Rear Admiral's Swizzle

Last Friday's happy hour starter, the Maple Sangaree, prompted a dialogue about enjoying that cocktail with breakfast - or at least with foods typically served for breakfast.

So that got me thinking - what key ingredient would be required for me to actually consider having a cocktail with breakfast? Just to clarify - Bloody Marys, Mimosas and Screwdrivers do not count. Everybody knows those aren't cocktails, but rather nutrient-packed juice beverages.

Back to that key ingredient. Coffee. Now that would make a crowd-pleasing breakfast drink. And if that coffee was Oakland's own Blue Bottle Coffee that would make it even better.

That line of thinking lead me to Firelit Spirits Coffee Liqueur - a wake-me-up blend of Blue Bottle Coffee, St. George Spirits brandy, cane sugar and Madagascar vanilla beans. While it's an excellent sipping digestif, I think it really perks up this cocktail created by Reza Esmaili at Smuggler's Cove.

Rear Admiral's Swizzle

1 oz Clement Creole Shrubb orange liqueur

1/2 oz Firelit coffee liqueur

1/2 Stroh 160 proof Rum

1/2 oz fresh orange juice

3/4 oz fresh lime juice

1/4 oz honey syrup (1:1 honey & water)

2 dashes Regan's No. 5 bitters

Orange twist & mint sprig for garnish

Instructions:

Fill a Collins glass 2/3 full of crushed ice. Add all the ingredients, except the garnish, and stir with swizzle stick. Top with more crushed ice and add garnish.

Yep, this one has that I-can-drink-this-all day flavor. I'm not recommending you do that - I'm just sayin.

Maple Sangaree

san·ga·ree /noun/ 1. A sweet chilled beverage made of wine or other alcoholic liquor and grated nutmeg.

Yes, it sounds like and is similar to sangria in word origin but "sangaree" simply means to add a little sugar to a base spirit with a pinch of nutmeg. That's a wide open category with many possibilities to experience this unique spice sans the eggnog.

I like this recipe by David Nelson of Seattle's Tavern Law - on GQ's list for "The 25 Best Bars In America". The melding of bourbon, calvados (apple brandy) and maple syrup is spot on, and apparently until very recently top secret. 

Maple Sangaree

1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. calvados
1 oz. maple simple syrup (2:1 maple syrup to water)
Crushed ice
Tools: bar spoon
Glass: Collins
Garnish: fresh nutmeg 

Combine all ingredients in a glass, fill with crushed ice and stir. Garnish with a grating of nutmeg over the top.

I like the idea of whipping up a charcuterie plate for this one - it's easy to assemble before your guests arrive, can stand at room temp for a long time and the variations are endless and seasonless. This one from 2frugalfoodies gives great tips for making a version that won't break the bank.

I also like the idea of serving it after dinner. 

Sangaree! Just saying it makes me happy.

Ginger-Rosemary Lemon-Drop

After what feels like 40 days and 40 nights of rain, we finally have some sunshine here in the SF Bay Area. Time to dust off the patio furniture and move happy hour outdoors.

One of my favorite warm weather cocktail ingredients is lemon. That could be because it tastes best when it's ice cold, it mixes equally well with vodka, gin, rum and tequila or maybe it's just fond childhood memories of lemonade - and who doesn't love lemonade?

You could just make a standard lemon drop - a very simple drink of vodka, lemon juice and sugar, but I like this recipe I found in Sunset Magazine. It's more complex with the addition of ginger and rosemary. To add yet another layer of flavors try one of the Buddha's hand infused vodkas - Hangar One makes a great one. With that vodka you'll get additional flavors of jasmine and baking spices.

In case you're not familiar with Buddha's hand, it is a fragrant citron fruit indigenous to Northeastern India and China. Apart from flavoring food and drinks, it is often used in fragrances in Chinese and Japanese cultures and as a religious offering in Buddhist temples.

In terms of an appetizer to go with it, I say you run with the Buddha's hand theme and make this one - just pop it on some crostini to make it a finger food.

This drink recipe is for a pitcher of lemon-drops, which I highly recommend - making drinks by the pitcher that is. Not making drinks one by one frees you up to revel in the warmth of your guests and the long, sunny days ahead.

Cheers to that!

Ginger-Rosemary Lemon-Drop 

Ingredients

• 1 1/3  cups  sugar
• 1  piece unpeeled ginger, about 1 1/4 in. by 1 1/4 in., sliced into 1/8-in.-thick coins
• 2  sprigs rosemary (5 in. each), plus 8 sprigs (1 1/2 in. each) for garnish
• 1  cup  fresh lemon juice (at least 5 lemons)
• 1  lemon
• 1 1/2  cups  citron vodka

Preparation

1. Make lemon concentrate: In a medium saucepan, bring 2/3 cup sugar, ginger, 5-in. rosemary sprigs, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Let steep at room temperature 20 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl, discarding rosemary and ginger, and stir in lemon juice.

2. Pour remaining 2/3 cup sugar onto a plate. Slice 2 thin slices from lemon and quarter the slices. Insert a 1 1/2-in. rosemary sprig through center of each quarter. With a wedge cut from remaining lemon, moisten the rims of 8 cocktail glasses. Twist rims gently in sugar to coat.

3. Fill a large pitcher half-full with ice cubes. Pour in vodka and lemon concentrate and stir vigorously. Strain into glasses, dividing evenly. Float a rosemary-skewered lemon quarter in each.

Golden Dog

Whether you're new or old to mixology, most people agree that scotch is one of the more challenging ingredients to work with.

I personally really love scotch - single malts in particular, but I rarely incorporate them in cocktails. So when I came across this recipe I was intrigued.

Talisker is a particularly peaty, salty dram from the Isle of Skye and it is wonderful without any mixers at all - unless you consider a single ice cube a mixer.

But I was willing to give this combination a shot and I think you should too - the Golden Dog by Matt Placentini of Inoteca Liquori in New York.

Golden Dog

1 1/2 oz Talisker 10 Year Old scotch

1/2 oz Rothman & Winter orchard apricot liqueur

1/2 oz Lillet Blanc

1/2 oz Benedictine

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The big, bold flavors of this drink could certainly stand up to your favorite beef or lamb appetizers. But I think it would be the perfect accompaniment to a rich and creamy Gruyere - a fondue party perhaps?

Golden indeed.

Del Rio

Tequila has long been an integral happy hour starter at my house - but mostly as a base for Margaritas.

Lately, I've been on the lookout for expanding my repertoire with this multifaceted spirit. And what I'm discovering is if you choose a white (blanco) or unaged variety, the combinations are fairly limitless.

Today's featured cocktail, the Del Rio, combines an ultra smooth tequila with manzanilla Sherry - an unlikely companion until very recently. Now I'm hearing "Sherry is to tequila as Vermouth is to Whiskey". 

Another liqueur that is fairly new to the artisanal cocktail makers arsenal but lots of fun to experiment with is this one.

Del Rio

1 1/2 oz Ocho Plata or other white Tequila

3/4 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur

3/4 oz manzanilla Sherry

3 dashes Angostura Orange bitters

Grapefruit peel for garnish

Place all liquid ingredients in a shaker, add ice, stir briskly and strain into stem glass. Garnish & enjoy!

I would stick with the border-town theme and whip up a Queso Fundido appetizer to serve with this one and few people can throwdown the TexMex better than this guy. Skip the transfer-to-serving-bowl part and use a small cast-iron skillet if you have one - one less pan to wash and much more festive.

And to that I say Si, Si - Salud!