The Brazilian merganser – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

This is my take on the traditional Brazilian Caipirinha which is made with rum called Cachaca.  My sister-in-law is from Brazil and has a large collection of Cachacas as you can see in the photo below.  My brother-in-law (her husband) gave me some good guidance in Caipirinha making that he picked up from family and friends and which I'll share with you today.

To prepare the fresh limes wash and cut of the tip and branch ends.  Quarter length-wise then slice off the thin white bitter strip along the center of the lime quarters.  Then slice each quarter in half in the other direction.

For this cocktail I decided to make a simple syrup from dark brown sugar rather than use the traditional super-fine white sugar.  This gives the cocktail a dark color and a slight molasses flavor.  To make the simple syrup bring 1 cup of dark brown sugar mixed with 1 cup of water to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for another 15 minutes.  Once cooled pour into a jar.  Any left-over simple syrup should keep for a week or two in your refrigerator.

I used a Cachaca from Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil called Leblon.

Prepare the glass:

To an old-fashioned glass add 4 to 8 quarters (depending on the size of your limes) of prepared lime pieces and muddle just to release the juice from each lime piece (crushing once or twice, depending on size, being careful not to press so hard that you release the bitters from the lime pith). Top with crushed ice.

In a shaker partially filled with cracked ice add:
3 ounces of Cachaca (you can use a white rum if Cachaca is not available)
1 ounce of the dark brown sugar simple syrup

Shake and strain into the prepared glass.  Stir.  Garnish with a lime wheel.  Makes one cocktail.

Cheers!

Note:  The Brazilian merganser is a very endangered duck.

The Dark-Eyed Junco – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

I was thinking of my 1st cousin Chris, who is coming to visit this week, when I made this nice fall cocktail.  Once the temperatures start cooling at night, I find a nice warming cocktail to be just what the barkeep ordered!  For this one I wanted something bourbon-based, herbal and a tad citrus-y.  There's a flavored simple syrup in this one, and they're simple to make.  And if you ever need a very talented sound engineer, Chris is your guy! 

To make the simple syrup to a small sauce pan add:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh cold water
5 or so fresh sage leaves & peel from 1/2 a lemon

Soft boil for ~25 minutes, then strain into a glass jar (I use those salad dressing jars) and let stand to cool.  Save the candied peel and sage leaves for the cocktail.  The simple syrup will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

Prepare (2) small (~5-6 ounce) cocktail glasses by rubbing some lemon peel and sage leaves on the inside of the glass to release some of the oils.

To build the cocktail, to a shaker 1/3 filled with cracked ice add:
5 ounces good quality bourbon (I used Bulleit)
1 ounce Amaro Siciliano liqueur
1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce of sage-lemon simple syrup

Shake and strain into the (2) cocktail glasses.  Add one each candied lemon peel and sage leaf (they will sink to the bottom).  Add one fresh lemon peel and one fresh sage leaf to float on top.  

And that's the cocktail!

The Dark-eyed Junco winters in the Nashville area.

Enjoy.

Michelle

The Purple Gallinule – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

I dedicate this little cocktail to friends and co-workers either directly affected, or who have family affected, by Hurricane Harvey.  Please donate if you can afford it, every little bit counts.  

http://www.redcross.org/

You can read all about the beautiful Purple Gallinule on the Houston Audubon Society's web site.  This is a marsh bird that breeds in the Houston area.

About the drink, this is a simple brandy cocktail.  I typically use Christian Brothers Frost White in my brandy cocktails as I find it to be very smooth and it plays well with other liquors.

To build the drink in a shaker 1/3 filled with cracked ice add:
1 oz. good quality vodka
1 oz. good quality brandy
2 oz. of Trader Joe's 'Tart Cherry' 100% Juice Blend (in their refrigerated case)

Shake and strain into a small cocktail or cordial glass.  Garnish with a small skewer of blueberries.

Have a safe Labor Day.

The Yellow Warbler – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

I took advantage of a neighbor's extra lemons and decided to make a kind of lemon martini to enjoy on this very pleasant late afternoon.  For this drink you can use a small cocktail glass.

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

• 2 1/2 ounces of good quality citrus vodka (I used Ketel One Citroen)
• 1 ounce of limoncello (I used Re:Find)
• 1/2 ounce of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• a small squeeze of agave nectar (if needed)
• a dash of Fee Brothers orange bitters

Shake and strain into your cocktail glass that has been partially sugar-rimmed.  I used a nice ginger flavored sugar.  Add a lemon peel and serve up!

I hope you enjoy this very lemony and refreshing cocktail.

Cheers!

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

This cocktail has all those nice summer flavors - berries, herbs, citrus all rolled into one.  This is a nice colorful drink for a 4th of July celebration.  

Start by making a lemon-thyme simple syrup:

• 2 good sized springs of lemon-thyme or thyme
• a few thin slices of lemon
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3/4 cup of water

Bring to a soft boil and stir until sugar dissolves.  Then turn down heat, cover and slow simmer for ~20 minutes.  Once cool filter into a glass container (I use a dressing jar).  Keeps in the refrigerator for about a week.

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

• 5 ounces of good quality vodka
• 2 to 3 ounces of the lemon-thyme simple syrup

Shake and strain into two long glasses ~2/3 filled with ice to which a mix of fresh blueberries and raspberries plus a couple of thin slices of lemon have been added.  Top with club soda and garnish.  Makes two refreshing and colorful cocktails.


Happy Independence Day!  

The Akeke'e – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

This drink is like a dirty martini but made with dill pickle juice  It comes out mild with a hint of sweetness and is really refreshing.  Now you know what to do with all that left-over pickle juice...

In a cocktail shaker 1/3 filled with cracked ice add 3 ounces of vodka (I used Ocean brand organic vodka from Hawaii) and 1 ounce of dill pickle juice.  Shake and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a piece of dill pickle topped with a spring of fresh dill (just stick a toothpick in the pickle to create a small hole for the dill).

The Akeke'e is a small, and endangered, green bird native to Kaua'i.

Cheers!

The Meijiro – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

I've been wanting to make this drink since I returned from a trip to Japan back in February.  I'm not a fan of Shochu but decided to try a cocktail that's made with it on a whim at a traditional Japanese restaurant in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo.  I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the drink!  This is my attempt to recreate it.  It's got a subtle flavor and is very refreshing served over crushed ice.

To make it add 2 ounces of Shochu to a long drink glass about 2/3 filled with crushed ice, top with fresh-made (but cool) Jasmine green tea.  If you happen to have a jasmine vine nearby that's in bloom you can garnish the cocktail with a jasmine flower as I did here.

You can find Shochu in Japanese markets or larger well stocked liquor stores.  It's typically lower in alcohol than most other liquors so is a good choice when you want to have an afternoon drink with a little less kick during the warmer months.

Kampai!

Power to the Pink Robin – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

This little cocktail packs a punch just like all those fierce, smart and beautiful women who marched in support of Women's, and Human, rights on 1/21/17.  This cocktail is dedicated to the women, and wonderfully supportive men, who marched in those peaceful demonstrations worldwide.  We will not go back to the 50's quietly!  

To build the cocktail to a shaker 1/4 filled with cracked ice add:

2 oz raspberry flavored vodka (I used Stoli)
2 oz Grand Marnier No2 (raspberry peach flavored liqueur)
2 oz of Simply brand Lemonade with raspberry

Shake and strain into two small cocktail glasses.  Add 1 tsp of maraschino cherry liquid to each glass (this will create a layered look) and garnish with one maraschino cherry that you let float to the bottom.

The pink robin is a beautiful little bird that makes its home in the rain forests of Australia...

#fightback

Cheers!

The Ruffed Grouse – a cocktail recipe by Michelle Hartsell Cocktail Engineer

For this cocktail I wanted to use a warming alcohol to ward off the cooler winter temperatures so this is a bourbon-based drink.  To keep the cocktail from being too apple-flavored I added a touch of lemon juice.  We have a Meyer lemon tree in our backyard that is producing some nice fruit right now so I used one in this cocktail.  If you don't have Meyer you can use a regular lemon.  Perfect for après-ski or to keep you warm as you are toasting marshmallows on the beach bonfire (mountains to sea!).

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

• 4 oz. Kentucky straight bourbon (I used Eagle Rare 10 year aged bourbon in this cocktail)
• 2 oz. Faretti biscotti famosi liqueur (a beautiful liqueur with a very slight anise flavor)
• 1 oz. fresh-squeezed lemon juice (meyer if you can find it)
• 5 oz. apple cider (regular, not hard!)

Shake or stir and strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon twist (rub the lemon twist between your fingers gently to release the aromatic oils prior to deploying to the cocktail).

Makes (2) warming and smile-inducing drinks.

Enjoy!