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