Alright @notjustabartender, you convinced me…
Some people are out there hoarding their Green Chartreuse and some of us are using it as a base spirit 😂 This one is like if a Piña Colada and a Chartreuse Swizzle had a baby and served it over crushed ice in a Coco Lopez can. A big thank you Erick Castro-Diaz (@hungrybartender) for this spec. Absolutely incredible.
Here’s your Friday night in a glass.
This one is a little more involved but I promise it’s worth it. When it comes to crushable tiki-style cocktails, this is it right here. With the addition of peach, this might just be the perfect end to summer cocktails.
Did you know there are only three places in the US where you can try my cocktails at actual bar? Two of them are in Charleston but one is actually at claytonandcrume’s speakeasy in Louisville, KY. Last year I had the opportunity to help craft the menu for their inaugural opening right before the Kentucky Derby. This was one of those recipes.
It’s an easy one and one of my go-to cocktails to make at home.
A summer Negroni? This is the Enzoni 🍇
This cocktail was created in the early 2000s and way ahead of its time. Back in those days I was crushing Keystone Lights and Kentucky Gentleman + Diet Cokes… because college. This cocktail is so far removed from that, I think it would be like if a Negroni was a summer drink, this would be the recipe. Make sure to give this one a try, it’s fruity, sweet, bitter and sour. So, so good.
Cheers y’all.
MSG gets a bad rap, but don’t let it scare you from making this 🍸
MSG or Mono-sodium Glutamate has been widely used in cooking for centuries, but did you know it can be naturally derived as well? This compound is found in every day food such as mushrooms, tomatoes, meat and many other vegetables. There’s nothing scary or dangerous about this ingredient, just like anything else… when used in moderation. MSG is important in cooking since it provides that ‘5th’ flavor profile - UMAMI.
“What does umami taste like?” - you (probably)
Umami is the savory or meaty taste of foods. It comes from three compounds that are naturally found in plants and meat: glutamate, inosinate, and guanylate.
IA two ingredient NA cocktail?? Yep, it’s possible AND it’s delicious.
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The GARIBALDI the signature cocktail over at @dantenewyorkcity but with my friends at @ritualzeroproof, I wanted to make a #NoABV version with their new NA Aperitif. The key to this cocktail is the texture, the frothiness in vigorously shaking or frothing orange juice brings a light and fluffy mouthfeel to this simple recipe. Its a great mix of bitter, citrusy and this new Ritual Aperitif didn’t disappoint, its got familiar notes of bitter, citrus and even adds a bit of a kick that you won’t normally find in other NA spirits.
Cheers y’all
What do you know about Grappa?
I’ll be honest, up until a few days ago, I didn’t know much about either, but luckily, together with my friends at hellograppa, we’re here to get to know the spirit a bit better. We’ll be talking about how to taste it neat, but also provide you with an easy you can make it with using Italian ingredients.
So what is Grappa? The Short answer is: A spirit distilled from grape marcs grown exclusively in Italy (Reg. (EU) 787/2019). In fact, Grappa is not distilled from grapes, but from Marcs. There’s so much more to it though. Grappa can be flavored/aromatic and aged/unaged. The aged variety can be aged anywhere from 12 months to 18+ months in oak barrels imparting flavors of vanilla and fruit, while also mellowing the unaged spirit.
Here’s a little something to help you stay warm this Christmas night 🔥🎄 I’ve created an easy 4 ingredient cocktail for y’all to celebrate the holidays with. It takes the traditional highball recipe and twists it to create a festive spin on a classic using Rabbit Hole Distillery’s Boxergrail Rye. Cheers and wish you and your family a very merry Christmas🎄
Read MoreWe found the perfect cocktail to kick off the weekend.
Charleston-based photographer and mixologist Miguel Buencamino of Holy City Handcraft (@holycityhandcraft) whipped up a jumbo Manhattan cocktail, complete with a giant “cherry,“ at the @gardenandgun offices. The recipe below provides 20-25 servings of this classic cocktail and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer. Cheers and happy Friday! 🥃
Please note: This is a great way to enjoy a batched cocktail to share with friends, but we don’t recommend consuming alone.
Ok ok… Its time to finally make this monstrosity… the PARMESAN(?!) Espresso Martini.
This idea was initially suggested by the talented thebittergringo and with highproofteacher’s stamp of approval, I knew I had to try it… and I’m not gonna lie y’all, this was astonishingly delicious. I typically put a pinch of salt in my espresso martinis anyway but that savory, cheesy, funky salinity you get from parmesan is just unmatched and worked perfectly in this cocktail. I would not be surprised to see this pop up at more bars soon, but y’all already know that would be a $24 cocktail 😂
TL;DR: You need to make this, its so good.
An ode to my Filipino grandmother (Nanay) 🥃🇵🇭
You know when you try a particular food or drink it just takes you back to place and time in your life or childhood? This is it for me. This recipe’s flavors reminds me of my Nanay (Tagalog for ‘mom’ - she was everyone’s mom) and her famous leche flan. She would make this recipe for every special occasion and it was always a crowd favorite. What set it apart was the incredible amount of balance in flavors, between the massive amount of lime zest in the condensed milk custard (think souped up key lime) and a caramel sauce that was just brought past caramelization, bringing a sweet, but nutty element to table. I’m honored to be able to create something to pay homage to those flavor profiles and the nostalgia that comes along with it.
I’ve been covering the chswineandfood going on seven years, but this year but I knew this year was special when I was asked to be a participant for a signature dinner with my friends at @pinkbellies and the world famous @pawkhrua. I knew this had to make on the menu along with some other recipes that I can’t wait to show y’all. Our event is tomorrow, so make sure you’re following along on the accounts mentioned above and chswineandfood. If you’re going to make it to any other CHSWF events, let me know which ones!
Cheers y’all!
The cure for all your ailments… The Penicillin (cocktail, that is)
More often than not I get asked about how to use scotch in a cocktail, well… I’m here to show you one of the classics. Feel free to use a blended scotch for this but single malt is just so tasty. Cheers y’all.
The Negroni Sbagliato - now there’s a drink fit for a 🐉 Queen…
What can I say, this cocktail is having its moment in the sun thanks to the @livkatecooke (Alicent Hightower) and emmaziadarcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen) interview for @hbomax and @gameofthrones.
This drink may be going ‘viral’ at the moment but this recipe has been around since 1972 and was created at Bar Basso in Milan by Mirko Stocchetto. I’m not mad about it though, I always said this was my go-to brunch drink and I’d take it over any mimosa any day of the week. Cheers y’all!
This is recipe is fall in a glass for this year’s #OldFashionedWeek 🥃
We, I created a variation on an Old Fashioned that will be an instant hit this season. It combines the familiar pairing of apples and cinnamon and combines them with the rich and complex notes of the 94 proof #ElijahCraig Small Batch bourbon, providing for one of the easiest sipping cocktails you’ll make this this season.
If you’re unfamiliar with Old Fashioned Week, it’s an annual celebration of this classic Bourbon cocktail, featuring events in bars and online. As an added bonus, the funds raised for this campaign will be donated to a great cause: the Southern Smoke Foundation
When your Negroni is as clear as the ice 🥶🧊
Happy Wednesday y’all! Here is that #BiancoNegroni created with Luxardo’s Bitter Bianco. If you’ve never had it, its has notes of bitter citrus and a bright/fruity finish. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a London dry gin like juniperogin. Hope y’all enjoy this recipe as much as I did. Cheers y’all!
I fly like paper and…
…did you know the Paper Plane was a riff on The Last Word - and it was named after the MIA track… yeah… that one, from Pineapple Express 🤯 Anyway, its one of my rediscovered favorites to make, equal parts and perfect for the summer.
The ultimate nightcap doesn’t exi……This recipe combines the base formula for an Old Fashioned combined with flavors inspired by sleepy-time tea, which contains a blend of herbs that include chamomile and lemongrass. I further enhanced that flavor with honey and ginger to create the ultimate simple syrup perfect for #BedTime.
Read MoreCoffee + Jamaican Rum + #NegroniWeek seems like a winning combo, right?
I’ve been wanting to use this pour over stand from Farmhouse Pottery for a cocktail and just haven’t found the right occasion for it…. UNTIL NOW. If you haven’t had the combo of coffee + Campari, it's a match made in heaven so you gotta try this one out.
#ProTip : if you find this a little too bitter for your taste, add a pinch of salt and thank me later! Cheers y’all.
This recipe will take you straight to France 🇫🇷
We were recently invited by our friends at @hinecognacs to visit the Cognac region of France and stay at the incredible Hine House along the Charente river. This amazing experience really opened our eyes to how much time and care goes into each and every bottle of cognac produced there. From the champagne grapes to the barrel they’re aged in, each and every bottle is meticulously cared for. This cocktail is an homage to one of the cognacs we were able to sample during our stay. We were able to take part in tasting any of the Vintage collection which spans for decades, each offering was unique and tasty. The particular one that caught my fancy was bottled in 1986 (my birth year), and I remember it having an apricot forward flavor profile that became the inspiration for a twist on this traditional cocktail.
Of course I was not going to use the 1986 vintage for this cocktail so, this particular recipe was created with HINE Cognac’s H by HINE V.S.O.P. (aged 4 years), which brings a rich, full bodied base to this already wonderful recipe. Make sure to check out the full specs below. Cheers y’all!
A cocktail worthy to celebrate National Rosa Tequila Day.
We’ve created a recipe which highlights Calirosa - a tequila aged for 30 days in red wine barrels which gives it its unique pink hue along with adding notes of strawberry, honey and oak. This recipe is meant to be enjoyed with friends and its a perfect drink to bust out at your next pool party.
Cheers y’all!