Natalie

Mod Cocktails Now on Pre-order

September 5, 2019 by Natalie 3 Comments

Super excited to announce that the book I’ve been working on since last year, Mod Cocktails, is now available for pre-order and is officially released on November 5th!

Thanks to everyone for their continued support while I wrote this book. Especially to my publisher Page Street. I worked really hard compiling recipes and stories of cocktails that I love and are important to me from the midcentury era. The recipes span anywhere from the 1940s to the late 1960s and also include my little spins on some of my favorite classic cocktails.

I tried to make this book accessible to everyone. That includes the at-home enthusiast and even more complicated recipes for the seasoned bartender. The objective of this book was to take two categories that are often separated, classic and tiki, and have a place for them to belong together while celebrating the midcentury. I hope you’ll invite these cocktails into your homes and bars.

I’ll be announcing the release party and book signings very soon. In the meantime, you can pre-order Mod Cocktails here on Amazon. xo

Watermelon Hibiscus Paloma

August 31, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Popping in here real quick to bring you the perfect cocktail for your holiday weekend! I’ve been juicing watermelon a lot and drinking it after my runs and making simple drinks with it in the evenings. Had to put a twist on one of my favorite cocktails and share this Watermelon Hibiscus Paloma with you. Can’t thank my friends over at Exotica Tequila enough for letting me come up with delicious things with one of my favorite spirits!

I can’t believe it’s Labor Day weekend already. Where has the time gone? I was just getting into the swing of summer and now POOF it’s gone. Just like that. There’s nothing more satisfying and refreshing than watermelon juice on a hot day. I’m sure going to miss seeing this fruits presence in the produce aisles. So I had to squeeze it into one lady recipe before I say goodbye to it for a few long, hard and cold months.

Watermelon Hibiscus Paloma, serves 1

2 oz. Exotico Tequila

1 oz. watermelon juice

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. hibiscus syrup*

Grapefruit soda

Salt, for rim

*Hibiscus syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers

Combine sugar, water and hibiscus flowers in a small saucepan. Simmer until all sugar has dissolved and the syrup is a very dark red/pink, about 10 minutes.

First, juice your limes and watermelon. I used my slow juicer to juice the watermelon but if you don’t have one, you can also blend is and strain the juice.

Then prepare your glass by rimming it with salt. Add all tequila, watermelon juice, lime juice and hibiscus syrup to a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice and strain into your salt rim glass. Top with your favorite grapefruit soda and lastly garnish with a slice of watermelon.

Couldn’t think of a better way to send summer off than with a Paloma. This Watermelon Hibiscus Paloma is refreshing, sweet and citrusy. Hibiscus adds so much depth and floral flavors with a hint of tartness. Salt adds a savory element that compliments the watermelon and hibiscus perfectly.

I can’t wait to make and enjoy a few more of these this weekend. I hope you decide to make this Watermelon Hibiscus Paloma as well. If you do please comment below and tell me how you’re enjoying your holiday weekend. Cheers to another summer! xo

Summer Sipping on the Titan Cocktail

August 29, 2019 by Natalie 198 Comments

Summer isn’t over yet! The temperatures are continuing to rise around here. It has been so humid that I am now convinced I live in South Florida because it randomly rains every day now. Even when it’s not in the forecast. Even when the sun is shining. So, what’s a girl to do when it’s too hot and humid to deal? Make a delicious and boozy crushed ice beverage. Very excited to be partnering with my friends over at THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA® to bring you a brand new recipe, The Titan Cocktail, to keep you cool until the end of summer.

THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA, THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA, based in Trinidad, has been blending bitters fornearly 200 years and producing fine rums for 130 years, mastering the art of ageing and blending. Using a secret recipe, closely guarded to this day, ANGOSTURA®aromatic bitters is recognized as the world’s first and best-selling cocktail bitters. It is an essential ingredient for contemporary cocktails as well as the classics. With just a few dashes, ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters transforms summery mixed drinks into beloved warm-weather cocktails, from spritzes to tiki inventions, to frozen cocktails and beyond.

The Titan Cocktail was inspired by one of my favorite tiki classics, The Saturn Cocktail. Most tikidrinks are rum based but what makes the Saturn special is that it is made with gin. This cocktail is rich and sweet just like most tiki concoctions, but the gin gives it the drinkability of a refreshing Tom Collins. I went a step further and, instead of gin, I used mezcal. I named it Titan after Saturn’s largest moon.

The Titan

1 1/2 oz. mezcal

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. orange juice

1/2 oz. passion fruit syrup*

1/4 oz. orgeat*

1/4 oz. falernum

Float of ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters

lime twist and cherry, for garnish

*Passion Fruit Syrup

1 part 100% passion fruit puree, frozen and preferably Goya

1 part rich simple syrup (2:1 demerara sugar and water)

Make your rich simple syrup ahead of time. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Let cool. Let frozen passion fruit defrost and then add it to the rich simple syrup. Stir until combined and store in a resealable container.

*Orgeat – You can find my step by step process on how to make orgeat in this post on A Beautiful Mess.

To make the Titan cocktail, simply add mezcal, lime juice, orange juice, passionfruit syrup, orgeat and falernum to a cocktail shaker. Dry shake without ice and pour into a highball or swizzle glass. I used these pearl diver mugs from Cocktail Kingdom. Fill the glass with crushed ice and swizzle with a swizzle stick or bar spoon. You can do this by gently twirling the spoon or stick between the palms of your hands until a frost forms on the outside of the glass. Swizzling is a method of dilution the same way as shaking and stirring is, except it is done in a glass with crushed ice.

Next, float the ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters on top of the drink and top with more crushed ice. Garnish with a lime twist and a cherry. I like to roll the twist around the cherry and then use a cocktail pick to secure it.

I just made a few small tweaks to the Saturn cocktail and made it my own by substituting the gin for mezcal. The mezcal adds a slight smoke and earthiness to an otherwise sweet drink. The addition of the ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters is really what changes everything. ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters counteracts the sharp taste of acidic ingredients and subdues the pronounced flavors of spirits. That’s why it is the perfect ingredient to balance summer cocktails. Although ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters contain some ABV, using just a few dashes can transform your cocktails. So whether you’re sipping on a high-proof or low-abv beverage, ANGOSTURA bitters are the perfect flavor and enhancer and complement to any cocktail. I hope you will be mixing up a few Titans before summer is over. xo

Green Garden Cocktail

August 2, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Possibly one of my favorite things to do is to come up with margarita variations. The Green Garden cocktail isn’t quite just a margarita but was definitely my inspiration for creating this drink. I’m also very excited to be partnering up with my friends over at Exotico Tequila again. So expect a lot of delicious tequila drinks for the rest of 2019! I teamed up with Exotico last year for my Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos post. Those recipes are well worth a revisit and are currently making my mouth water. If you missed that post and you aren’t familiar with Exotico Tequila it is handcrafted with tradition by the Destiladora Gonzalez Gonzalez.

The Destiladora Gonzalez Gonzalez is a family distillery spanning three generations and one of Mexico’s most respected makers of tequila. The tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown in the highlands of Jalisco. From my many travels to Jalisco I learned that the red clay soil there produces larger and much sweeter agaves which is why Exotico gets their agaves from this region. This type of agave, once distilled, gives Exotico its floral, well-rounded taste. I love the Exotico Blanco because it has notes of roasted agave with a peppery finish which makes it delightful to use in drinks or sip on its own.

I’ve been on a cucumber juice kick and thought it would make a wonderful summer ingredient in a tequila-based drink. I love spicy and savory elements in cocktails and decided to make a green bell pepper syrup to use as well. The results were amazing if I can say so myself. 😉

Green Garden, makes one serving

1 1/2 oz. Exotico Tequila

1/2 oz. Yellow Chartreuse

1 oz. fresh cucumber juice

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

3/4 oz. green bell pepper syrup

handful of basil leaves

salt, paprika and chili flakes, for rim

Green Bell Pepper Syrup, makes 1 cup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 green bell pepper

To make the syrup, cut a green bell pepper in half, remove seeds and rinse. Chop into small pieces. In a small saucepan add sugar, water and chopped green bell pepper. Let simmer on the stove until all sugar has dissolved then remove from heat and let completely cool. I left the green bell pepper in the syrup overnight and then strained to extract the most flavor.

Next, get your cocktail glasses ready! I did an equal part combination of course sea salt, paprika and red chili flakes. Run a lime around the rim of your glass and then roll the outside rim of your glass through the salt mixture. To make cucumber juice I ran a few cucumbers through a slow juicer. If you don’t have a slow juicer the other option is blending the cucumbers and straining the cucumber juice out through a fine strainer or cheesecloth. Combine tequila, Yellow Chartreuse, cucumber juice, lime juice, green bell pepper syrup and basil leaves in a cocktail shaker. Finally, add ice, shake and strain into your salt-rimmed glasses.

Not only does this cocktail taste magnificent but the color is very stunning. I called it the Green Garden for the use of all the green ingredients and of course the color. I love the green bell pepper syrup and I can’t wait to play around with it in other drinks. Perhaps even test out some other peppers in syrups as well. This cocktail is herbal, refreshing and savory—perfect for a hot day! But always and most importantly, perfect in the company of tacos. And chips. And guacamole. You get it. xo

Bar Convent Brooklyn 2019 with Angostura Bitters

July 11, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago, I was very lucky to get to go to Bar Convent Brooklyn 2019 with ANGOSTURA ^® bitters. Bar Convent started as a small industry meeting in Berlin, and has quickly become one of the most important international bar and beverage trade shows. This is the second year they expanded the show to Brooklyn, NY and I was so happy to join the conference again alongside a brand I truly love, ANGOSTURA®.

THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA^®, based on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, has been blending bitters for more than 190 years. They have also been producing fine rums for 130 years, mastering the art of aging and blending. ANGOSTURA bitters are made with the same secret recipe that was developed in 1824 by Dr. Johann Siegert. As the essential ingredient in so many classic and contemporary cocktails, ANGOSTURA bitters is a crucial brand that truly changes everything within the beverage industry. ANGOSTURA bitters is recognized as the world’s first and best-selling cocktail bitters, making their presence at Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB) truly exciting.

THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA greeted guests on Day 1 with a complimentary welcome cocktail to kick off BCB. This time, I was handed a delicious Low-ABV cocktail, served by Chief Mixologist Raymond Edwards: the Amaro Highball, featuring Amaro Di ANGOSTURA^® and the newly-launched soda, ANGOSTURA^® Lemon, Lime & Bitters. Low-ABV drinks have been on the rise over the last few years, and Low-ABV was definitely a noticeable trend at BCB this year. In fact, Raymond shared a seminar at the conference emphasizing the need for bars and other on-premise operators to incorporate No- and Low-ABV beverages into their concepts to appeal to consumer demands.

Amaro Di ANGOSTURA is the latest innovation from THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA. It is a deep amber color, offering aromas of cinnamon, dark chocolate and ANGOSTURA^® aromatic bitters. ANGOSTURA Lemon, Lime & Bitters is a skillfully blended non-alcoholic sparkling drink made with natural lemon and lime flavors, and a few dashes of ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters, of course. Although the bitters are 44.7-percent alcohol by volume, using just a few dashes results in a negligible alcohol content, making it the perfect addition to spirit-free and Low-ABV drinks. I love ANGOSTURA Lemon, Lime & Bitters enjoyed as a soda on its own, or as a balancing ingredient within a range of cocktails. I can’t wait to play around with it more!

At THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA booth, bartenders from around the country mixed up quite a few delicious drinks featuring the brand’s iconic bitters. The menu included a Trinidad Sour, which ANGOSTURA also served last year, along with an Orange Daiquiri and a Bitter Clipper. There was something for everyone’s palate on this menu.

The Trinidad Sour is a potent little libation containing an ounce of ANGOSTURA bitters, rye whiskey, lemon juice and orgeat. It’s strong, bitter and citrusy.

The Orange Daiquiri was citrusy, bright and tart. It contains ANGOSTURA^® 5 Year Old Rum, ANGOSTURA^® orange bitters, orange juice, lime juice and simple syrup.

The Bitter Clipper was citrusy, strong and refreshing. It was reminiscent of a tiki cocktail and reminded me of a Queen’s Park Swizzle, a drink native to Trinidad and Tobago (just like THE HOUSE OF ANGOSTURA), which features dashes of ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters as a prominent ingredient.

I really enjoyed my second year at Bar Convent Brooklyn, and I hope I can go again next year! It was nice to see so many premium brands and explore the newest trends and products. Not to mention network, share knowledge and learn! It’s been so nice to share a behind-the-scenes look at my BCB experience with ANGOSTURA. What is your favorite cocktail with ANGOSTURA^® aromatic or orange bitters? If you haven’t tried ANGOSTURA bitters, you can purchase at grocers and liquor retailers nationwide and learn more here.

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

May 5, 2019 by Natalie 3 Comments

It doesn’t have to be a special day for me to indulge in a good margarita and some al pastor tacos. In fact, that’s pretty much my daily life. I was still so excited to team up with my friends at Bai to bring you this Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito for Cinco de Mayo.

A mezcalito is a margarita made with mezcal and perhaps my favorite way to enjoy this spirit other than sipping on it neat. I’ve touched on mezcal on the blog before but just in case you’re reading about it for the first time it is a spirit distilled from agave. A lot of people like to refer to mezcal as the “sister of tequila” but the truth is tequila is a type of mezcal, much like scotch and bourbon are types of whiskey. Mezcal is made from more than 30 varieties of agave. The most commonly used are tobalá, tobaziche, tepeztate, arroqueño and espadin. It is produced in nine different areas of Mexico including Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, Michoacán, Puebla and Oaxaca.

Mezcal is made from the harvested core of the agave plant, otherwise known as the piña. It is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots. This is the source of where mezcal gets its earthy and smoky flavor profile. The smokiness of mezcal seemed like a perfect match for the earthy nature of watermelon and using Bai Kula Watermelon made this mezcalito turn out delicious.

Frozen Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito, makes one serving

1 1/2 oz. Mezcal (I used Banhez Espadin)

1/2 oz. Cointreau or triple sec

1 oz. Bai Kula Watermelon

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

3/4 oz. hibiscus habanero syrup

4 pieces fresh watermelon, cubed

watermelon slice, for garnish

smoked salt, for rimming

Hibiscus Habanero Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers

3 habanero peppers, cut lengthwise

First, make your syrup. Add sugar, water, dried hibiscus flowers, and habanero peppers to a saucepan and let simmer over low-medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain out the hibiscus flowers and peppers. Let completely cool and store in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator.

Next, rim your glassware with smoked salt by running a lime around the rim and then dipping it into the salt. To make your cocktail add Bai Kula Watermelon, fresh lime juice, hibiscus habanero syrup, Cointreau, mezcal, and cubed watermelon to your blender pitcher with 6-8 oz. of ice. Blend on high or smoothie setting if you have one, and then pour into your glassware. Garnish with a slice of watermelon. Drink umbrella optional but always encouraged. If you’re not in the mood for something frozen you can easily muddle the fresh watermelon and shake the drink and serve over ice instead.

If you’re thinking, these are a lot of flavors to combine, I promise it is not. I wanted to add a spicy element to this mezcalito but I also love watermelon and hibiscus together. Watermelon is earthy and sweet, while hibiscus is rich and floral, and habanero adds a delightful spice. The mezcal adds a hint of smoke and finishing the drink with salt adds a savory element.

I hope whatever you’re doing today that you’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo right. That is: with a margarita (or mezcalito) in hand accompanied by chips, guacamole, and your favorite taco. You know what I’ll be doing. Cheers to Cinco de Mayo! xo

Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots

April 20, 2019 by Natalie 1 Comment

Ever since last year when my friend Ashley over at Craft & Cocktails posted her Easter on Easter Island cocktail (IN A HOLLOW CHOCOLATE BUNNY) I’ve been dying to recreate something similar. I spotted some mini chocolate Easter bunnies while shopping the other day and I knew what needed to be done. I needed to chop their little ears off and fill them with something delicious. Can you blame me? They’re hollow and they were asking for it!

Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots, makes 3 shots

1 1/2 oz. Kerry Gold Irish cream

1 1/2 oz. Coffee Liqueur

1 1/2 oz. Coconut Cream

3 mini hollow chocolate Easter bunnies

To make your serving vessels you will need 3 mini hollow chocolate Easter bunnies. Run a sharp knife under hot water and then cut at the base of the chocolate bunnies ears. Kinda morbid, I suppose, but I promise this is going to be delicious. An edible serving vessel that pairs perfectly with your drink is pure brilliance!

Next, mix all of your ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into each bunny and serve immediately.

I love coconut, chocolate, and coffee all on their own, but these flavors also go so well together. These Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots are creamy and sweet and make the perfect boozy dessert option to serve your guests at Easter dinner. Not only is serving a shot in a little chocolate Easter bunny too damn adorable, but the best part is you get to eat the bunny after. I hope you’ll make these fun Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots and if you do chime in on the comments below. Cheers and Happy Easter everyone! xo

Boozy Chai Hot Chocolate

February 28, 2019 by Natalie 1 Comment

Since snow is in the forecast for this weekend I thought it would only be appropriate to make something warm. I recently made this Boozy Chai Hot Chocolate for Kerrygold Irish Cream and it was too good not to share on the blog. The warming spices from the chai mixed with the rich decadence of cocoa and Irish cream make this Boozy Chai Hot Chocolate the perfect snow day treat.

Boozy Chai Hot Chocolate, makes 2 servings

1 1/2 cups chai concentrate

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

4 oz. Kerrygold Irish Cream

whipped cream, for garnish

grated cinnamon, for garnish

cinnamon stick, for garnish

In a small saucepan, combine chai concentrate, milk, and cocoa powder over medium heat. Heat until steaming, about 5 minutes. Add 2 oz. of Kerrygold Irish Cream to two mugs and then pour the hot chai mixture on top. Stir to incorporate and then top with whipped cream, freshly grated cinnamon, and a cinnamon stick.

I love staying inside. Especially on a cold snowy day with a mug of hot chocolate. I don’t want to go out there!

But adding booze to your hot chocolate is just genius. I have another boozy hot chocolate recipe here and also how to set up a hot chocolate bar for a holiday/winter party here. What can I say? I think hot chocolate gets me through every winter. This one is thankfully almost over.

Tomorrow is officially March and Spring is so darn close. We’ve had mild parts of Winter and really cold parts too. It was 5°F and 60°F within the same week. Isn’t that just nuts? The weather wasn’t the thing making this Winter hard although it certainly didn’t help. Adjusting to my new life alone and dealing with the fallout has been a challenge, to say the least. I’m trying to rebuild, work on my self-love, and just allow myself to feel whatever it is that I’m feeling. Sometimes you have to do small things that make you happy even if it’s just enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. The sun is going to shine in my life again once more. I can feel it. xo

Blood Orange Sour

February 11, 2019 by Natalie 2 Comments

I think I’ve said this before but I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day. I know, it’s a silly made-up holiday, but I LOVE love and sweets and can we be honest here? Anything in pink and red is A-OK with me! I’ve teamed up with my friends at KINKY Beverages for this post to bring you a delicious Blood Orange Sour cocktail for Valentine’s Day.

It’s funny how some things never change. Whether I’ve been single or in a relationship for this holiday you can always catch me binge-watching Sleepless in Seattle or You’ve Got Mail. Anyone else a fan of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks romantic comedies? If you can remember back in the Myspace days (holy shit – Myspace?) there was a who I’d like to meet section in your profile. Sixteen year old me had a photo of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks when they meet in the garden at the end of You’ve Got Mail. To be perfectly honest with you, that’s still who I’d like to meet. Here I am still looking for my Tom Hanks almost 16 years later but that will not make me hate a holiday meant to celebrate love. What it will do though is make me drink about it. 😉

Blood Orange Sour, makes 1 serving

1 oz. Spirit of your choice

1 oz. KINKY Pink

1 oz. fresh blood orange juice

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

1 egg white

In a cocktail shaker combine spirit, KINKY Pink, juices, syrup, and egg white. Dry shake without ice for about 10 seconds to emulsify the egg and then shake again with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a slice of blood orange.

I’ve shared a recipe previously on the blog with KINKY Pink. It’s definitely my favorite KINKY expression because it’s bursting with fresh flavors of mango, blood orange, and passionfruit and it pairs with so many other ingredients and spirits. What is really fun about this recipe is that I’ve left the base spirit up to your preference. I personally love it with something traditional like gin but it’s also great with white rum. Additionally, tequila or even a whiskey like a bourbon would be amazing options as well. I want you and whoever you’re sharing a drink with to have fun and get creative. Maybe try a few to see which one you like more.

I couldn’t resist using fresh blood oranges one last time in a recipe before they disappear until next Winter. Using fresh blood orange juice in this Blood Orange Sour really makes the blood orange notes in the KINKY Pink stand out even more. This drink is fruity, juicy, bittersweet, and silky on the palette. I hope you’ll enjoy one with me this Valentine’s Day. Have you found your Tom Hanks or are you still looking like me? What’s your favorite romcom? I want to hear all about it in the comments below. Cheers everyone. x

So I’m Writing A Book

January 6, 2019 by Natalie 2 Comments

Whether I’m developing drinks for a menu or for the blog — one thing is for certain — I’m constantly inspired by vintage cocktail books. It’s been hard holding on to this new for months but I’m so excited to announce that I’ve been working on a cocktail book!

I’m not giving away all the juicy details yet but it will be a compilation of my favorite mid-century classics and some of my own originals.

I can’t thank Page Street Publishing and Macmillan enough for believing in me and allowing me to make one of my biggest dreams come true.

Thank you for all of your continued support. 2019 will most definitely be my year! Coming July 2019! xo

« Previous Page

Natalie

Watermelon Hibiscus Paloma, serves 1

*Hibiscus syrup

The Titan

*Passion Fruit Syrup

Green Garden, makes one serving

Green Bell Pepper Syrup, makes 1 cup

Frozen Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito, makes one serving

Hibiscus Habanero Syrup

Chocolate Easter Bunny Shots, makes 3 shots

Boozy Chai Hot Chocolate, makes 2 servings

Blood Orange Sour, makes 1 serving

Footer

Check out what’s happening on Instagram!