It’s finally here – the first official day of Spring! Winter always seems to drag on and on here in New Hampshire, but lately these longer days make it feel like warm spring breezes are just around the corner. I’m welcoming the new season with plenty of fresh and fruity cocktails, and today I’m sharing two recipes I’ve created with Gran Gala Orange Liqueur.
Current Mood
Chances are, when you think of a Screwdriver, you think of…well, a pretty uninspired cocktail. Perhaps one of the least loved and universally unappealing of the two-ingredient cocktail recipes, the Screwdriver is a simple combination of vodka and orange juice. Sharply acidic while still tasting quite bland, there’s admittedly not much to love. I guess it’s the unlovable nature of the Screwdriver and it’s incredibly simple template that drew me to try to re-imagine it in clarified form. Plus, I really wanted to see if it would turn out completely clear.
I loooove a Paloma. Summer, winter – no matter what time of year, I can sit down and enjoy that blissful combination of grapefruit and tequila (or mezcal). Is it any wonder it’s Mexico’s favorite cocktail?
I have been wanting to make a milk-clarified cocktail for ages, and I finally sat down and did some research on the subject. If you’re not familiar, milk clarification is a technique used to render cocktails (typically punches) beautifully clear that was super popular back in the 1700s and 1800s. Back in the day, the end goal was less about pretty clear cocktails and more about softening the flavor of the booze and making a batched cocktail that would keep for a long time.
I’ve been wanting to create a savory small bite to pair with classic martinis for a while, and those cute organic, pre-cooked baby beets at the grocery store got me thinking. After a few different attempts that were overly complicated and not particularly delish, I arrived at this simple, elegant, and tasty hors d’oeuvre with baby beets, creme fraiche, fennel, walnuts, and my all time favorite mustard, Maille Old Style.
One of the most fragrant and beautiful of all the plants surrounding our house is wisteria. We have a trellis outside our sunroom that’s been taken over by wisteria and trumpet vines over the years, and this time of year, the gorgeous purple blossoms hang down from overhead, their clean, sweet scent wafting through the house.