{friday cocktail: penicillin}

Last weekend we attended a friend's wedding at the gorgeous Vibiana in downtown LA (really there is nothing better than rolling 4 blocks down the street to attend a wedding!).   The evening was simply beautiful and when I wasn't in the photobooth, I was consuming more than my fair share of the penicillin cocktails listed as one of the couple's signature drinks at the bar.  Not sure how I've missed this recipe up until now because it's the perfect mix of spicy/sweet/delicious and you will drink it in the same way you would quickly down a glass of water (hence this situation the next day).   This is the first time I have used fresh ginger in a cocktail (although we are no stranger to ginger beer around these parts) and I love how it adds a spicy medicinal flavor.  Be sure you know how to properly peel fresh ginger- see a tutorial here.

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: kentucky devil}

We use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce around our place the same way most people use ketchup.  I think my favorite way to use it is for a spicy crema sauce on tacos, but the runner up is adding a spoonful to a weekend bloody mary.   I recently came across a bourbon cocktail using our favorite canned peppers and knew I had to try it out for myself.  I modified the recipe slightly to include honey syrup in the place regular simple syrup.  This is a truly delicious spicy cocktail with a nice bite to it that is softened by the fresh watermelon and honey.  It's also a great cocktail option for those who aren't normally bourbon drinkers (like myself).

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: gin & jam}

All of my life I have been a die-hard strawberry jam type of person up until I made a mistake at the grocery store while living in Paris and accidentally picked up a jar of raspberry preserves instead (I blame it on the translation because "frambroise" and "fraise" is easy to confuse thank you very much.)  Ever since I can't get enough of the tart jam- especially with a fresh baguette and creamy brie cheese - so when I saw this simple cocktail recipe I knew I would love it.  This recipe a lovely mixture of tangy tart and a little bit of sweet from the simple syrup to cut it- it reminds me of one of my favorite recipes.  It would be the perfect drink to greet your guests with at your next dinner party!

{you might remember these garnish options from a friendly little competition we 

were having last week on instagram}

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: trouble in paradise}

Lately I have been seeing a lot of great cocktail bars make more use of tinctures in the place of bitters for their recipes.  Even though tinctures sound complicated and fancy they are actually quite easy to make. You simply infuse the flavor you wish to have a tincture of by soaking it in a high proof alcohol- for example a basil tincture is just a healthy handful of fresh basil leaves soaked in everclear overnight and then strained into an eyedropper container.   See more about tinctures here.

Since I love spicy cocktails, I was particularly intrigued by this cocktail from Tosca Cafe in San Francisco which includes a black pepper tincture along with my new favorite cocktail ingredient, Campari. This recipe is one of the select few that both appeal to my love for citrus-y and sweet cocktails as well as Chris' preference for more bitter bourbon or whiskey based drinks.

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: a trio of sugar rimmed recipes}

At first when Fresh Origins offered to send me over a pack of their crystal cocktail rimmers I didn't exactly jump at the idea since sugared glasses remind me of bad cocktail bars, but then when I took closer look at the intriguing flavor line-up they have I couldn't resist!  I enjoy the chance to add flavor elements to otherwise simple cocktails through the use of bitters and I figured these herbal/floral sugar crystals in flavors like fennel and cilantro could serve a similar purpose.  

For this Friday's cocktail post, I whipped up three different drinks using the rose petal, fennel and basil crystals.  Of course I love how all of these turned out, but the refreshing Garden Tonic using the basil crystals was by far my favorite.  You could easily substitute champagne in the place of the tonic for this one if you wanna get a bit more fancy with it.

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: the rattlesnake}

This past Christmas while we were in Southern California, my family up in wine country was whipping up batches of this cocktail and texting me snapshots to induce jealousy.  My wonderful sister-in-law was kind enough to send me the recipe and now I'm sharing it with you!  Besides the fact that this cocktail tastes delicious, I think my favorite part is the intricate bitters garnish that sits atop the foamy top layer created by the egg whites.  It reminds me of the milk art that baristas create in frothy milk except better because this is a cocktail not coffee....

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: the bee's pajamas}

If you are an avid reader of 100 Layer Cake (my all-time favorite wedding blog) then you have for sure come across the beautiful cocktail creations of Pharmacie LA plus you might remember Talmadge's guest post on this blog last winter.  Recently Pharmacie gave away a few of their classic cocktail recipes to Refinery 29 and I just knew I had to try The Bee's Pajamas.  Not only because it sounds delicious and refreshing, but I am always on the look out for new ways to use our bottle of Green Chartreuse.  I also love any cocktail that uses the exact same amount for every ingredient to make it easy to remember when in a pinch away from home!

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: blackberry sage fizz}

Sometimes I pick cocktail ingredients based solely on if they will make the drink a pretty color- that's just the honest truth my friends.  Blackberries give cocktails the richest deep purple color (although it looks red in the photo, but trust me it's purple- not all photos can capture real life).  I added in some sage to keep it feeling seasonal and then topped the whole thing with champagne because...well...why not!?!  This cocktail would be super simple to make in big batches which makes it just perfect for all your upcoming holiday get-togethers.

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: the fog cutter}

Well temperatures hit less than 40 degrees on more than few days this week in Chicago and that just doesn't really work for me. At all.  So we tried to drink the weather away with a tropical tiki cocktail recipe complete with pink paper umbrella garnish.  The high temperature this weekend is going to be in the 50s so I think it worked...

Most tiki cocktails are pretty sweet, but this one is a big exception to that.  It still delivers on tiki flavor from the orgeat syrup (famously used in a Mai Tai) and the mixture of brandy/rum, but it doesn't give you a sugar headache after.  

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: the dry dock}

We own a scary amount of bitters, but even with the wide variety available us, I tend to gravitate towards a select few on a regular basis.  I decided to give one of the the lesser loved bottles some attention with this friday's cocktail by searching around for a recipe to utilize the Scrappy's Cardamom bitters.  The spice infused bitters just seemed so perfect for the gloomy Fall weather we have been experiencing lately in Chicago.

The best recipe for unique bitters and liqueurs generally come straight from the source so I went directly to Scrappy's website in search of a recipe they personally recommend for their bitters.  The Dry Dock fit the bill perfectly since I had all the ingredients on hand and it included lavender simple syrup which is basically a direct route to my cocktail heart.  This recipe reminds me of a more sour version of a lavender collins and even though you are only adding a few dashes of cardamon bitters, they really make this drink by adding an interesting spice to the overall flavor.

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: party size french 75}

For the last few dinner parties we have hosted at our place, we have whipped up batches of one or two different cocktails to serve alongside the appetizers.  While it forces people into less options for their drink (we also have the normal wine/beer options), I have found that it actually gets people drinking more cocktails than if we are mixing them one by one.  I think the reason for this is that most people rarely mix cocktails at home so they view it as an imposition and extra work to have the host mix them one.

I have featured batch recipes here before in this post or this post and since a French 75 is one of my favorite champagne cocktails I really wanted to try it out at our next gathering.  Each time I make a batch cocktail recipe I keep thinking this is going to be the one that just doesn't work when made in large portions, but every time I am proven wrong.  This batch of French 75 was no different and tastes just as good as a hand crafted single serving.  It would be a great option for your next ladies night or boozy brunch.

Cheers!

{friday cocktail: the terra}

I am currently out in Las Vegas celebrating one of my best friends of over 14 years at her fabulous Bachelorette party!  I firmly believe no bachelorette party is complete without a signature cocktail.  This one is based off of one my favorites, but trading in vodka for gin and losing the absinthe.  It is a bonafide crowd pleaser- plus its a great shade of pink perfect for your next girly gathering! You can follow along with all our fun this weekend right here.