The Hemingway Daiquiri

hemingway13

 

hemingway5

 

hemingway7

 

hemingway12

 

hemingway9

 

 

 

hemingway11

 

hemingway1

 

hemingway2

 

Ernest Hemingway was a smart guy for more than his gifted writing abilities…he also loved a great cocktail. More specifically, Hemingway had a love for daiquiris. According to “The Complete Cocktail Manual,” the Hemingway Daiquiri is a traditional daiquiri with a splash of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

This past weekend I went to Chicago’s most loved tiki bar, Three Dots and a Dash. Three Dots transports you to an island bar far, far away from the chilly city of Chicago. Their drinks are fruity and pack a big punch with different rums. Admittedly, one of my favorite things is the presentation of the cocktails that are WAY over the top! I was a dork and picked up one of their souvenir mugs, but you can also get them here for much less! I can’t wait to break it out for long days spent on our rooftop deck in the sun!

The Hemingway Daiquiri

 2 oz White Rum

3/4 oz Lime Juice

1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice

Combine all of your ingredients in a cocktail shaker or cocktail mixing glass. Add ice and shake or stir for about 15 seconds. Strain into a preferably cold coupe glass and garnish with a strip of grapefruit skin or thinly sliced lime wedge.

The Hemingway Daiquiri is very spirit heavy so I would recommend splurging on a good quality white rum. Since the amount of juice is so small, you might as well go all the way and freshly squeeze your own grapefruit and lime juice. Personally, I needed to add a little bit of sweetness to my cocktail so I splashed in a half ounce of simple syrup. It helped to make the cocktail palatable for a slow drinker such as myself!

I used these coupe glasses from William Sonoma, but I love these simple, modern ones from my favorite place for quick, chic staples: CB2!

<3 Al

Saturday Sips: Bobby Flay’s Mojito Limeade

 

 

 

Screen Shot 2014-08-15 at 1.07.25 PM

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 limes, cut into wedges, plus more for garnish
2 cups crushed ice, plus more for serving
1 cup Lime-Mint Syrup, recipe follows
1 liter white rum
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Club soda
Lime-Mint Syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 limes, zested
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Directions

Muddle the mint leaves and lime wedges with 2 cups crushed ice in the bottom of a large pitcher. Add Lime-Mint Syrup, rum, lime juice, and more ice. Top off with club soda, to taste. Pour into glasses over ice and serve. Garnish each glass with a lime wedge and mint sprigs, if desired.
Lime-Mint Syrup:

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the lime zest and mint, and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to infuse the syrup with the flavor of lime and mint. Strain out the mint and zest and refrigerate the syrup, covered, until cold.

The Captain’s Pineapple

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.06.53 PM

A killer drink is crucial to any summer gathering. This past Tuesday, Captain Morgan proved that with a private tasting of their new limited edition rum, Captain Morgan 1671 Commemorative Blend Spiced Rum, which just hit shelves.

While I do not drink much other than margaritas and white wine, (chardonnay shots anyone?!) mixologist Jon Ruiz won me over with “The Captain’s Pineapple,” a super simple, but yummy concoction. Captain Morgan 1671 is lightly sweetened with aromas of sweet oak & dried fruits such as apricot and raisin, which the pineapple juice in this drink compliments perfectly.While the Captain brands signature drink is simply mixing their rum with a splash of cola, Ruiz gave us a few more options.

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.06.35 PM

Chipotle Runner*
1.5 oz. CAPTAIN MORGAN® 1671
.5 oz.  Chipotle rosemary syrup
1 oz. Lime juice
3 dashes Orange bitters
Horizon Punch*
1 oz. CAPTAIN MORGAN® 1671
.5 oz. Cointreau noir
.5 oz. Lime juice
.5 oz. Demerara syrup
1.5 oz. Berry tea
Dark Horse*
1 oz. CAPTAIN MORGAN® 1671
.5 oz. Ginger liquor
1 oz. Lime juice
.5 oz. Agave syrup
The Captain’s Pineapple
1.5 oz. CAPTAIN MORGAN® White Rum
5 oz. Pineapple juice
1 oz. Club soda
Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.10.50 PM

Saturday Sangria Flora

Screen Shot 2014-07-11 at 1.44.12 PM

Screen Shot 2014-07-11 at 1.41.49 PM

 

 

What You will Need/Measurements:

  1. One 750-milliliter bottle Sauvignon Blanc
  2. 1 1/2 cups St-Germain elderflower liqueur (or elderflower cordial)
  3. 1/4 cup Cointreau
  4. 6 strawberries, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  5. 6 raspberries
  6. 2 peaches, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  7. 1 orange, thinly sliced crosswise
  8. 1 pound green and red grapes
  9. Ice

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a pitcher and let stand at room temperature for 3 hours, or cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve in wineglasses over ice.

Friday Night Drinks: Cherry Beer Margaritas

 

I discovered The Blond Cook a few weeks ago and have been experimenting with her recipes ever since. One of my recent favorites is a spin on the classic margarita. Last week, we talked about watermelon margaritas, and I’ve made them twice since then. Patio drinking just got a kick in the butt with this easy drink recipe.

 

Screen Shot 2014-06-02 at 10.36.46 AM

 

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Total Time: 5 Minutes

Servings: 6

 

Ingredients:

  • (1) 12 ounce can frozen limeade concentrate
  • 12 ounces cherry flavored soda
  • (1) 12 ounce bottle of your favorite beer (I used Corona Light)
  • 12 ounces of your favorite tequila
  • Kosher salt, for rimming glass
  • Lime for garnish
  • Cherries for garnish

Directions:

  1. Rub lime wedge around rim of each glass; dip in kosher salt.
  2. In a large pitcher, mix all ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
  3. Serve over ice (if desired) & garnish with a lime wedge & cherry.

Easy Watermelon Margarita

Screen Shot 2014-05-30 at 9.46.03 AM

Hot summer nights call for cool fruity drinks. Today we’re putting a classic spin on the margarita. A watermelon margarita is an easy way to update a summer staple in five short minutes. Make sure you have supplies for a second round!

Michael Chiarello’s famous watermelon margarita:

Total Time: 35 min
Prep: 5 min
Inactive Prep: 30 min
Servings: 4

ingredients

  • Salt, for glass rims
  • 1/3 cup orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Cointreau via Cooking Channel.)
  • 1/4 cup Triple Sec
  • 3/4 cup tequila
  • 4 ounces seedless watermelon, small diced
  • 1 lime

 

Directions

Pour salt in a shallow dish for dipping the rims of the glasses. Dip 4 martini glasses in water and then dip the rims in salt. Place in the freezer to frost, about 30 minutes. In a martini shaker shake together the orange-liqueur, Triple Sec, and tequila. Remove glasses from the freezer. Fill the bottom of each glass with the diced watermelon and pour alcohol mixture over the top, dividing evenly among the glasses. Slice lime into wedges and squeeze into glasses. Serve immediately.

Bubbly Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Champagne

With so many options, it is hard to know what kind of bubbly to purchase. Google is not much help, only offering hundreds of different links with scatter brained suggestions. I was up early this morning skimming through my favorite sites, and found a champagne guide via Cupcakes and Cashmere. With six Under $20 suggestions and a description of each taste, I bookmarked it instantly for future reference. Champagne comes with the connotation that you have to spend a lot of money, which is false if you choose the right bottle.

If you are not going to finish the bottle, simply put a stopper in the opening and place it in the fridge. To chill you bottle of champagne fast, wrap it in a damp paper towel and put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Having a girls night or a date night? Crate & Barrel II (CB2) has great champagne glasses for about $1.95 a piece, so you do not have to spend a small fortune to make the drink look as great as it tastes. Personally I prefer stemless glasses to prevent accidents. Pair with a simple cheese platter, strawberries, or grab some small desserts to compliment your drinks.

 

Screen Shot 2014-05-13 at 8.14.52 AM

One: Bernard Rondeau Bugey Cerdon Rosé ($13.99).  Vibrant, fruity taste on the sweeter side, pairs well with chocolate.

Two: J. Laurens Brut Cremant de Limoux ($13.99). Pleasant citrus notes, nice alcohol balance.

Three: Jean-Louis Cremant de Limoux ($14.99). Balanced fruity flavor, smooth finish. Great bargain.

Four: Graham Beck Brut Rosé ($14.99). Pale pink, with a nice floral taste. Very crisp, with a deeper, fruity finish.

Five: Antech Cremant de Limoux $13.99). My go-to brunch bubbly. Fresh, light taste with a clean finish.

Six: Deligeroy Cremant de Loir Brut ($11.99). Easy drinker, with slightly spicy finish. Nice to serve at a larger party.

 

Personally, I would much rather have a glass of champagne than a vodka or whiskey based drink. I enjoy the taste, and can sip slowly without making strange faces. I like to add a little fresh orange juice to my champagne, or peach juice.

Screen Shot 2014-05-13 at 8.18.26 AM