Classic Cocktails

Celebrate Negroni Week with the Rosita

June 4, 2018 by Natalie 2 Comments

Well hello there. I’m popping in to say Happy Negroni Week everyone! I’m celebrating with one of my favorite variations on the classic Negroni — The Rosita. The Rosita cocktail is basically a tequila Negroni and I’ve picked it to kick off Negroni Week because I’m currently on a plane to Mexico. That’s right, MEXICO!

A last-minute trip to Hacienda Patron came my way and there was no way I was letting that opportunity pass me by. Going to Mexico, especially Jalisco — where a majority of tequila is made, has always been a dream of mine. And you know me… always checking those dreams right off my list. Can you blame me? YOLO.

Anyways, back to The Rosita cocktail. I had to do some investigating about the spec of this drink because there are a few recipes and the origins of this cocktail are somewhat non-existent. The problem I was having is that some recipes call for Angostura Bitters and some do not. To ango or not to ango? That is the question!

My boss and friend, Richard Boccato, helped me by reaching out to Robert Hess who helped popularize this drink. Hess got The Rosita recipe from an article by Terry Sullivan in the August 1999 issue of GQ Magazine. Sullivan got it from Gary Regan’s Bartender’s Bible. And Regan got it from Mr. Boston’s 1979 edition. I’m not sure if I really got my question answered because again, each of those recipes is different, but I’m deciding to ango!

The Rosita, serves 1 drink

1 1/2 oz. reposado tequila

1/2 oz. Campari

1/2 oz. dry vermouth

1/2 oz. sweet vermouth

1-2 dash Angostura Bitters

lemon twist, for garnish

First, add all your ingredients to a double rocks glass. Add ice, I used a large format cube, and stir. Garnish with a lemon twist by pressing the peel gently and expressing the oils on top of the drink. Wipe the rim of the glass with the peel and then place in the drink. Alternatively, this drink can also be served up if you prefer. You will need to add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice, stir, and then strain into a coupe glass. Same rules apply for the lemon twist.

The Rosita might just be my favorite Negroni variation. I love tequila so much, and this is a much drier and complex spin on the classic. Using the ango adds a lot of depth, slight spice, bitterness and I can see why it is needed. A Negroni is equal parts making it a much more bitter drink because of the amount of Campari in it. The Rosita only has a 1/2 oz. of Campari so the dashes of Angostura really help the bitter element of this drink stand out.

If you’re not familiar with Negroni Week (June 4-10), Imbibe Magazine and Campari presents it in efforts to raise money for charities around the world. Participating bars donate a portion of their Negroni sales to a charity of their choice. So find a local bar near you that are celebrating and order a Negroni or whatever variation they’re serving up. The only thing better than drinking is drinking with a cause!

I hope you’ll give the Rosita a try as well. If you’re looking for some other fun ideas to celebrate Negroni Week with I have these Negroni Tarts, a Frozen Strawberry Negroni, Negroni Mini Cupcakes, and these Strawberry Negroni Popsicles. Make sure you keep an eye on my stories over on Instagram to see what I’m up to in Mexico and I will be updating the blog when I get back! Cheers and Happy Negroni Week!

A Spring Classic: Sensation Cocktail

May 21, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

A less known but delicious classic is the Sensation Cocktail. It’s a cousin of the more popular Aviation cocktail but replaces the Creme de Violette for mint. If I’m being honest, I tend to love the Sensation Cocktail more so. Creme de Violette can be a little too floral for my preference and the Sensation Cocktail is dry, more tart, and super refreshing! It first appeared in a book by Robert Vermeire in 1922, Cocktails: How to Mix Them, and the recipe is credited to James Berkelmans, Paris.

There has been so much going on behind the scenes that it’s been a struggle to update the blog over the last week or so. I have a ton in the works that I can’t wait to share with you soon. On top of a crazy workload, right after finishing the One Room Challenge, I jumped into repainting the kitchen and starting on the bathroom. These lemons you see as my backdrop is actually a new accent wall. As soon as I shoot it I’m going to do a kitchen tour post. Oh — I’m also fostering 4 adorable 4-week old kittens. Make sure to keep an eye on my Instagram stories, and starting today I’m officially using the hashtag #cocktailsandkittens. If you want to find out why keep reading. 😉

Sensation Cocktail, serves 1

2 oz. gin

3/4 oz. lemon juice

3/4 oz. maraschino liqueur

small handful of mint

mint sprig and lemon twist, for garnish

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, fill completely with ice and shake. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnishing this drink with a brandied maraschino cherry is perfectly acceptable but I love to roll up a lemon twist and stick a mint sprig in it. It looks beautiful and adds so many aromatics. You can also double strain this drink if you don’t want mint in it. I prefer little mint floaters because I think it looks nice and adds texture but some people like a clean strain. To each their own!

I love making classics at home because, for the most part, they are fairly simple (3-4 ingredients). The Sensation Cocktail is one of my favorites to drink this time of year, especially on a warm day. It’s crisp, refreshing, and quenches my thirst immediately. Maraschino liqueur makes this drink sharp and dry. If you tend to like slightly sweeter drinks you can add 1/4 – 1/2 oz of simple syrup to this recipe to sweeten it up.

Okay, now it’s time to meet the kittens. Meet Elsie, Murray, Gertie, and Ethel! They were not cooperating very much on set so I will have to keep practicing. I had to hold them to get some shots of them. They. Are. So. Tiny.

A few years back I frequently fostered with a local rescue, Jersey Cats. For about 2 years my old apartment was a kitten hotel. I’d get kittens, keep them for a few weeks or months, they would get adopted, and then I’d get new kittens. My life was definitely full of sweet, cute, cuddly moments — but fostering is hard. It’s a lot of work and sometimes you get attached to cats. The number one question I always get about fostering is how do you not keep all the kittens? It’s REALLY HARD but I like to remind myself of the bigger picture. The more cats or animals I have the harder it is for me to help others. There will be more kittens, and they will all be cute. I just want to save the world one kitten at a time!

So why am I fostering again? I originally stopped when I adopted my Chinese Crested dog, David Bowie. Having a dog was much more work, my apartment was tiny, and it was just too much. After my cat Phil died in October there has been a void. Now that I have more space I thought it might be fun to start at it again and Jersey Cats needed a foster. So happy to help again!

I hope you guys like kittens because I’m hoping to include them in some of my posts until they find their forever homes. If you’re local please check out Jersey Cats to stay updated. I hope you enjoyed my silly kitten and cocktail photos and I hope you will try the Sensation Cocktail this Spring/Summer. As always, I would love to hear from you, so chime in on the comments below. Either about the cocktail or these sensational kittens! xo

Celebrate Easter Weekend with the Carrot Painkiller

March 30, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

If you’re looking for the perfect Easter cocktail then look no further then the Carrot Painkiller. Did you really think I wasn’t going to give you something delicious to sip on this weekend? I’d never let you down and this Carrot Painkiller will surely not disappoint your taste buds.

If you’re not familiar with the classic Painkiller cocktail it is a riff on the Piña Colada. You know how much I love Piña Coladas and given a chance, I will basically turn anything into a Piña Colada. The original Painkiller was created in the 1970s by Daphne Henderson at the Soggy Dollar Bar on the Island of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. It is a blend of rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and coconut. This cocktail is associated with tiki bars and tropical drinks, which as you all know, happen to be my favorite.

If you’re not aware I worked at a tiki bar in NYC called Painkiller (R.I.P). Pusser’s Rum has the Painkiller cocktail trademarked and we wound up having to change our name to PKNY to avoid a lawsuit. So while I love this cocktail, the Painkiller and I have a pretty tumultuous history. PKNY which was located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan shuttered in 2013 over the loss of our lease. A plague that struck a lot of bars in that neighborhood and in almost every neighborhood in NYC still to this day. Let’s just say, almost 5 years later, I still haven’t fully recovered from the closing of that bar.

Maybe that’s why I’m always developing variations on Piña Coladas. Homesick for a place that doesn’t exist anymore. Before I get sad let’s make drinks!

Carrot Painkiller, serves 1

2 oz. aged rum (preferably Pusser’s Rum)

1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1 oz. fresh carrot juice

1/2 oz. orange juice

3/4 oz. coconut cream

First, make your juices. I juiced my pineapple and carrot juice with my Hurom Slow Juicer. I highly recommend owning a slow juicer if you don’t already have one. It has made my life so much easier and healthy. They do not sponsor me (yet, one can dream) so this is 100% my own opinion and recommendation. For the coconut cream I use a 2:1 ratio of coconut cream to coconut milk. After that, this drink is easy peasy to make. Assemble all your ingredients in a cocktail shaker and dry shake. No dilution necessary because when you use crushed ice, dilution happens very quickly and immediately upon adding ice to the glass.

Dump your cocktail into your serving vessel. I used these cute clear tiki mugs from CB2 (now sold out). Then add crushed ice to your glass and garnish with a healthy dusting of nutmeg and a pineapple leaf or two.

Does anyone else adore making coconut themed things for Easter? I’m going to make this tart on Sunday for dessert. Coconut is one of my favorite ingredients to incorporate into this holiday. Also, I love carrots and so does the Easter bunny! I’m just so lucky that both of these ingredients are delicious together. If you’re looking for some other ideas, I also made this Carrot Orange Mimosa last year and shared some other Easter ideas. If you gave up drinking for lent, well then you’re crazy, but these will be such a treat to make and enjoy! Happy Easter everyone! xo

Frozen Irish Coffee

March 14, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

I love St. Patrick’s Day because it strangely reminds me of my favorite city, New Orleans. Although
I’ve never spent St. Paddy’s there, my favorite Irish bar, The Erin Rose, serves my favorite incarnation of the Frozen Irish Coffee. I’ve shared quite a few recipes for it over the years, and I might not know the exact recipe (it’s a secret), but every time I play around I feel like I get one step closer. Let’s just say if you’re taking the approach of making a milkshake then you’re on the right track.

Frozen Irish Coffee, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey (I used Jameson)

1 1/2 oz. Irish cream (I used Kerry Gold Irish Cream)

1 1/2 oz. cold brew coffee (I used Stumptown)

1 scoop of coffee ice cream

cinnamon whipped cream, grated cinnamon, and grated coffee, for garnish

My favorite spec for a Piña Colada is equal parts and I really feel like it works super well for this Frozen Irish Coffee as well. Add all your ingredients to a blender pitcher with 1/2 cup of ice and blend on high until smooth. If you want a less thick consistency you can add a bit more coffee or even milk to thin it out. I drink my coffee VERY strong and that is why I used cold brew in this recipe. Using cold brew also makes the coffee flavor stand out more in the drink. If you aren’t looking to be super caffeinated you can use regular coffee, just make sure it’s cold and not hot. Adding hot coffee to a blended drink will make it too diluted.

Pour your Frozen Irish Coffee into your desired serving vessel, in this case, I used highballs and garnish with cinnamon whipped cream, grated cinnamon, and grated coffee. To make your cinnamon whipped cream add 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until thick peaks form. Spoon over the top of your drink and finish with grated cinnamon and coffee.

This Frozen Irish Coffee is not just perfect for St. Patrick’s Day but absolutely perfect to enjoy all Summer long. St. Paddy’s Day is the finish line of Winter for me. We’re SO close to Spring, it’s staying light out longer, and I can feel the brisk air finally starting to subside. If we can hold out a little bit longer, I promise there are sunny skies and warm days up ahead. You can bet I’ll be drinking quite a few of these Frozen Irish Coffees until next Fall. Hell, maybe I’ll even catch a flight down to NOLA to enjoy one at The Erin Rose. Cheers, Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and Happy ALMOST Spring everyone!! xo

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the Irish Colada

March 10, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

St. Patrick’s Day is hardly a celebration without a little imbibing. I wanted to come up with something green without being cheesy (no green beers please!) so I put together this Irish Colada, a spin on the classic Pina Colada but with Irish whiskey, matcha, and banana. This Irish Colada is perfect for celebrating the Emerald Isle and a cocktail I will be drinking long after St. Patrick’s Day comes and goes.

Irish Colada, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey (I used Jameson)

1/2 oz. banana liqueur

1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1 1/2 oz. matcha coconut syrup

pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves, and toasted coconut, for garnish

First, make your matcha coconut syrup. I used equal parts (1 can each) of coconut cream and coconut milk. In a saucepan combine them with 2 teaspoons of matcha powder, whisking until combined over low-medium heat. I used a matcha whisk to help incorporate the matcha better. Let cool and store in a jar or bottle in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.

I decided to make this drink shaken instead of frozen to mimic more of an iced matcha latte feel. Additionally, shaking it also doesn’t sacrifice the gorgeous green hue of the drink. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, and strain over cracked or crushed ice in a highball or serving vessel of your choice. These adorable flamingo glasses are from my friend Meg over at Love & Victory. Finally, garnish your drink with a pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves, and toasted coconut. I toasted some coconut flakes with my kitchen torch but you can also do it over the stove.

The thing I miss the most about working in a tiki bar is an elaborately garnished drink. Each drink that went out was like a little piece of art. We had dozens of different straws, stirrers, and even little pipe cleaner animals! These sparkly palm tree stirrers remind me of those days and are from the Palm Springs Style Shop. I picked them up at the store while I was in Palm Springs for Modernism Week but they are also available here online if you need some fun garnishes at home!

Overall I really love how this Irish Colada came together. Whiskey and coconut complement each other surprisingly well and it was fun incorporating Irish whiskey into a tropical cocktail. The banana liqueur adds a touch more fruitiness and it’s one of my favorite ingredients to use with coconut in cocktails. In addition to the vibrant color, using matcha also adds health benefits to this drink. It’s packed with antioxidants/vitamins and is known to boost metabolism, relax the mind, increase concentration, and enhance the mood among many other things! Sounds like the perfect ingredient to pair with mood enhancing alcohol, don’t you think 😉 ? Matcha also adds sweet, vegetal, grassy notes that complement the other ingredients in this Irish Colada perfectly.

Do you have any special St. Patrick’s Day traditions? My mother always used to make corned beef and cabbage. I think my new tradition will be enjoying a few of these Irish Coladas. They certainly make the perfect boozy dessert. If you decide to make them, be sure to chime in on the comments below and tag a pic on Instagram using #ALinmyglass so I can see. I’d love to hear about what you’re doing this St. Paddy’s Day. Cheers everyone! xo

Hibiscus Margarita

March 5, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

It was really hard to get back into the swing of things last week. Do you ever feel like you need a vacation after you take a vacation? I decided to keep the vacation vibes going by recreating one of my favorite drinks that I had while in Palm Springs at The Saguaro — a Hibiscus Margarita. If I see the word hibiscus on a cocktail description the drink is as good as sold. I love the floral, sweet, and tart flavor of hibiscus and who can object to the hue it adds to drinks? No one! Also, we’re talking about margaritas here which are very high up on my list of things I love drinking. Who am I kidding? I would have drunk any margarita but the fact that it was pink and delicious is obviously a huge plus.

Hibiscus Margarita, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. Blanco Tequila

1/2 oz. Cointreau

3/4 oz. lime juice

3/4 oz. hibiscus syrup*

1/4 oz. agave

salt for rimming glasses

*I used the same recipe for the hibiscus syrup that I made for my hibiscus sour on A Beautiful Mess. Mix 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers, 1 cup water, and 1 cup sugar. Add ingredients to a small/medium size saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved and it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour. Strain mixture. Syrup should keep for 1-2 weeks in a refrigerator.

First, salt your serving vessels. I served these down on the rocks, so I used double rocks glasses. You could also serve them up if you’d prefer that more. When it’s hot go ahead and throw this recipe in a blender. I crushed a few dried hibiscus flowers and mixed it in with the salt. I really like the texture it gives to the rim of the glass but it also adds some flavor too.

Add all your ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Finally, strain into your salted rimmed glasses over ice and garnish with a lime wheel.

The best part about this cocktail is the color. Oh, my gosh, PINK! It’s sort of healthy too, right? We did use dried flowers in it. This Hibiscus Margarita is what dreams are made of which is why I consumed so many of them poolside. They also go great in the company of tacos and I’m guilty of enjoying quite a few of them in that circumstance too. Hi everyone! My name is Natalie and I love tacos, margs, and hot pink. You already knew that though!

I tweaked a standard margarita recipe (1 1/2 oz. tequila, 3/4 oz. lime, 1 oz. Cointreau) when developing this Hibiscus Margarita recipe. In addition to the hibiscus syrup, I added agave because I felt like it needed to be a touch sweeter. The hibiscus is more tart than sweet, so if you like very tart you can try it without the agave. Overall this Hibiscus Margarita is tart, perfectly sweet, floral, refreshing, and so delicious. Make them for friends this Summer alongside tacos and guacamole and I promise they will love you forever. Tequila has that effect on people! Happy Margarita Monday everyone! 😉

Lemon Meringue Hot Toddy

February 20, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

If you’re reading this I’m in sunny and beautiful Palm Springs, California by now. The night before we left, however, was a mere 32°F with mixed rain and heavy snow. It’s safe to say I was ready to hop on that plane! I teamed up Talbott Teas for this post to show you how I stayed warm this February with my delicious Lemon Meringue Hot Toddy using one of their teas!

Talbott Teas offers an exotic and extensive array of gourmet tea flavors to suit any mood or occasion. Characterized by their rich flavors, vivid colors, and soothing aromas, Talbott Teas’ premium tea blends provide a sophisticated playground for the senses. Masterfully blended and made with hand-selected, whole tea leaves, their specialty teas are full-bodied, suffused with subtle yet complex character. Their Luscious Lemon Meringue was the perfect addition to one of my favorite Winter beverages.

Lemon Meringue Hot Toddy, serves one

1 1/2 oz. bourbon

1/2 oz. Licor 43

1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

1/4 oz. honey

top with Talbott Teas Lucious Lemon Meringue

garnish with a float of toasted Swiss meringue*

*Swiss Meringue Topping

2 egg whites, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

First, make your meringue. In a saucepan, bring two inches of water to a low simmer. In a clean heat safe bowl, place the egg whites and sugar and mix them well with a whisk. Place the bowl on top of the saucepan with barely simmering water and mix continuously. This is important as the whisking prevents the egg whites from cooking.

Stir the egg whites and sugar with the whisk for about 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites become creamy white in color. Remove the eggs from the double boiler and immediately start whisking the egg whites with your stand mixer, to make the meringue. Whisk on high for about four minutes until the egg whites have tripled in volume and have stiff peaks. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. You can store this in an airtight container until ready to serve. You can also make this ahead of time as it will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Making your cocktail is the easy part because all you have to do is brew your tea and assemble. Add bourbon, Licor 43, lemon juice, and honey to a serving mug of your choice and top with tea.

Finally, top with meringue and toast it using a torch. This was really fun and was actually my first time making meringue or using a kitchen torch. I can’t wait to use it for other things!

This is probably my favorite Hot Toddy of all time as a matter of fact. Licor 43 adds a nice vanilla flavor which makes this drink a lot like having a piece of real lemon meringue pie. The lemon meringue tea from Talbott Teas adds fresh herbal notes of lemongrass which is bright, refreshing, and aromatic. Adding fresh lemon juice balances the sweetness in this drink and is a key ingredient to making a classic hot toddy in addition to honey.

The icing on top of the cake, or in this case the drink, is what really brings everything together, the Swiss meringue. It’s beautiful, delicious, and makes this Lemon Meringue Hot Toddy the perfect dessert drink to warm you up on those chilly February nights. I’m hosting a giveaway on Instagram so you can have a chance at winning some Talbott Teas of your own. You have to promise if you win that you will make this Lemon Meringue Hot Toddy though. Good luck everyone and I hope you’re keeping warm. Spring is just around the corner! xo

Winter Pimm’s Cup

January 15, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

I’ve been thinking about Summer a lot. Probably because it’s been so cold and I need to be reminded that there will be sunshine and warmth again someday. I’ve teamed up with Zevia to bring you a Winter Pimm’s Cup in honor of one of my favorite Summer classics. The first time I ever had a Pimm’s Cup was many years ago in the city of New Orleans. I think anything I’ve ever eaten or drunk in NOLA has become an instant favorite. It’s impossible not to fall in love with that city.

New Orleans has a way of taking things that you could find anywhere and re-engineering them so that they become so uniquely New Orleans, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything else that measures up. The Pimm’s Cup is one such example. While the classic drink was born in a London bar at the hands of a bartender named James Pimm, the Napoleon House in New Orleans has taken his creation, put a slight twist on it, and placed it down in one of the city’s most charming watering holes. If you ever get a chance to visit, going to the Napoleon House for a Pimm’s Cup and a muffaletta is a must!

I love to make my Pimm’s Cup like the Napoleon House does — Pimm’s, fresh lemonade, lemon/lime soda and a very elaborate cucumber garnish. For my Winter Pimm’s Cup, I’ve added Scotch for a cold weather spin on the classic. There’s no need to add the extra sugar of soda when you can make the perfect cocktail with Zevia Dry Lemon Lime.

Winter Pimm’s Cup

1 oz. Scotch

1 oz. Pimm’s

3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

3/4 oz. stevia simple syrup

1 can Zevia Dry Lemon Lime Mixer

cucumber, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and mint for muddling and garnish

Making stevia simple syrup is easy and a great way to make your cocktails a little healthier. Mix 2 tablespoons of powdered stevia with 1 cup of warm water and stir until completely dissolved. The consistency of this syrup will be much thinner than traditional simple syrup. Stevia simple syrup still works perfectly for adding sweetness and balancing out citrus in your drinks.

To make a Winter Pimm’s Cup add some berries, mint, cucumber, lemon juice, and stevia simple syrup to a tin. Give it a quick muddle and then add your Scotch and Pimm’s. Shake with ice and strain into a highball glass over ice and top with Zevia Dry Lemon Lime Mixer. Garnish elaborately with a bouquet of mint, berries, and cucumber slices.

This Winter Pimm’s Cup is a perfect variation on the classic — cool, light, tart, refreshing, and slightly smoky. The Zevia Dry Lemon Lime Mixer is a great substitute for regular sodas because it doesn’t add too much sweetness or sugar. A Pimm’s Cup is usually a low ABV cocktail but I like how the Scotch kicks it up a notch. I need some alcohol content to stay warm this winter. My favorite thing about this drink (besides drinking it) is the elaborate fruit garnish. It practically qualifies as a cocktail and a fruit salad snack which is A-OK with me! I hope you’ll be mixing up a few of these this Winter. xo

My Warm Take on a Summer Classic: The Hot & Stormy

January 8, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

We’ve been enduring freezing temperatures here for weeks now and frankly, I’m growing a little tired of it. When it’s cold and you have the holidays to look forward to you can persevere through it. After the new year, the bitter cold leaves me just that — bitter. I’ve been dreaming up drinks I can stay inside with and that remind me of warmer days. I’m pleased to introduce my warm take on a Summer classic, The Hot & Stormy.

Brilliant, yes? I thought so. The Dark & Stormy cocktail is simple, refreshing, and the perfect Summer highball. But its ingredients dissected make a pretty awesome warm drink appropriate for those really frigid winter nights too. My trick to the perfect Dark & Stormy cocktail is throwing away the premixed ginger beer and using freshly juiced ginger instead. It’s a little more work but the spicy flavor it yields is totally worth it. I add a 1/2 oz. lime to mine with 2 oz. Gosling’s Rum (of course), 3/4 oz. fresh ginger syrup, and then top with club soda for the fresh fizzy ginger beer effect.

I’m going to show you how I make ginger syrup so you can make my Hot & Stormy.

Hot & Stormy

1 1/2 oz. Gosling’s Rum

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. ginger syrup

hot water

lime wheel and ginger candy, for garnish

I finally bought myself a slow juicer. I decided on this one by Hurom. Yes, it’s pink which was a plus in my book but it also got amazing reviews (another plus). Their juicers come in lots of other colors and styles if pink isn’t your thing. This post is 100% not sponsored and I’m giving you my honest opinion: buy this juicer. Not only is the design amazing, it’s so easy to put together and disassemble, super easy to clean, and hums like the purr of a fat content cat. It’s SO quiet!

I peeled a larger piece of ginger, cut it down so it would fit through the top of the juicer, and pressed down. Like magic, the fresh ginger juice comes right out. I used a piece of ginger that was probably 5 inches long and it yielded exactly 4 oz. of ginger juice. The key to making ginger syrup is a 2:1 ratio. It’s 2 sugar to 1 ginger juice. Fresh ginger is really spicy so you need more sugar to balance it out. I added 8 oz. of sugar and stirred it until the sugar dissolved. You can heat this over low heat on the stove if you want it done faster. If you don’t have a slow juicer don’t fret. I detailed how to make ginger syrup using a blender for my Dark & Stormy Popsicles on A Beautiful Mess.

The hard part is over and now you can assemble your drink. Add all your ingredients to your serving vessel and top with hot water. You are ready to enjoy your Hot & Stormy.

Originally when I was brainstorming hot drinks to make on the blog I wanted to do a hot toddy variation. Ginger in hot drinks is so good, soothing, and bonus…healthy, but ginger in hot toddies had been done numerous times. I started thinking about my favorite drinks with ginger in them and that led me to this hot Dark & Stormy variation. I basically removed the club soda and replaced it with hot water. I’m so happy with how it came out and it was simple to put together. It’s crazy what a slight adjustment to a cold drink can do to make the perfect warm winter cocktail. I hope you enjoy my warm take on a Summer classic, The Hot & Stormy. It just might be my new favorite cold weather drink.

My Favorite Tom & Jerry Recipe

December 19, 2017 by Natalie 1 Comment

A Tom & Jerry is a classic winter beverage that every cocktail drinker should try at some point. It’s a sweet, frothy, warm drink that is flavored with dark rum and cognac and it has been a holiday favorite since the 1820s. There’s just one thing: the Tom & Jerry is not the easiest drink to make, but it is worth it. I’m showing you how to make my favorite Tom & Jerry recipe just in time for Christmas.

The Tom & Jerry is a descendant of eggnog but not eggnog. The main difference is that the Tom & Jerry is served warm and the drink is built in the serving mug. Eggnog, on the other hand, is cold and already mixed and ready to drink. The Tom & Jerry is, however, a fantastic alternative to Eggnog and many drinkers prefer it because it is more of a warm milk punch and has less of an ‘eggy’ flavor. First, I’ll show you how to prepare the batter then how to assemble the drink.

Tom & Jerry batter, serves 12

6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 stick of butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp. allspice, ground
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/2 tsp. cloves, ground
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Separate the egg whites from yolks into two large bowls. Add butter and sugar to egg yolks and beat with an electric stand mixer. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold egg whites into yolk mixture until color and consistency are the same.To finish the batter, stir in allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla.

Tom & Jerry, serves 1

1 oz. cognac

1 oz. dark rum

1 tbsp. Tom & Jerry batter

warm milk

nutmeg, for garnish

The hard part is over and now we can make our cocktail. To assemble Tom and Jerrys, gently heat milk in a saucepan over low heat (amount depends on how many drinks you plan to serve). For two servings I heated 1 cup of milk. This will also depend on the size of your serving vessels. While constantly stirring batter, add brandy and rum. Fill to the top with milk and stir until foamy.

Grate fresh nutmeg on top for garnish. Sip and enjoy!

The Tom & Jerry is much like making a Hot Buttered Rum. It all begins with mixing the spiced batter, which can be refrigerated or frozen until it’s time for a drink. Once that is done, it’s as simple as pouring warm milk over your liquor and batter. It’s a fabulous way to have a tasty hot cocktail ready for holiday visitors and parties.

You can also serve this in a Tom & Jerry punch set. My glasses are a part of a vintage set but I opted not to shoot a whole bowl or else I would have been drunk on a Monday afternoon. Not a terrible thing right? But really bad for productivity. I’m so happy I got to share my favorite Tom & Jerry recipe with you in time for the holidays. It’s the perfect drink to make for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day. Please chime in on the comments if you decide to make this and let me know how it turns out! Cheers everyone and don’t forget to eat, drink, and be merry! xo

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Classic Cocktails

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Sensation Cocktail, serves 1

Carrot Painkiller, serves 1

Frozen Irish Coffee, serves 1

Irish Colada, serves 1

Hibiscus Margarita, serves 1

Lemon Meringue Hot Toddy, serves one

Winter Pimm’s Cup

Hot & Stormy

Tom & Jerry batter, serves 12

Tom & Jerry, serves 1

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