craft cocktails

Mod Cocktails Now on Pre-order

September 5, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

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

Summer Sipping on the Titan Cocktail

August 29, 2019 by Natalie 195 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

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

Bitter Blood Orange French 75

December 30, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Can 2018 get the hell out of town already? Sending this year off with something bitter and sparkling because it only seemed appropriate. I took a popular classic champagne cocktail, the French 75 (gin, lemon, simple, champagne), and changed it up a bit by adding fresh blood orange juice and Campari. My bitter blood orange riff on the French 75 is the perfect cocktail to send 2018 packing.

The original French 75 was created by Harry Macelhone at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in 1915. The cocktail was said to have such a kick that it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm Howitzer field gun. The cocktail was popularized in America at The Stork Club in NYC and with its publication in the Savoy Cocktail book in 1930. It also makes an appearance in one of my favorite Humphrey Bogart movies, Casablanca.

Bitter Blood Orange French 75, makes 1 serving

1 oz. gin

1/4 oz. campari

1/2 oz. blood orange juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

Champagne or Prosecco

First add all ingredients (except champagne) to a cocktail shaker, fill completely with ice and then shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and top with champagne. Garnish with a slice of blood orange.

The changes that I made to this classic cocktail were so simple yet made such a huge impact on the flavor. Blood oranges have deep red flesh and the flavor is much more intense than a normal orange. This fruit is sweet, bitter, and has a slight hint of raspberry flavor. They pair perfectly with Campari, which is also crimson red and has a bittersweet taste with distinct notes of cherry, cascarilla, clove, rhubarb, cinnamon, and orange peel. As a result of the color of both of these ingredients, and their delicious flavors we are left with a delicious and stunningly hued cocktail.

While many great and positive things happened in my life during 2018, unfortunately, it has come to a bittersweet ending. It only felt right to make a bubbly and bittersweet cocktail to coincide with that. I’m looking forward to the future, continuing to grow my business, and making some big life changes in 2019. But most of all I am most excited for a fresh start and a chance to be happy again. I’m raising my glass and wishing you all a very Happy New Year! xo

All I Want For Christmas is Gin: Peppermint Negroni

December 23, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

Hey everyone! Just thought I’d jump in here and squeeze in one Christmas post before it’s too late. I needed something easy to make for Christmas so I variated on one of my favorite classics and made a Peppermint Negroni. Sorry for being MIA the last few weeks but life has taken some crazy turns and I needed to step away and take care of myself. I will probably share more about that soon but let’s just say I’m more excited to start a new year than you could possibly know. So let’s have a drink, shall we?

Peppermint Negroni, makes 1 serving

1 oz. peppermint tea-infused gin (I used Brooklyn Gin)

1 oz. sweet vermouth

1 oz. Campari

Making a tea infusion is a super simple way to change up a classic. I decided to infuse the gin for this one because it is the highest ABV of the three ingredients so I know it would infuse pretty quickly. I used two peppermint tea bags and steeped half a bottle of gin for an hour and then removed the tea bags. That should suffice taste wise but give it a test and if you want it more peppermint forward add another tea bag or leave them in for longer.

To make the Peppermint Negroni add all of your ingredients to a mixing glass and stir on ice. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube and garnish with an orange twist. Perhaps even a candy cane on the side. Not going to lie, I totally stirred this with a candy cane and then ate it. It’s Christmas, what can I say?

All I want for Christmas is Gin.

I love how a simple tweak can change a cocktail entirely plus make it more festive for the holidays. Enjoyed quite a few of these last night by the tree. I hope you’ll give this Peppermint Negroni a try for Christmas Eve or Christmas. As always I would love to hear your thoughts below and I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. xo

Cranberry Mulled Wine for Fall Entertaining

November 19, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

Warm drinks are so cozy and soothing to the soul this time of year. To be perfectly honest, my soul has been feeling a little down lately so it needs all the soothing it can get. I’ve teamed up with Santa Margherita Wines to share a super easy mulled wine recipe that is perfect for Fall and holiday entertaining. The only thing better than indulging in a warm cozy cup of spiced wine is sharing it with the people you love.

I used Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Reserva for this Cranberry Mulled Wine recipe. An authentic Italian Chianti made from grapes grown in the heart of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico region. The aromas of this complex red wine range from cherries and plums to gladiolus flowers and earthy flint which makes it a perfect pairing for the baking spices associated with mulled wine. In addition to using classic mulled wine ingredients, I also added cranberries to make it festive for Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Mulled Wine, makes 6 servings

1 bottle of Santa Margherita Chianti Classico Reserva
1/2 cup cranberries
1/4 cup honey
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp. fresh nutmeg
1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 small oranges
10 whole cloves
3 whole star anise

First slice one orange into wheels and juice the other orange. If you’re using a vanilla bean instead of extract, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the bean into the wine. Add your wine, spices, juice and fruit to a saucepan and turn the heat up to medium, until the wine is hot. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and keep warm until ready to serve. Before serving use a slotted spoon to remove all of the spices from the wine, and then ladle into mugs. Garnish with cranberries, a cinnamon stick, and a slice of orange.

Mulled wine has a distinct, spiced flavor brought out all the more by sipping it hot. If you prefer something boozier, you can add a few ounces of brandy, bourbon, rye or even rum! I love the tart and fruity finish that the cranberries added to this mulled wine recipe. Santa Margherita Chianti Reserva made the perfect base for the mulled wine because of it’s bright, round, warm, dry, earthy finish.

It’s been a little hard for me to get into the holiday spirit this year. Even just thinking about making this mulled wine has me more excited for Thanksgiving though! I hope you’ll try this Cranberry Mulled Wine recipe and please send some holiday cheer my way in the comments below. xo

Sparkling Rosé Paloma

November 7, 2018 by Natalie 3 Comments

It’s always rosé season in this house! So excited to team up with 90+ Cellars for this post to share my Sparkling Rosé Paloma recipe with you.

If you haven’t heard of 90+ Cellars, it’s a really cool wine brand that curates a portfolio of wines from all over the globe. They love great wine and their mission is to make drinking great wine easier and more affordable for everyone. They do this by buying wine at a discount from acclaimed wineries and vineyards — then they are able to sell great wine at a reduced price under their label. Thus bringing better wine to more people at a lower price. It’s a pretty brilliant concept!

I’ve used their Sparkling Rosé in this recipe which is lovely in a glass on its own but also works marvelously in cocktails. 90+ Cellars Sparkling Rosé is made with Pinot Noir grapes from Northern Italy. It is pale pink in color, dry, fruity, and has charming effervescence. It’s notes of strawberry, passionfruit, and rose petals make it perfect for complimenting spirits and adding a delightful flavor to cocktails.

Sparkling Rosé Paloma, serves 1

1 1/2 oz. blanco tequila

1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup (1:1)

top with 90+ Cellars Sparkling Rosé

sprigs of thyme, for shaking with and garnish

grapefruit wedges, for garnish

ancho chile salt, for rimming

First, make your ancho chile salt by combining equal parts salt and ancho chile powder. I also sprinkled in some crushed red pepper for extra texture. Rim the edge of your serving glass by running a lime wedge around it and then dipping it into a bowl of your prepared ancho chile salt.

Next, add tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, simple syrup and thyme to a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake, and then strain into your salted glass filled with ice. Top with 90+ Cellars Sparkling Rosé and garnish with a sprig of thyme and grapefruit wedge.

Have I ever told you how much I love Palomas? I do. I do.

They’re citrusy and oh so refreshing. They’re like little fizzy effervescent grapefruit margaritas. Then I went ahead and added rosé to it and made it 100,000,000x better.

Traditionally a Paloma is made with tequila, lime, and grapefruit soda. I like to make mine with the fresh juice of lime and grapefruit and then I use club soda to add the carbonated element. Here I simply swapped out soda for 90+ Cellars Sparkling Rosé and it truly came out amazing! This Sparkling Rosé Paloma is fruity, juicy, fresh, clean, fizzy and herbaceous. Did I mention delicious? Why yes it is!

I hope you’ll be enjoying one this weekend. You can check out 90+ Cellars website here to view and purchase their entire wine collection online. Cheers everyone! xo