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Spicy

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

December 20, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

There’s nothing I love more than a hot chocolate on a cold night. In fact, that’s about all I love about cold nights because I hate the cold! I made this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate the other night when we had a snow squall. What’s a snow squall you might ask? I had to ask google the same thing. It is a very abrupt and short-lived snowstorm with blizzard and whiteout conditions. Thankfully I had my friends over at Exotico Tequila to help me through it and this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate to keep me warm.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate, makes 2 cups

2 cups milk

4 oz. Exotico Tequila

2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp. demerara sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne (you can omit this if you don’t want it too spicy)

bittersweet chocolate shavings, for garnish

marshmallows, for garnish

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate
Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

To make your Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate whisk cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, chili and cayenne together until combined. Add your milk to a small saucepan and place on the stove over low heat. Add in your dry ingredients and stir until all ingredients are incorporated and the cocoa has melted into the milk, about 10 minutes. Stir in your vanilla extract.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate
Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

Add 2 oz. of tequila to your serving vessel, I used enamel mugs, and then pour the hot chocolate. Garnish with mini marshmallows and chocolate shavings.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

I love sweet and savory dishes and drinks and this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate checks all those boxes. It’s decadent and rich and warming from the chili and cayenne. I have a very high tolerance for spice and while I don’t find this overwhelmingly spicy, you can omit the cayenne if you think this recipe will be too spicy for your taste. Exotico Tequila is so perfect for this drink. Chocolate and spices complement the sweet earthy notes in tequila and other agave spirits.

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate
Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

This is not only a great drink to serve on Christmas Eve or for dessert on Christmas Day but you can also enjoy it all winter long. A hot cocoa bar is a great idea to set up for a party or gathering and I put together some ideas in this post. While I will be enjoying this Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate for as long as the temperature dips below 45 degrees there’s nothing like sipping on a warm drink in front of the Christmas tree.

I hope you decide to make this drink and Happy Holidays from me and Exotico Tequila! xo

Filed Under: Dessert, Featured, Holiday, Holiday Cocktails, Hot, Spicy, Sponsored, Sweet, Tequila, Winter Cocktails Tagged With: christmas, christmas cocktails, holiday, holiday cocktails, hot chocolate, hot cocoa, spicy, sponsored, tequila

Green Garden Cocktail

August 2, 2019 by Natalie Leave a Comment

The Green Garden Cocktail

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. 😉

The Green Garden Cocktail

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

The Green Garden Cocktail

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.

The Green Garden Cocktail

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.

The Green Garden Cocktail

The Green Garden Cocktail

The Green Garden Cocktail

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

The Green Garden Cocktail

Filed Under: Healthy Cocktails, Spicy, Sponsored, Summer Cocktails, Tequila Tagged With: basil, bell pepper, classic cocktails, cocktails, craft cocktails, cucumber, spicy, sponsored, summer, summer cocktails, tequila

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

May 5, 2019 by Natalie 2 Comments

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus MezcalitoIt 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.

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

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.

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

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.

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

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.

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

Watermelon Habanero Hibiscus Mezcalito

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

 

 

Filed Under: Frozen, Spicy, Sponsored, Spring Cocktails, Summer Cocktails, Sweet, tacos, Tequila Tagged With: Cinco de Mayo, cocktails, frozen, habanero, hibiscus, mezcal, spicy, sponsored, summer cocktails, sweet, tequila, watermelon

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

June 15, 2018 by Natalie 4 Comments

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Did you think I would get sick of margaritas and tacos after my trip to Mexico? NEVER! Honestly, as a result of my trip, it’s all I want to eat and drink! I’m so happy to be teaming up with Exotico Tequila for this next post. I’m sharing recipes for my Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos. After all, what is a margarita without a taco? It’s certainly my favorite cocktail and food pairing in this whole wide world!

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Mango Kombucha Margarita, serves 1

2 oz. Exotico Blanco Tequila

3/4 oz. fresh lime juice

1/2 oz. agave

4-5 pieces fresh mango, muddled

top with mango kombucha (I used GT’s)

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

First, add mango, lime juice, and agave to your cocktail shaker and then muddle. Fill your cocktail shaker with ice, shake, and strain into a salt-rimmed glass. Finally, top with mango kombucha and garnish with a lime wheel and cilantro.

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Bistec Mango Tacos, makes 6 tacos

1 lb. chuck steak, sliced into 1-inch strips

2 tbsp. olive oil

salt

tequila cayenne sauce

mango salsa

cilantro

corn tortillas

For the tequila cayenne sauce:

1/3 cup Exotico Tequila

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. pickled jalapeño juice

1 tbsp. brown sugar

salt

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

For the mango salsa:

1 whole mango

1/4 cup white onion

1 tomato

1 tbsp. pickles jalapeño

salt

pepper

lime juice

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Slice the steak into 1-inch strips and then cook in a pan with olive oil and salt. To make the tequila cayenne sauce combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until slightly boiling. Then prepare the mango salsa by chopping mango, onion, and tomato. Next, put your chopped ingredients in a bowl, then add remaining ingredients and toss. Finally to assemble tacos place your steak in a corn tortilla, drizzle with tequila cayenne sauce, top with mango salsa and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Exotico Tequila is handcrafted with tradition by the Gonzalez Distillery which 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. The red clay soil in Jalisco produces a larger, sweeter agave heart thus gives Exotico its floral, well-rounded taste. The Exotico Blanco has notes of roasted agave and pepper which make it delightful to sip on its own but also perfect for mixing in drinks like the margarita!

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

I was inspired by a Tommy’s Margarita (tequila, lime, agave) when developing this Mango Kombucha Margarita. A few months back I made Kombucha Sangria on A Beautiful Mess and instantly fell in love with this ingredient in cocktails. It adds flavor, tang, and effervescence to drinks that yields such flavorful and interesting results. Once I knew what margarita I wanted to make, I based my taco recipe around it using similar ingredients.

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

Mango Kombucha Margarita + Bistec Mango Tacos

I hope you will try my Mango Kombucha Margarita + Mango Bistec Tacos this Summer! They go absolutely perfect together and not to mention, are a winning combination. I love that both the margarita and tacos are savory but are also sweet and summery from using fresh mango. I think planning a taco night is in order!

Filed Under: Classic Cocktails, Cocktails, dinner, Food, Recipes, Spicy, Sponsored, Summer Cocktails, tacos, Tequila Tagged With: classic cocktails, cocktails, cooking, craft cocktails, dinner, food, kombucha, mango, margarita, recipes, sponsored, summer cocktails, tacos, tequila

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

May 1, 2018 by Natalie

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

I’m so excited to be teaming up with Bai for this next post! Memorial Day Weekend is just over a month away and is the official kick-off to Summer. I’ve put together 3 fun ways for you to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend this year. Whether you’re staying home, entertaining, or going to a friends party, it’s always a good idea to have a few tricks up your sleeves.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

DIY Balloon Arch

Supplies:

helium tank

balloon decorating strip

various balloons in different colors and sizes

glue dots

balloon string

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

I’ve never blown up balloons with helium before this project. Honestly, it was so easy and I got this Balloon Time tank that is available at Party City. They’re so easy to use and can easily be recycled when empty. To use all you have to do is twist the nozzle, press down to fill the balloons, and then tie the ends up. You can blow up all your balloons and then attach them or attach them as you go which is what I ended up doing. If you blow them all up at once, make sure you can reach them, or put them in garbage bags so they don’t float up.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Next, you can attach them to the balloon decorating strip. Slip the knot of a balloon through the hole of the decorating strip. Skip a few holes and place another balloon facing the opposite direction. Keep alternating balloon colors and sides until you have a balloon strip as long as you need your arch to be. If your balloon arch is looking scarce you can add a few more balloons where needed, but don’t go too crazy. We’re going to add little balloons to fill in the holes too.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Once all your main balloons are on the strip as long as you need it to be, you can cut the strip on either side where the balloons end. You can use balloon string to tie your arch to the table or piece of furniture your using. I tied mine to strings that went to the floor and then used balloon weights to hold it down. Use glue dots to stick mini balloons into the holes and crevices until you have an arch that’s completely full.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Jalapeño Watermelon Paloma

Ingredients:

2 oz Jalapeño infused Tequila

2 oz. Bai Kula Watermelon

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

4 chunks watermelon

salt, for rimming

top with Bai Bubbles Gimbi Pink Grapefruit

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

First, infuse your tequila. Slice jalapeño and add it to a jar with the tequila. Depending on the intensity of your pepper this may infuse fairly quickly. With this in mind, I’d say infuse it for 10 minutes or 20 minutes MAX. I have a very high tolerance for spice, however, if you don’t straw test it every few minutes until it’s at your desired spiciness. Once your tequila has infused you can build your drink.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Now, rim your glass with salt. Add watermelon together with lime and Bai Kula Watermelon to a shaker and muddle. Next, add the jalapeño tequila and shake with ice. Strain into your desired serving vessel that’s been rimmed with salt and top with Bai Gimbi Pink Grapefruit. Finally, garnish with a lime wheel. This Jalapeno Watermelon Paloma is spicy, fruity, refreshing, and not to mention delightfully fizzy, which makes it perfect for a hot day. I found that using just the Bai Kula Watermelon made this drink sweet enough so no added sugar or syrups necessary.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Additionally, you can also make this Jalapeño Watermelon Paloma a large format style drink too. To serve 10 people add 20 oz. jalapeño infused tequila, 2 bottles Bai Kula Watermelon, 8 oz. lime juice, 2 cups watermelon, 2 sliced grapefruits, and 2 cans of Bai Bubbles Gimbi Pink Grapefruit to a punch bowl or drink dispenser with ice. It’s such a perfect beverage for your Memorial Day Weekend festivities!

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Hot Dogs 4 Ways

It wouldn’t be Memorial Day Weekend without some hot dogs! Pick out your favorite type of dog and cook it your favorite way. These are my 4 suggested ways to dress up your dog this holiday weekend.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Mexican Dog

Ingredients:

avocado, sliced

jalapeño, sliced

1/4 cup white onion, diced

1 tomato, diced

kiwi, diced

1 cup pineapple, diced

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

4-6 dashes hot sauce of your choice

juice of 1 lime

To make the pineapple kiwi salsa simply toss onion, tomato, kiwi, pineapple, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and lime juice in a bowl. To assemble your Mexican Dog top with the salsa, freshly sliced avocado, and freshly sliced jalapeño.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Chicago Dog

Ingredients:

white onion, diced

tomato, sliced

pickle spears

yellow mustard

sweet relish

pickled sport peppers (we used serranos)*

celery salt

Cut the tomato into half-moon slices and line your hot dog bun with the tomato slices. Add your dog and then top with a pickle spear, sweet relish, sport peppers, mustard, a sprinkle of onion and celery salt. *sport peppers are regional and if you can’t find them where you live use serrano peppers

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Caprese Dog

Ingredients:

tomato, sliced

whole basil leaves

fresh mozzarella

balsamic vinegar

Cut tomatoes into half-moon slices. In your hot dog bun line one side with tomatoes and one side with fresh basil leaves. Top with fresh mozzarella, I used mozzarella pearls, and then drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

Greek Dog

Ingredients:

cucumber, sliced

tomato, sliced

greek yogurt

cheese, crumbled

Cut cucumber as well as the tomatoes into slices and line your hot dog bun with them. Add your hot dog to the bun and then top with greek yogurt and a sprinkle of feta cheese.

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

3 Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend

I had so much fun putting this all together with Bai for Memorial Day Weekend. You can use one of these ideas or all of them, it’s totally up to you! I love the idea of doing a hot dog bar with the DIY balloon arch, and serving your favorite kind of dog coupled with a large format drink, like the jalapeno watermelon Paloma, to go along with it. I’d love to hear what your planning for your Memorial Day Weekend especially if you decide to try any of these ideas. Make sure you chime in on the comments below and let me know what you think!

Thank you for reading this sponsored post that makes Arsenic Lace possible.

Filed Under: DIY, Entertaining, Fizzy, Food, Healthy Cocktails, Home Entertaining, Party Ideas, Recipes, Spicy, Sponsored, Summer Cocktails, Tequila Tagged With: bai, balloon arch, celebrate, DIY, easy entertaining, entertaining, food, grapefruit, home entertaining, hot dogs, jalapeno, memorial day weekend, paloma, recipes, summer, summer cocktails, watermelon

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

January 8, 2018 by Natalie 1 Comment

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

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.

My Warm Take on a Summer Classic: The 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

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

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!

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Filed Under: Classic Cocktails, Healthy Cocktails, Hot, Hot Cocktails, Rum, Spicy, Winter Cocktails Tagged With: classic cocktails, cocktails, craft cocktails, ginger, ginger syrup, hot cocktails, rum, winter cocktails

Hibiscus Gin-Gin Mule

August 14, 2017 by Natalie 2 Comments

With all the recipe developing for menus and blog posts, my refrigerator becomes a graveyard for fruit, herbs and miscellaneous syrups. I try my best to eat and repurpose most of it for cooking, smoothie bowls, or other recipes throughout the week but sometimes there’s a little waste. I’m implementing a new rule that if I make it, I have to use it! I made syrups for posts on A Beautiful Mess and Palm Springs Style last week and was wondering what my next cocktail would be on my own blog. Fresh ginger and hibiscus, does that work? You bet it does!

One of the first cocktails that came to mind was one that I learned when I worked behind the bar at Flatiron Lounge, the Gin-Gin Mule. It was created by Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club in 2000 and was a milestone drink of the 21st-century cocktail renaissance. It has inspired countless spin-offs and heavily influenced the use of fresh ginger and homemade ingredients in cocktails. It’s a drink that I still find myself making for people at Dutch Kills when they request a bartenders choice, “I’ll have something with gin that’s refreshing”, I pretty much immediately make a Gin-Gin Mule.

This cocktail is essentially a fusion of two classics, the Mojito (rum, lime, sugar, mint) and a Gin Buck (gin, lime, fresh ginger, soda). I’ve replaced the call for simple syrup in this recipe with hibiscus syrup. You can find out how to make ginger syrup here and my hibiscus syrup here.


Hibiscus Gin-Gin Mule, serves 1

2 oz. Gin

1 oz. Lime Juice

1/2 oz. Hibiscus Syrup

1/2 oz. Ginger Syrup

Mint

Club Soda

Add lime juice, hibiscus syrup, ginger syrup, and mint to your shaker and muddle. Lightly tapping the mint is sufficient. When muddling a good rule to follow in the words of Sasha Petraske is “bruise don’t abuse”. Add gin, ice, and then shake. Strain into a highball glass over ice and top with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and ginger candy.

I’ve always loved this cocktail but the hibiscus syrup adds a tart, fruity, and floral element that makes this drink even more perfect for summer (if that’s even possible). The sweet floral element of the hibiscus blends perfectly with the spiciness of the ginger and freshness of the mint. More than 10 years later and this cocktail is so good it still influences how I develop cocktails. Some of the most delicious drinks are so perfect just because they’re simple. Less IS more. What’s your favorite modern classic? Do you ever put your own spin on it? Tell me about it in the comments below.

Filed Under: Classic Cocktails, Cocktails, Fizzy, Gin, Spicy, Summer Cocktails Tagged With: audrey saunders, buck, fizzy, gin, gin-gin mule, ginger, hibiscus, mint, mule, pegu club, summer cocktails

Sunny Side Up Fizz

October 28, 2016 by Natalie Leave a Comment

Hey Everyone! I’m currently up in the sky en route home from my Disney vacation with mom. I loved Disney so much I’m already planning my next trip back. I meant to write this post while I was away but the long days got to me, and honestly I was snoozing around 9pm every night. It’s safe to say my schedule will be pretty messed up for the next week. Excuse me if I fall asleep while making your drinks.

Recently I partnered with Time Out New York and Herradura Tequila for their “Meet the Bartender” series. I was asked to create a drink based on a place in the NYC area that felt like home to me. I picked an old soda fountain/luncheonette my Grandpa and I use to stop at from time to time. I was inspired by the location but also by the types of food and drink you enjoy at luncheonettes, like breakfast, coffee, milkshakes and egg creams.

I decided that the drink was going to be a fizz, but I wanted to use a whole egg to add more of a creamy texture to the drink. I wanted to incorporate coffee not only because it’s something associated with breakfast and something I enjoy there often but because my Grandfather worked at Maxwell House Coffee, which was located a very short distance from the luncheonette in Hoboken, NJ. I picked the Reposado expression of Herradura because of its notes of vanilla and warm brown spice elements. I knew it would go along with the flavor profile of the drink and add a lot of depth. Cinnamon ties the drink all together, an ingredient that goes so well with coffee, cream, and the flavors of the Reposado. Lastly the drink gets topped off with soda for the fizz element with a dash of cayenne pepper to add some spice.

Sunny Side Up Fizz

1 1/2 oz. Herradura Reposado Tequila

3/4 oz. Coffee Liqueur

1/2 oz. Cinnamon Syrup

1 whole egg

Soda

Cayenne Pepper

Crack egg into the larger side of your tin. In smaller side build tequila, coffee liqueur, and cinnamon. Pour smaller tin into larger tin, close shaker, and dry shake for about 15 seconds. Open tin, add ice, and shake on ice. Strain into serving vessel, top with soda, and dust with cayenne on top.

On Thursday November 3rd from 5-8pm I will be hosting a Happy Hour Event at The Archer in Jersey City, NJ where I will be making the Sunny Side Up Fizz. You can purchase tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tequila-herraduras-meet-the-bartender-happy-hour-series-tickets-28695512049 . After the Happy Hour you can vote for my cocktail online and at the finale event that will be held in NYC on Sunday November 20th from 4-7pm. Tickets available for the finale event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-the-bartender-finale-event-tickets-28709282236 . Hope to see some of you there and check out the video for the series below!

Don’t forget to vote for me!

Filed Under: Breakfast Cocktails, Cocktails, Fall Cocktails, Fizzy, Spicy, Tequila Tagged With: breakfast, fall cocktails, fizz, spicy, tequila, winter cocktails

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My name is Natalie Jacob and I'm a bartender, author and beverage + creative consultant drinking, honky tonkin and making a home in Nashville, TN. Learn more ->

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