Tag: Bourbon Drinks

Let’s Stir Up a Manhattan!

Swanning Around Manhattan

There are some classic cocktails that everyone has heard of.  The Martini.  The Old Fashioned.  Gimlet.  And, of course, the Manhattan. 

This year, for the 2020 Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience Competition, I created MY version of the perfect Manhattan.  I was picked to go to the regionals in Columbus – and, like so many other events, it was postponed until the fall because of the Covid19. 

So, before I share my recipe with you, I want to talk Manhattan.  All in all, this is a simple cocktail.  Three ingredients.  You don’t even have to garnish it.  You can serve it in a beautiful martini glass.  Or in a double old fashioned glass over a giant ice cube.  Like so many of the “Classics” there are no hard and fast rules anymore.  You can experiment until you find exactly how you like it – just be sure to communicate clearly with your bartender if you want YOUR perfect Manhattan out at your favorite bar.

Whiskey.  Vermouth.  Bitters.  That’s all there is too it.  Traditionally – Rye Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth, and Angostura Bitters. 

Now, I’m not a huge fan of Rye, I prefer a rich, smooth Bourbon.  I used Woodford Reserve.  It mixes well, and holds up to the other strong flavors in the Manhattan.

Sweet Vermouth… I’ve liked it, in small quantities.  I tend to find it too heavy and overpowering in cocktails.  So I used a mix of Rosso and Bianco Vermouth.  Bianco Vermouth is a bit sweeter than Dry Vermouth, and has some beautiful floral, citrus notes that help to carry some brighter tasting notes to the front of the Manhattan.  If you haven’t found a Vermouth that you love yet, keep trying.  Go to a well-stocked liquor or wine store, and just peruse the many brands.  Each brand has a distinct flavor profile.  Do a little bit of research and pick one or two to try.  I like Martini & Rossi and Dolin.  (And PLEASE, once you open your vermouth PLEASE store it in the refrigerator!)

Angostura Bitters.  They’re great.  If those are the only bitters you have, use them!  Your Manhattan will still be delicious.  If you have other bitters (You can find some great bitters variety packs on Amazon.) play around with the ones you like the best.  Cherry Bitters would be great.  Or even Chocolate.  For my Manhattan I used both Orange and Lemon Bitters.  I like highlighting the citrus notes that appear throughout my ingredients in this cocktail.

So, without further ado –

Swanning Around Manhattan

  • 2 oz Woodford Reserve
  • .25 oz Martini & Rossi Rosso Vermouth
  • .25 oz Martini & Rossi Bianco Vernmout
  • 2-3 drops Orange Bitters
  • 2-3 drops Lemon Bitters

In a mixing glass combine all ingredients.  Add ice.  Stir to properly chill and dilute.  Approximately 10 seconds.  Strain into a Double Old-Fashioned glass over a large ice cube.  Garnish with an orange peel.  (If you have a Luxardo cherry, through it in there!  Those cherries are delicious!)  Enjoy!

How do you put your own personal touch on a classic cocktail?

Clarified Milk Punch

I have been reading about Clarified Milk Punch.  Images of these crystal-clear punches have been popping up in my Insta-feed.  I keep reading recipes.  Searching for the best way to make one.  What they’re supposed to taste like.  The science behind it.  Well, I walked into O’Neal’s on Monday and I said to myself- “I can make that.”  And so, I did.  It was quite a process.  And I’m not sure if I did it correctly or not.  So, I tried it again today, this time with a different punch base and a better understanding of how the science behind it works. 

To explain this process as simply as possible, you make a delicious concoction of flavors- tea, sweeteners, fruit juices, spices, booze and lemon juice.  Then you add whole milk or heavy cream and let it all sit for about 30 minutes.  And then you start straining the liquid to remove the milk solids.  And you strain it again and again and again until the magic moment when the cloudy, murky liquid is suddenly translucent!  Then serve over ice and marvel in your creation. 

This finally strained into a golden-translucent liquid.  It has a very delicate, but decisively one-note flavor, which is: Lemon.  It’s smooth, with a slightly creamy mouthfeel and a definite lemon flavor (without the mouth-puckering tartness) and a hint of orange and bourbon. 

I’m absolutely not unhappy with how my first attempt turned out. 

  • Attempt #2-
  • -Churchill’s Fine Teas Hot Cincinnati Spice
  • -Simple Syrup
  • -Fresh Orange Juice
  • -Lemon Juice
  • -Jim Beam
  • – Cardenal Mendoza Angelus Liqueur
  • -Half and Half

I followed the same procedure of mixing everything (except the Half and Half) together in a large glass bowl.  Then I added the Half and Half, covered the bowl and let it sit 24 hours untouched.  Just like the first time the dairy immediately curdled.  It. Looked. Disgusting.  But hey, sometimes you gotta get ugly before your beauty can shine through.  And this, it was a SERIOUS glow-up!

  • Yup, it curdled
  • Pretty Gross.
  • Keep Straining
  • It’s almost clear!

This time when I strained the concoction, I did so into another large glass bowl with a large strainer lined with a coffee filter.  OMG, it was so much faster than my first attempt!  After the first strain it was SO clear.  2 more goes, once through my super fine tea strainer and it was good to go!   Let it chill and serve over a giant ice cube with an orange and lemon wedge and enjoy.

The science behind this Clarified Milk Punch is still blowing my mind… I’m looking forward to playing around with it more.  Maybe a Gingerbread Milk Punch.  Or a Candy Cane Milk Punch.  The possibilities are endless… keep an eye out for more #sippableexperiments

Cranberry, Spice, and Everything Nice

I know that I’m not alone when I say that I love the Holidays!  From Thanksgiving (ok, if I’m being honest with myself, from Halloween) through Christmas and New Year’s Eve I love the Holidays.  All of the decorations, the cool-to-cold weather, the first snow, and all of the amazing food!  This time of year, we make all of those special recipes that define Thanksgiving and Christmas to our taste buds.  The Cranberry Sauce simmering away on the stove.  The Snickerdoodles baking in the oven.  The Apple Pie cooling on the counter. 

I don’t know about you, but I always end up with some odds and ends left over from a flurry of holiday cooking and baking.  An apple or pear too bruised to use in a pie.  About half a bag of cranberries that I didn’t use.  I always over buy cinnamon sticks because I love cinnamon and I can always find someway to use it.  So I gathered all of my leftover Thanksgiving goodies and threw them in a pot and let it simmer away for an hour or so… the kitchen smelled amazing as the flavors mingled and the liquid reduced. 

Once cooled I mixed it with some Maker’s Mark and topped it with Fever Tree Ginger Beer.  Honestly, it would mix well with almost any liquor, it just depends on what your feeling and what you have on hand.  But your favorite vodka or rum (I would go with a Spiced Rum over a Silver Rum) or even a nice tequila would all be a nice addition to this reduction.  If you don’t have Ginger Beer, Ginger Ale, Club Soda, or even just Sprite would be good.  Or you could spike some Champagne or Sparkling Apple Juice to make a festive Mimosa.  This juice is incredibly versatile.  I was really tempted to reduce some of it down to a syrup to serve over pancakes- but that will have to wait for the next batch! 

Let me know what you think and how you use this concoction!

Cranberry-Pear-Cinnamon-Maple Reduction

  • In a 5 quart pot combine-
  • -6 cups water
  • -12oz fresh Cranberries
  • -2 Pears (or Apples or one of each) cored and chopped
  • -2 Cinnamon Sticks
  • -5oz Demerara Sugar
  • -4oz Pure Maple Syrup
  • -and if you have an orange lying around, throw a slice or two into the pot

Bring it all to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes.  Taste test for desired sweetness/flavor concentration.  Either continue reducing or allow to cool and strain into a storage container and chill.

Spiked Cranberry and Spice

  • In a Collins glass, over ice combine
  • 1.5 oz Maker’s Mark (or your favorite spirit to get you in the Holiday Spirit)
  • 2 oz Cranberry-Pear Reduction
  • Stir to combine
  • Top with Fever Tree Ginger Beer
  • Garnish with an Orange Wedge, Cranberries, or nothing at all.

Enjoy!

#WhatchaMakinWednesday (Part One)

Every Wednesday I try to create a new cocktail.  I call it #WhatchaMakinWednesday.  Sometimes it’s recipe testing for a competition drink.  Sometimes it’s for a new seasonal menu.  Sometimes it’s just something that I’ve been wanting to try.

I will (almost) always share the Wednesday recipe.  But, I’ll be honest, sometimes my ideas just plain don’t work.  I will try to share the #fails but no promises.  And other times I prefer to keep my recipes a bit of a secret.  I am always open to feed back and ingredient/flavor ideas.  Or names for my cocktails.  I’m SOOOO bad at naming them! 

This weeks WhatchaMakin concoction was inspired by a few things.  First, the PERFECT little Pears that I saw at the Farmer’s Market.  Second, the Brown Sugar Simple Syrup that I made earlier in the week that is so good I want to take a bath in it!  Third, it’s almost Fall and I’m craving some of those flavors.  Thus, this bourbon-based libation sprang forth from the first fallen leaves fully formed and ready to be consumed. 

What do you think?

  • 1.5 ounces Maker’s Mark
  • 1.5 ounces Pear Juice
  • 1 ounce No Sugar Added Cranberry Juice
  • ¾ ounce Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
  • ¼ ounce Lemon Juice
  • Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.  Shake for 10-15 seconds and either serve over ice or strain into a goblet/snifter and garnish with a slice of pear.

*Brown Sugar Simple Syrup Combine Equal Parts Dark Brown Sugar and Water over medium high heat.  Stirring occasionally bring to a boil.  Allow to cool and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

P.S. What would you name it?