of the ingredients
Most of the ingredients

Cucumber Jalapeno Margaritas

  • 4 oz. tequila
  • 1 lime
  • 1 lemon
  • small cucumber
  • jalapeno simple syrup (see below)

Juice the lemon, lime, and cucumber. Cool the liquid in the refrigerator. Combine juice, tequila, and syrup in a large pitcher with ice. slices of cucumbers and jalapeno may be added as garnish. Serve in salt rimmed cups (margarita, martini, or whatever glasses you happen to have lying around.)

Jalapeno Simple Syrup

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 jalapeno

Slice the jalapeno, removing seeds. Put water, sugar, and jalapeno slices into a pot. Boil the water on medium until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for about ten minutes with pot covered. Drain liquid through a fine mesh colander. Cool completely.

P.S. – if you don’t have a juicer getting liquid out of the cucumber could be a problem. I chopped it up and threw it in to the food processor and blended it into a rough paste and then put the puree into cheesecloth and squeezed the liquid out. Seemed to get the job down.

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This was a surprisingly good take on the traditional margarita. D says it might just be here favorite variation so far. Her exact words were, “A plus and five gold stars.” That’s quite the endorsement and I’m inclined to agree with her. I think I like the traditional margarita a little more but this is certainly my favorite twist on the drink. The jalapeno syrup brings the heat and the cucumber brings the cool. It’s a lovely combination.

Cocktail of the Week: Gin Hound

2014-05-04 19.30.45

You think with it being Cindo de Mayo, the cocktail of the week would be some sort of margarita. And, if I had spent any time thinking about the date or Cinco de Mayo at all it very well might have been. But, I didn’t. So, if you’re looking for the perfect pairing for your Cinco de Mayo party you’re just out of luck and will have to serve your guests Corona or Pacifico. Or you could click here. This week’s cocktail is a strong riff on the Greyhound.

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The ingredients

Gin Hound

  • 2 oz. gin
  • 1/2 oz sweet vermouth
  • 3 oz. grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Combine lemon juice and grapefruit juice in a shaker full of ice. Add gin, vermouth to shaker. Shake well. Pour over ice.

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I really recommend that the first time you drink this you do so on the rocks. This is a boozy beverage! It tastes great though. Clean, refreshing. If you use good gin you might even miss the fact that there is alcohol in this drink! Maybe I can get D to sit out on the back porch with me while I sip at this and watch the dogs play in the yard?

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