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!

La Luna

I love everything about this small batch, handcrafted gin. The notable botanicals of juniper, cucumber, coriander and rose provide a distinctive yet ultra smooth base for a wide array of cocktails.

The retro apothecary bottle effortlessly kicks up the style factor of any bar and it's available at one of my favorite stores - Trader Joe's.

Now I have something else to love about it - the La Luna.

Not just tasty, this recipe also highlights another appealing aspect of the artisanal cocktail - experimenting with and mastering techniques. In this case, it's muddling ingredients BEFORE adding them to simple syrups.

La Luna

2 parts Hendrick's Gin

1 part fresh lime juice

1 part cucumber juice (juice extracted just like citrus)

1 part jalepeno syrup

1 part soda water

Build in order in a long glass with ice, garnish (baby cucumber spears would be nice) and serve.

Jalapeno Syrup

Chop & muddle 6-8 jalepenos with 2c raw sugar until a thick paste is formed. Combine with 2c water, bring to a boil and reduce until yield is 3c. Strain.

I would serve this with a salmon appetizer - here's a great one. And speaking of apothecary, I would say this is just what the doctor ordered.

Cheers!

Bufala Negra

The Southern Issue of my cocktail making bible, chock full of great places to eat & drink in the South, has me longing for a trip home to my old stomping grounds.

But it's Friday, I don't have an airline ticket in hand and we need a happy hour starter. This one will fit the bill - and not simply because a fellow Southerner created it.

I like it because it features not one, not two, but three key elements to a great cocktail.

1. Make your own simple syrups and get creative - think maple syrup, ginger, jalapeno, lemongrass.

2. Mind your garnish - fresh herbs kick it up in a way citrus cannot - think thyme, rosemary, cilantro, mint.

3. Make it sparkle - this makes a stiff drink smoother - think Prosecco, sparkling grapefruit or lemonade.

I would serve this with pulled pork sliders and some homemade pickles.

Cheers Y'all!

Bufala Negra

Bourbon and fresh basil meet the tart and tangy combo of balsamic syrup and ginger beer in this refreshing cooler from H. Harper Station barman, Jerry Slater.

1 1/2 oz. bourbon
4 fresh basil leaves
1 brown sugar cube
1/2 oz. balsamic syrup (see below)
2 oz. ginger beer
Ice cubes
Tools: muddler, shaker, strainer
Glass: Old Fashioned
Garnish: fresh basil leaf

Muddle the balsamic syrup, basil and sugar cube in a mixing tin. Add bourbon and ice and shake hard. Strain over fresh ice cubes into an Old Fashioned. Top with ginger beer and garnish with basil leaf.

Balsamic Syrup

Combine 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup simple syrup (1:1) in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring just to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for one minute, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Thai Coco Cocktail

Happy Hour - Wikipedia states that one possible origin of the term is from the United States Navy. In the 1920's, happy hour was slang for a scheduled entertainment period on board a ship.

Sounds good to me - let's set sail. Destination Thailand!

If it's possible - and the smell or taste of coconut makes it possible for me, to have a vacation in a glass - this just might be it. "It" being the Thai Coco Cocktail and here's how to whip one up.

Thai Coco Cocktail

Ingredients:

2 1/2 ounces coconut rum

1 1/2 ounces Fresh Lemongrass Syrup, recipe follows

1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 juicy lime)

Very thin slice lime or spear of a fresh lemongrass frond, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker or small pitcher with ice. Add the rum, lemongrass syrup, and lime juice. Cover and shake vigorously, or stir, until combined and chilled, about 30 seconds. (In general, by the time the shaker mists up the drink is ready.) Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lime on the rim or the lemongrass spear in the drink. Serve.

Fresh Lemongrass Syrup:

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, coarsely chopped

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

Place the lemongrass, water, and sugar into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture and cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

Yield: 2 cups

I would serve this with, well, Thai food.

Sounds daunting, but here's a tasty recipe with a short ingredient list for this type of cuisine.

Spooning it onto endive or fried wontons makes it a quick and easy finger food - which means one hand is free to sip the Thai Coco.

And your mind is free to dream of white sandy beaches far, far away.

La Perla

A subscription to Imbibe Magazine, an assortment of high-quality spirits and the willingness to experiment with a variety of ingredients = swanky cocktails made easy.

In this recipe, 3 ingredients, 4 with the lemon twist, mingle for the perfect aperitif - the tangy flavor of the sherry, the smoky fruit taste of the reposado and the sweet, delicate pear liqueur.

I would serve this with a Spanish "antipasto" platter - some tangy green olives, spiced nuts, Manchego, Chorizo sausage and crusty bread -  and that to me, would make for a happy start to any happy hour.

La Perla

1 1/2 oz. tequila reposado
1 1/2 oz. manzanilla sherry
3/4 oz. Mathilde pear liqueur
Ice cubes
Tools: mixing glass, bar spoon, strainer
Glass: cocktail, chilled
Garnish: lemon twist

(Stir ingredients with ice and strain into glass. Garnish.)

Check back here each Friday for more deliberation on libations.

Bottoms Up!