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This month’s theme for Mixology Monday, Tea, was chosen by Frederic of cocktail virgin slut blog. He elaborated on the theme: “Tea has played a historical role in cocktails for centuries. Perhaps the best documented early example was its inclusion in punches as part of the spice role to round out the spirit, sugar, water, and citrus line up. Later, teas appear in many recipes such as Boston Grog, English Cobbler, and a variety of Hot Toddies.”
So, tea and cocktails…hmmm…I first took up this challenge by exploring the hot tea route. After trying a couple few things that I wasn’t crazy about, I decided to switch my focus. Then I stumbled across the Royal Tea—created by Beefeater to celebrate the film The Queen and its 2007 Oscar nominations. I tried the recipe as I found it—equal parts Beefeater gin and chilled Earl Grey tea, a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon of sugar. It was fine—like boozy earl grey tea, nothing that exciting though.
So, I took the formula and experimented a bit with other gins, other teas, other sweeteners, and other citrus. I came up with one version that I totally loved. I used a pomegranate green tea which is less bitter and more earthy than a typical black tea. Grenadine replaced the sugar and nicely complimented the pomegranate of the tea while adding a bit of tart. And lime, instead of lemon, seemed to work better with these flavors. Peychaud’s bitters were my own addition.
I think I’ll call it the Pomegranate Princess:
1 ½ oz Junipero gin
1 ½ oz pomegranate green tea, brewed and chilled
1 tbsp grenadine
Juice of half a lime
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Shake. Serve on the rocks with a lime wheel garnish.
I have a feeling this will be become a staple in the warmer months. I think it would be perfect for a spring brunch, to sip while spending a warm June afternoon lakeside or as an evening cocktail on a hot summer night.
This was my first participation in Mixology Monday—fun! Without this motivation, I would not have imagined I could have so much fun with tea and cocktails. Cheers!
I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the French 75 because it is what sparked my passion in cocktails. I can’t quite remember where I had my first one—maybe Bouchee or Brasserie Jo—but after one sip I was hooked. Maybe it’s the lightness and delectable drinkability. Or the mild, refreshing flavor of gin and lemon which are given a sparkling lift from champagne. As Kirstin and I enjoyed our French 75s last night, she may have said it best, “It’s like the best lemonade you ever had with a little bubbly added.” I also have fond memories of a variation at The Modern in NYC in which St. Germain replaced the simple syrup.
There are bunch of different stories about the origins of the French 75. Was it created at Harry’s New York bar in Paris? Or did American soldiers in the French countryside during World War I “make due” with what they had on hand to make something akin to a Tom Collins? And maybe there are other stories too.
Whatever the origins may be, the name comes from the French-designed 75-millimeter field gun. As Harry Craddock said in his 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book, this drink,”hits with remarkable precision.”
The French 75 is absolutely delicious! Cheers!
After submitting final grades from my Tufts class, I thought I deserved a yum cocktail. So I began perusing The Art of the Bar, a great book from my friend Emily. So many recipes looked good but the Singapore Sling caught my attention. And surprisingly, I had all the ingredients. Even though I feel like this is may be more appropriate to be drinking this while sitting poolside instead of on a cold January evening, I thought what the hell, this drink sounds good right about now.
The Singapore Sling was developed at a hotel bar in Singapore in the early 1900s. There is a lot going on in this drink. It packs quite a punch with gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau, and Benedictine. Fruit juices, pineapple and lime, and grenadine add in some sweet and tart. A few dashes of Angostura give a hint of bitters. Then the whole thing is topped off with a little soda water to add a subtle fizz. This is a pretty drinkable combination, despite its intense booziness.
There are lots of recipes out there with slight variations in measurements of the 8 ingredients. Here’s the recipe I used:
Singapore Sling
2 oz gin
¾ oz Cherry Heering
2 tsp Benedictine
2 tsp Cointreau
2 oz pineapple juice
¾ oz lime juice
2 dashes grenadine
1 dash Angostura bitters
soda water
Shake all ingredients except soda water. Pour into tall glass filled with ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with brandied cherries and an orange slice.
Forget being poolside or needing one of those paper umbrellas, a Singapore Sling is good anytime. Cheers!