The Snow Bunting – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

We didn't live in snowy climates growing up, but occasionally we'd get a big enough snow event that my Dad would make snow cream. We kids loved it of course and thought it was a big treat.  This cocktail isn't made from snow though it reminds me of the snow cream my Dad made when we were kids (minus the alcohol, of course).  

To make the cocktail add to a blender:

4 oz. vanilla flavored vodka (I used Absolut)

4 oz. Godiva white chocolate liqueur

4 oz. half-n-half

1/2 tsp of vanilla paste (or scrape some vanilla from a pod)

~1 cup of ice

Blend and pour into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a sprinkle of turbinado sugar and maraschino cherries.

A nice 'snowy' little holiday cocktail.

Cheers, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The Juniper Thrasher – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

 
This is a dry cocktail and I love it!  You'll have to find some good ingredients for this one - including a fairly pricey soda and some very good quality olive oil.  For some reason this cocktail seems to bridge fall and winter nicely and makes me think of a nicely roasted pheasant served with a juniper berry sauce and roasted potatoes with rosemary - but I digress.

First - crush about 2 tsp of whole juniper berries.
Add the crushed berries to the Gin and let stand for about 15minutes. 

To build the cocktail to a shaker 1/3 filled with crushed ice add:

• 4 oz. Bombay Sapphire East Gin (lightly infused with crushed juniper berries as noted above)
• 1 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 oz. Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I used California Olive Ranch brand)
• 4 drops of Bittercube Bitters Jamaican #1

Shake and strain into two cocktail glasses.  Top with Dry brand Sparkling Juniper Berry flavored soda.  Garnish with a slice of fresh fruit (preferably pineapple guava if you have it - the scent compliments the herbally nose of the drink).

Option:  If this drink is too dry for you, make a juniper berry simple syrup and add about an ounce to the shaker or else a good squeeze of agave nectar.  

Makes 2 refreshing and warm cocktails. 

Cheers!

The Red-crowned Crane – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

For some reason, Fall is the season when I most want to visit Japan.  This year is no exception, though I won't be going there in 2016.  A friend recently gave me some 'fuzzy lychee' that he picked up at a local Asian specialty market so I wanted to create a cocktail with lychee as the garnish.  As you can see, I didn't peel the fruit for the garnish - this is to create the look I was going for in honor of the bird this cocktail is named for.  Look it up on the internet and you'll figure it out!  FYI - You have to peel the lychee it if you want to eat the sweet and yummy fruit.  

At any rate, this cocktail is in honor of my good friend Mayumi.  I had the honor of being a guest of Mayumi, her Mom and her Grandmom on more than one occasion as they took me to several wonderful places including very traditional Japanese Onsens, a famous baker where we had some lessons in making traditional Japanese sweets, the best (and spiciest) Ramen I've ever had, a famous traditional lunch spot, and the list goes on!  I hope to pay a visit to Mayumi next year.


This little cocktail packs a punch!  To build the cocktail to a shaker 1/3 filled with crushed ice add:

• 2 oz. Absolut Pear vodka
• 1 oz. unfiltered or coarse-filtered Nigori Sake (I used Sayuri brand from Kobe, Japan)
• 1 oz. Ume liqueur (I used Iichiko brand) 

Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lychee.  Makes (1) little cocktail.  

Notes:  

• I lived in Kobe Japan for about 3 months some years ago.  It's a nice port town not too far from Osaka.  I recommend a tour of the old Hakutsura Sake factory, which is now basically a museum, if you ever find yourself there.  
• You may have to find a grocer that carries Japanese goods for the Ume liqueur - it's very low in alcohol so mostly it is for flavoring.  
• Ume is a kind of plum with a sour taste.  
• The Red-crowned crane is a very revered bird in Japan and other parts of Asia.  It's a symbol of longevity and other positive attributes.  You can read about it on Wikipedia or other internet sites.

Cheers!

The Fruity Flamingo – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

A restaurant in downtown Paso Robles where we dined last weekend, La Cosecha, had a watermelon-thyme martini on the menu which I had a taste of and really liked.  This is my attempt to recreate that cocktail.  The mixologists there are into Pisco at the moment and also have a selection of home-infused liquors which they use in their cocktails.  The food at La Cosecha was good too - I particularly enjoyed the Pastelitos Catracho (Honduran beef empanadas) and my steak salad was really good too - no leftovers!  For this cocktail you need to make a simple syrup or the flavor of the thyme won't be strong enough.

To make the thyme simple syrup to a saucepan add:

• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 good size sprigs of fresh thyme

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Strain into a glass jar (I use one of those salad dressing jars).  Leftover simple syrup will keep in the refrigerator for a couple weeks.

To build the cocktail to a shaker 1/3 filled with crushed ice add:

• 4 oz good quality vodka (I used Belvedere)
• 2 oz good quality gin (I used Bombay Sapphire)
• 4 1/2 oz watermelon juice (I used Trader Joe's cold pressed juice)
• 1 1/2 oz of the thyme simple syrup

Shake and then strain into two cocktail glasses.

Makes two refreshing and colorful cocktails.  Cheers!

Pearakeet - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

Super easy!

Add 2 oz Pear flavored vodka (I used Absolut), 1 oz Midori and 3 oz of pear nectar to a cocktail shaker 1/3 filled with ice.  Shake and strain into a cocktail glass.  Makes one sweet chartreuse-colored cocktail that reminds me of a parakeet.  

Thanks for helping me with the name, Charlotte!

Cheers!

Jules Cockatiel - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

This cocktail is dedicated to one of my best friends who is celebrating a Big Birthday this weekend.  I had some very fresh ginger leftover and decided to make a simple syrup with it.  I used peaches, because they are in season and super yummy right now, for the garnish.

To make the ginger-vanilla simple syrup add below ingredients to a small sauce pan, bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, woody skin removed, and sliced
• 1/2 tbsp of vanilla paste or 1/2 vanilla bean

Strain into a bottle.  Unused syrup can be kept in the refrigerator

To build the cocktail to a shaker 1/3 filled with ice add:

• 2 1/2 ounces of good quality amber rum (Trader Joe's Rum of the gods or Mount Gay Black Barrel)
• 1/2 ounce of the ginger-vanilla simple syrup
• 3 ounces of Kern's peach nectar

Strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with Jamaican ginger sugar (or brown sugar); garnish with a slice of fresh juicy peach!

Jules, here's to you and Happy Birthday!

Cheers

Toucan Ben - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

If you've read enough of this blog's posts, then you know that I prefer to create cocktails that are served chilled but without ice.  This is because it preserves the flavor of the drink while you sip. My husband Ben came up with this one and served it to me one Friday evening after I got home from work - what a nice tropical surprise!  I really love it because it has the flavor of a pina colada but without as many calories.  Now if only I were enjoying this somewhere in the Caribbean...

Here's the recipe (makes 2 cocktails):

6 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice

4 oz pineapple rum
2 oz coconut rum (I recommend Malibu or Parrot Bay)
and a good squeeze of agave nectar

Shake or stir over ice and strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lime or pineapple wedge.

Cheers and Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

A match made in cocktail heaven:

The Korean Magpie - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

This cocktail is dedicated to my friends and work colleagues in South Korea that I had the pleasure of meeting in person just last month.  I enjoyed the fantastic Korean food, wonderful hospitality, and discovered a new Korean beer called "Kloud" that I also really enjoyed.  In the small amount of time I had there when not working, I took this picture of a Korean Magpie (it's small, you call find better pictures on the web) at the World Heritage Site Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty not too far from the Intercontinental Coex in Seoul (a hotel I can highly recommend - the staff are incomparable).  I hope you enjoy this refreshing cocktail.


Here's the recipe:
2 oz. of gin (I used Bombay Sapphire)
1 oz. of Violette (Violet flower liqueur)
1 oz. of fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass.
Add a splash of cold tonic water (I used Fever-tree brand naturally light)
Garnish with:
a lemon twist and a sprig of lavender flower

May this cocktail bring you good luck and fortune, just like the Korean Magpie.  

I'm looking forward to my next visit to South Korea!

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

We happen to have some beautiful and very aromatic heirloom roses in our yard that one of the previous homeowners planted.  They are fantastic and just one rose fills the den with a gorgeous scent.  We don't spray our roses so they are organic.  I thought it would be fun to make a cocktail that used the petals.  

This cocktail is tasty and elegant.  You have to make a simple syrup which is really easy.

To a cocktail shaker 1/3 filled with ice add:

4.5 oz of Vodka (I used Napa Valley Distillery - Napa Reserve - it's distilled from sauvignon blanc grapes (so basically a brandy))
2 oz of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1.5 oz of rose simple syrup (recipe follows)

Shake or stir and strain into a small cocktail glass.  Garnish with a small and thin slice of lemon and a rose petal.  Makes (2) cocktails.

Optional:  Add a splash of cold club soda


To make the 'rose simple syrup':

Harvest a big organic rose or two.  You need about a cup (un-pressed) of very fresh rose petals.  Add the rose petals to a sauce pan with 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 3o minutes.  Strain into a a glass jar or bottle that has a lid.  I used one of those dressing jars.  Let cool.  You can store the left-over 'rose simple syrup' in the refrigerator.

Here is the finished simple syrup product - look at that deep rose color!

The rose breasted grosbeak is a beautiful bird.  Unfortunately California is not part of their territory.  Learn more here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose-breasted_grosbeak

Cheers! 

The Very Berry Vireo - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

The warm gentle breeze sways my hammock on the lanai as the scent of Plumeria perfumes the air putting me in the mood for a fruity cocktail with a tropical vibe.  If only I were on Maui!  But I digress...

This cocktail uses an expensive garnish - Wild Hibiscus flowers (packed in syrup).  It gives the cocktail a pacific rim sunset vibe and the flower evokes the tropics.  You can use these to garnish a simple glass of champagne as well.

Prepare two martini or cone shaped cocktail classes by putting one hibiscus flower in the bottom of each glass.

To build the cocktail to a shaker 1/3 filled with cracked ice add:
2 oz. raspberry flavored vodka (I used Absolut)
2 oz. good quality vodka (I used an organic Hawaiian vodka called Ocean - perfect for this drink!)
2 oz. of Grand Marnier signature collection No. 2 (a raspberry peach liqueur)
2 oz. of fresh squeezed lime juice

Shake and strain into your prepared martini glasses.  Makes 2 gorgeous and tasty cocktails perfect for watching the sunset.

Enjoy your cocktail!

Cheers,
Michelle

The Peepy Chick - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

Just in time for the Easter holiday!  Who can resist the marshmallow Peeps?  

To build the cocktail to a shaker with ice add:

1 1/2 ounces of Pinnacle brand Whipped flavored vodka
1 1/2 ounces of vanilla flavored vodka (I used Absolut)

Shake and strain into cocktail glass, top with chilled cream soda and garnish with a Peeps!  Makes (1) sweet cocktail that's yummy, festive and just right for a warm afternoon on the deck while you watch the kiddos hunt for eggs (or while you watch the other grown-ups trying to hide the eggs before the hunt). 

Cheers and Happy Easter!

The Bean Goose Biscotti - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

This cocktail is really tasty.  Just like dessert with a kick.  Goes nicely with biscotti!

To build the cocktail add to a shaker 1/3 filled with ice:

6 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
3 oz. Fretti Biscotti Famosa liqueur
3 oz. good quality vodka

Stir and strain into a martini glass.  Makes (2) awesome cocktails!

The Tipsy Toucan - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

In the mood for something tropical?  On a nice mild and sunny day this one fits the bill nicely.  This is easy and yummy.

Prepare your cocktail glass:
Crush some coconut wafer cookies on a plate.
On a separate plate drizzle some agave nectar.
Swirl the rim of your cocktail glass in the agave nectar and then in the crushed coconut cookies to rim the glass.

To build the cocktail in a shaker 1/3 filled with ice add:
1.5 oz coconut flavored rum
1.5 oz pineapple flavored rum
1 oz key lime juice
1 oz coconut milk
some fresh grated nutmeg

Shake and then strain into the prepared cocktail glass.  Garnish with a pineapple chunk.

Enjoy responsibly!

The Douglas Fir Sapsucker - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

There is a shop near us in downtown Campbell, called Redemption, that sells locally made products.  One of these is a Douglas Fir tea by Juniper Ridge.  As well, I recently had the opportunity to have a gin-based cocktail that was made with Douglas Fir syrup at a restaurant near us called The Table (they have some nice craft cocktails on the menu).  I figured I could make a simple syrup based on the tea, as opposed to going out and harvesting fir needles, so here is my take of a Douglas Fir syrup based cocktail.  As the Douglas Fir is so aromatic, I didn't feel the need to add additional flavorings to the syrup.

Douglas Fir Tips Simple Syrup

Brew 1 cup double strength tea with the Douglas Fir Tips 

Add 1 cup of the brewed tea and 1 cup of sugar to a small pot

Bring to a soft boil and simmer for 20 minutes

The Douglas Fir Sapsucker cocktail

In a shaker half filled with crushed ice add

• 1 oz of the Douglas Fir Tips simple syrup
• 1 1/2 oz of plain vodka (I used Skyy)
• 1 1/2 oz of dry gin (I used Bombay Sapphire East)
• 2 oz of fresh squeezed Meyer lemon juice

Stir vigorously then strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a spring of rosemary, a twist of Meyer lemon and a twist of lime.

Leftover simple syrup will store well in the refrigerator.  

If you'd like to read about the birds, including the Sapsucker, that Douglas Fir trees support here's a good reference:  http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr285/ 

Cheers!

Tequila Mockingbird - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

We have an over abundance of navel oranges on our tree out back so I thought it would be nice to use one for a cocktail (these are large oranges!).  This drink is a take on the traditional Tequila Sunrise normally served over ice.  I prefer most cocktails to be served chilled but without ice because the flavor is diluted as the ice melts.  


To build the cocktail to a shaker 1/3-filled with crushed ice add:

2 oz. Tequila Reposado (I used Herradura in this one)
1 oz. Cointreau Liqueur
3 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice

Shake and strain into a martini or cocktail glass.  

Add one teaspoon of Grenadine syrup and let it float to the bottom - thereby creating the sunrise.  Garnish with an orange peel twist.

You can read up on the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird 

With apologies to Harper Lee!  Makes one vitamin C-rich cocktail.  Enjoy!

The Bubbly Bell's Vireo - a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

Hello 2016!  Sometimes, it's nice to have a cocktail that's lighter in alcohol.  This one fits the bill nicely and is also festive due to the sparkling wine.  This one is easy.  To build the cocktail add one cube of brown sugar to a champagne glass, add 1/2 ounce of Benedictine liqueur and then top with a nice rose sparking wine.  Happy New Year!