gin cocktails

Frozen East Side Cocktail

July 11, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

I love reinventing classics to fit the season. While the East Side Cocktail is such a perfect and refreshing Summer cocktail as is — I couldn’t help but wonder how much better it might be if I took all the ingredients and threw them in a blender. With the temperature being in the high 80s all week and not letting up for the foreseeable future, can you really blame me?

If you’re not familiar with the East Side Cocktail, it is basically a Southside Cocktail (gin, lime, sugar, mint) with added cucumbers. But they’re both really just gimlets, right? And a gimlet is just a daiquiri with gin instead of rum. I could go on and on but the point is they’re all delicious, simple, and easily quaffable. Now in all of its frosty glory, I introduce you to the Frozen East Side Cocktail. Your new favorite Summer drink.

Frozen East Side Cocktail, serves 1

2 oz. Gin

1 oz. simple syrup

3/4 oz. lime juice

handful of mint

5 cucumber slices

6-8 oz. of ice

Add all your ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into your desired serving vessel, I used coupe glasses, but double rocks glasses will do too. Garnish with cucumber slices and a sprig of mint.

That was super easy, right?

And it tastes like heaven?

Then I think you made it correctly.

When I develop frozen cocktails or reinvent classics as such, here is my rule of thumb; sugar content should always be greater. If I were shaking this drink and serving it up the sugar: citrus ratio would have been flipped (1 oz. lime, 3/4 oz. simple). With frozen drinks, sugar content should be higher to compensate for dilution which is always much greater in frozen drinks. Sometimes adding too little sugar means getting cocktails that turn out unbalanced and overly tart. Capeesh?

Now let’s talk about the blending of the mint and cucumber into this drink. If you’ve ever had an East Side Cocktail in its regular form, muddled and served up like a gimlet, then you know how deliciously refreshing it is. Blending it knocks these refreshing flavors right out of the park though. It’s like an explosion of minty, herbal, refreshing goodness. Honestly, after I shot these I kinda got a little cold sipping them in my kitchen. Talk about cooling down! Did I mention that gorgeous green hue? It’s a stunner ladies and gentlemen! 😉

The other great thing about the Frozen East Side Cocktail, or the East Side in general, is that if you’re not feeling like gin… that’s okay! This cocktail served shaken or made frozen, is outstanding with so many other spirits. Personally, I love it with tequila but it would also work great with vodka, rum, or your favorite whiskey. So pick your spirit of choice and get out that blender! I know this Frozen East Side Cocktail will not disappoint.

Summer Solstice Sparkling Chamomile Sangria

June 21, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

The Summer solstice marks the official start of Summer. With it brings the longest day and shortest night of the year. You might need sangria for the longest day of the year, correct? In light of Summer solstice, I made Sparkling Chamomile Sangria with Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. just for the occasion. After all, I do wait all year for the first day of Summer — every year. A delicious bubbly wine together with chamomile tea, elderflower liqueur, lemon, and strawberry seems like the perfect combination to ring in the first day of Summer.

Today also marks my 2nd blogiversary. I can not believe it! We’re going to need more prosecco!

Sparkling Chamomile Sangria, serves 4-6

1 bottle Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G

2 cups chamomile tea

3/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup gin

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup elderflower liqueur

lemon wheels

strawberries

First, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 2 chamomile tea bags and let steep 5 minutes. Remove bags and discard. While tea is still hot add your 1/2 cup of sugar and stir until fully dissolved.

Next, cut up the fruit and then add it to your pitcher or large serving vessel. Pour tea, lemon juice, gin, and elderflower liqueur into the vessel and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 hours. The longer you let the fruit steep the better!

Just before serving your Sparkling Chamomile Sangria, add ice and finally top with a bottle of Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. In this recipe, I only used 1 bottle of prosecco, but if you want to make a boozier sangria I suggest using 2 bottles instead.

I love adding an iced tea element to cocktails in the Summer. Especially in sangria and punches! Tea adds a lot of fruity, floral, and herbal elements that can compliment wine and spirits nicely. In this case, the chamomile adds floral notes that are a perfect match to the aromatic, fresh, fruity, and sweet floral aspects ofSanta Margherita Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. Santa Margherita grows luscious, aromatic Glera grapes in the gentle hills of Valdobbiadene, a town synonymous with the finest Prosecco Superiore, and DOCG status – the highest and most distinctive classification possible.

Please sip and enjoy this delicious Sparkling Chamomile Sangria. I’ve been waiting a long time to say this — happy first official day of Summer everyone!

Summer Mocktails with Red Bull

June 20, 2018 by Natalie

Recently I teamed up with Red Bull to make some Summer mocktails to celebrate the release of their Red Bull Summer Edition Coconut Berry. The Coconut Berry might be my favorite flavor yet but I’ve also put together mocktails using Red Bull Green Editon and the Yellow Edition (my other two favorite flavors). The Green Edition tastes like kiwi and apples and the Yellow Edition tastes like a mix of tropical fruits with passionfruit shining through the most.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy Red Bull was to mix with. These flavors are fruity and absolutely perfect for topping off your drinks with for Summer. Because who doesn’t love a little energy boost in their drinks? I certainly need all the energy I can get! I loved how these mocktails turned out which is why I decided to share them with you here.

In Love with the Coco, makes 1 serving

4 oz. Red Bull Summer Edition Coconut Berry

1 oz. coconut milk

1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice

1/2 oz. orange juice

4 strawberry halves

First add pineapple, orange, and strawberries to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Next, add coconut milk and then shake with ice and pour into your serving vessel over ice. Finally, top with Red Bull Coconut Berry. Garnish with coconut flakes, freshly grated nutmeg, and a strawberry wedge.

Lime So Fine, makes 1 serving

4 oz. Red Bull Green Edition

1 oz. lime juice

1 oz. cucumber juice

Splash Red Bull Lime Edition

mint, green grapes, green apple slices, for muddling

First add lime and cucumber juice to a cocktail shaker with a handful of mint, 5 green grapes, and 2 apple slices. Next, muddle and then add ice and shake. Strain into your serving vessel over ice and top with Red Bull Green Edition and a splash of Red Bull Lime Edition. Garnish with 2 cucumber slices and a mint sprig.

Hello Sunshine, makes 1 serving

4 oz. Red Bull Yellow Edition

1 oz. lime juice

3/4 oz. ginger syrup

club soda

5 mango chunks

First add lime, ginger, and mango to a cocktail shaker and muddle. Next, add ice, shake, and then strain into your serving vessel over ice. Top with Red Bull Yellow Edition and a splash of club soda. Garnish with a lime wheel and ginger candy.

I’m totally in love with all of these Summer mocktails that it’s hard to pick a favorite! I hope you’ll be giving these Summer mocktails with Red Bull a try at home. I’ll be enjoying quite a few myself. xo

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

Aloe Cucumber Cooler

April 10, 2018 by Natalie Leave a Comment

I’m so happy to be teaming up with Tadin Tea for this next post. Tea is something I’ve always incorporated into my recipe developing at home and behind the bar. This Aloe Cucumber Cooler is so refreshing and the perfect cocktail for the warm months ahead.

Usually, when I use tea in cocktails I gravitate towards the more floral and fruity teas. The selection of teas Tadin has available was so impressive. Tadin has been creating unique tea blends since 1982 that are all naturally good for you. Immediately I knew I wanted to use the aloe vera cactus tea in a cocktail. Drinking aloe has numerous health benefits such as extra hydration, aids in liver function, healthy skin, and digestion. I guess healthy cocktails are kind of my thing lately. 😉

Aloe Cucumber Cooler, serves 1

2 oz. Hendrick’s gin

1 oz. aloe vera juice

1/2 oz. lime juice

3/4 oz. tea syrup (using Tadin aloe vera with cactus tea)

cucumber slices and mint, for muddling

top with club soda

cucumber ribbons and mint sprigs for garnish

Making tea syrup is so easy and such a great way to add extra flavor to your drinks and simple syrup. First, brew the tea. I used 3 tea bags in 1 cup of boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes and then discard the tea bags. While the tea is still hot, add the same amount of sugar to make a 1:1 tea simple syrup.

Regarding the aloe juice, I bought mine packaged. I wanted to juice it fresh but the day I was looking for it, of course, it was nowhere to be found. I’ve linked to the one I used above. If you can find that brand I suggest using it. It is 99.8% aloe. Make sure whatever aloe juice you’re buying has no added sugars, is made from 100% pure aloe, and is made from the inner gel fillet. So many of the aloe drinks on the market are flavored and have lots of additives and sugar.

Now you can build your cocktail. Add aloe vera juice, lime juice, tea syrup, cucumber, and mint to a cocktail shaker and muddle lightly. Next, add your gin then shake with ice and strain into a highball glass. Top with soda and garnish with a cucumber ribbon and mint sprig. To make cucumber ribbons I used a mandolin slicer.

This Aloe Cucumber Cooler turned out way better than I anticipated. It’s:

Cold

Refreshing

Fizzy

Earthy

Herbal

Hydrating

I was a little nervous how well the tea and actual aloe juice would work in a cocktail but the results are amazing. The tea is super herbal and earthy which goes so well with muddled mint and cucumber. Also, I decided to use Hendrick’s gin to add extra cucumber and floral notes to this drink. Feel free to use any gin or even vodka if that’s your preference. I will certainly be consuming a lot of these this Summer. Can we hydrate our livers and drink at the same time? I’m not sure but it’s worth a shot!

Also, make sure you head over to Instagram to enter the giveaway I’m hosting with Tadin Teas. One lucky winner will win Tadin Teas entire collection. That’s 33 different teas! I’d love to see you mix up your own Tadin Teas cocktails at home. Good luck everyone!

Easy 3 Ingredient Cranberry Gimlet

December 1, 2017 by Natalie 1 Comment

The best part about Thanksgiving I think is the leftovers. Pilgrim sandwiches, tiny feasts, pie for breakfast, and post-holiday cocktails. For the third Thanksgiving in a row, I’ve made my Cranberry Harvest Punch and it’s always a hit! I had leftover cranberry spiced syrup so I made this Easy 3 Ingredient Cranberry Gimlet.

I love using cranberries in cooking, baking, and cocktails during the holiday season. Cranberries have such a short season that I usually freeze a few bags to last me the rest of the winter. After December it’s really hard to find fresh ones. You can consider this a warning. You’re welcome!

Cranberry Gimlet, serves 1

2 oz. gin
1 oz. lime juice
3/4 oz. spiced cranberry syrup (recipe here)

After making your syrup let it cool completely. Add all your ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into your desired serving vessel. Usually, a gimlet is served up in a coupe glass but you can serve it on ice in a double rocks glass as well. I used these festive carnival punch glasses from my punch set. Garnish with fresh cranberries, rosemary, lime wheel, and a cinnamon stick. I’m a big fan of the elaborate garnish!

The cranberry syrup is super easy to make and tastes amazing! I love using it in replacement of simple syrup like I did here with this Easy 3 Ingredient Cranberry Gimlet. You can also use it in a daiquiri, tom collins, or any other classic cocktail that calls for simple syrup. This means the possibilities are endless! Also, if you have any leftover cranberry sauce please feel free to add a barspoon. I love adding jam or preserves to cocktails to add flavor and texture.

You can make this Easy 3 Ingredient Cranberry Gimlet to order or batch it if you’re having company. I love easy recipes that double as large format drinks for the holidays. Just multiply the recipe by the number of drinks you want to make and serve it in a punch bowl or pitcher with some ice. Easy peasy lime squeezy.

Rosemary Gin and Tonics with Infused Ice

November 20, 2017 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Hey there everyone! I’ve been working my little behind off and I’m getting ready to host my first Thanksgiving. Let’s talk about STRESSED. Luckily I’ve teamed up with Zevia to bring you some cocktail recipes with their non-alcoholic mixers. First up are these Rosemary Gin and Tonics with Infused Ice.

Zevia is a line of zero calorie, refreshing and delicious beverages. Zevia is sweetened with the plant-based sweetener stevia, which means no artificial sweeteners, and no sugar. It is also Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free, Kosher, vegan and free of caramel color. Zevias mixers are simple, delicious, and the perfect compliment to any cocktail. I wanted to make something that was no fuss because that equals no stress! These Rosemary Gin & Tonics with infused ice are the perfect answer to easy entertaining this Thanksgiving.

Rosemary Gin and Tonic

2 oz. rosemary infused gin

1 can of Zevia tonic water

rosemary and cranberry infused ice cubes

Infusing the gin is easy. Simply add your desired amount of gin to a container with a few sprigs of rosemary. Infuse for 1 hour or until the desired level of taste is achieved.

To make your ice cubes add cranberries and rosemary to a large ice cube tray and fill with filtered water. Freeze for 5-6 hours but overnight is always best.

To make your cocktail place your infused ice in a glass, pour the gin and then add Zevia tonic water.

I love using infused ice in drinks. It’s a really simple detail that will certainly wow your guests. The great part about infusing ice is that you can make a bunch ahead and simply pop them out of the freezer when needed. Same thing goes for infusing the gin. Infuse as much as you need in advance and you have a delicious 2 ingredient cocktail with the most beautiful garnish. Easy peasy. There’s so much to do when you’re entertaining so I hope these Rosemary Gin and Tonics with Infused Ice will take a little work out of making cocktails. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Cucumber Lemongrass Gin and Tonics

July 21, 2017 by Natalie Leave a Comment

I’ve been really wanting to do a gin and tonic recipe ever since I came back from Spain and for some reason, I just haven’t gotten around to it. A Spanish-style gin and tonic are usually made with a premium gin and the best quality tonic water, combined with your choice of bitters and various herbs, vegetables and fruits. I had some lemongrass syrup leftover from my national piña colada day post and I thought this would be the perfect time to make one. Gin and tonics are supposed to be crisp, dry, herbal and refreshing which makes them thirst quenchingly perfect for the very hot weather in Spain and the current summer temperature we’re experiencing here in NYC (or wherever you might be). The lemongrass syrup is super easy to make (you can find the recipe here) and when combined with gin, cucumber, Meyer lemon juice, and bitter lemon fever tree tonic water creates an effortless drink that is fragrant and full of flavor.

Cucumber Lemongrass Gin and Tonic

2 oz. Botanist Gin

3/4 oz. Meyer Lemon Juice

3/4 oz. Lemongrass Syrup

4 Cucumber Slices

Bitter Lemon Fever Tree Tonic Water

Cucumber ribbon and lemon wheel for garnish

Add cucumber, lemon juice, and syrup to a tin and lightly muddle. Add gin and then fill with ice and give a quick shake.

Strain into desired glassware, top with tonic water and garnish with cucumber ribbon and lemon wheel.

The Botanist is a highly distinctive, complex, floral gin which mixes perfectly with the fragrance of the lemon grass syrup, and citrusy herbal freshness of the tonic water. The sweet Meyer lemon juice evens out the slight bitterness from the quinine in the tonic as well. This drink was clean, bright, wonderfully balanced and very easy to put together. They’re also very easy to drink, so be careful! After witnessing how serious they take their ‘gintonics’ in Spain, I have a new found love and appreciation for this cocktail. Do you ever experiment with different types of gin and tonics at home? Is there a favorite tonic you like to make them with? Special herbs, fruit, or bitters you like to include? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

I’m finally editing the hundreds of photos I took on my trip to Madrid, Jerez, Cadiz, and Seville, Spain. So stay tuned for that blog post very soon. I have so much to say about brandy, sherry, and the wonderful trip I took to the Cardenal Mendoza distillery and winery.

Cheers everyone and happy weekend!

Easy Negroni Floats

February 10, 2017 by Natalie 2 Comments

I bet everyone is ready for Valentine’s Day…I know I sure am! Whether you’re spending the weekend with you gal pals or getting ready for a romantic night out, a cocktail is always in order. That’s why I’m here! I’ve whipped up these super easy Negroni Floats that are perfect for your Galentine’s Day party or a romantic evening spent at home. They’re boozy, but with the addition of freshly whipped cream, they become a delicious alcoholic creamsicle. Now who doesn’t want one of those?

Easy Negroni Floats (makes one serving)

1 oz. Gin

1 oz. Sweet Vermouth

1 oz. Campari

Add all your ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice, and stir. If you’re making multiple drinks, double up or consider building in a pitcher. Strain into a coupe glass.

For the cream:

Add 4 ounces of heavy cream to a tin with two sugar cubes and a very small piece of ice. Shake, shake, shake! You want to shake it till the sugar has dissolved and the cream is slighly thick but not pie topping thick. You want it to slide right over the top of the drink. I do this at work all the time with no trouble, with these the cream started to sink at a pretty fast rate. No problem! Just give it a little stir, it will only enhance the creamsicle effect. Garnish with a little zest of orange on top. Enjoy! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Everything’s Coming Up Rosé with Jord Wood Watches

January 23, 2017 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Looking for Valentine’s Day ideas already? I hate to admit it, but it’s one of my favorite holidays, even if it’s kind of made up! Anything that has to do with eating, drinking, chocolate, flowers and pink, I’m all about. Pink and red is one of my favorite color combos and this is the only time of year I can buy pretty much anything in that color scheme. You feel the same way, don’t you?

If you’re looking for a tasty cocktail and a gift for her or him, look no further! I’ve teamed up with Jord Wood Watches to shake you up a delicious treat this Valentine’s Day. Jord makes beautiful wood timepieces that are very modern, stunning and completely unique. They offer many beautiful wood finishes and color options, and make both women’s watches and men’s watches. Moments are bigger than minutes and your watch should tell more than time. This Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to show your loved one that your time, is and will always belong to them. There’s a contest going on to win a $100 to use on the Jord site. All you have to do is go here, and fill out of entry form. Contest closes 2/12. Good luck everyone!

I have matched my drink to my watch with the Cora Zebrawood & Rosé. It has a beautiful light blush face that accents the wild and natural grain of the Zebrawood. I’m shaking up my Everything’s coming up Rosé cocktail that has Gin, Lillet Rosé, lemon, blood orange, and a hibiscus/passion fruit tea syrup. It’s sweet, floral, fruity, and slightly lower ABV, so you can have a few. Oh, and it’s this beautiful deep pink color. Perfect!

Like Lillet Blanc, which you may be more familiar with, Lillet Rose is a wine-based aperitif, made from the Grand Cru Bordeaux grapes used for Lillet’s white and red versions, and then combined with fruit liqueurs. As a result it’s bright and fruit-forward but not overly sweet — a pleasure to sip on its own, or in cocktails. Since this cocktail is slightly lower ABV, if you want to kick it up a notch top it with Champagne. This would be a good batched drink for a punch bowl at your Galentine’s Day party as well. I used TAZO Passion for the tea syrup, I love using it in cocktails and it’s very easy to find. It is a blend of hibiscus, orange peel, rose hips, and passion fruit. Very fruity, herbal and compliments the other flavors in this drink wonderfully.

Everything’s Coming Up Rosé

1 oz. Gin (I used Brooklyn)

1 oz. Lillet Rose

3/4 oz. Blood Orange Juice (if those aren’t available regular oranges work)

1/2 oz. Lemon Juice

3/4 oz. Hibiscus Tea Syrup

Combine all ingredients in tin, shake with ice, and strain into a coupe glass. If you want to dry this cocktail out a little and also add more ABV top with champagne. It will be delicious. For the tea syrup brew a cup of tea (8 oz.) and then add the same amount of sugar. If you’re making a larger batch you will have to add more tea bags.