Author: Rob Theakston

As is usual, National Tequila Day arrives on July 24th. Unlike similarly marketed holidays, this one has managed to endure and continues to gain popularity every year. Here are a few recipes for your consideration, and if anyone need us we will be recovering on National Hangover Day, Monday July 25th.

Watermelon Crush
(Created by Pamela Wiznitzer)
2 parts Tres Agaves Blanco
3-4 pieces watermelon
½ part hibiscus syrup (Boil hibiscus tea; once hot, add in equal parts white sugar to the tea and let dissolve)
¾ part lime juice
½ part coconut water

Muddle watermelon and combine all ingredients. Shake and strain into a highball. Garnish with a thin watermelon slice.

La Abejita
(Created by Omar Villavicencio)
1 1/2 oz Don Julio Blanco
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz fresh honey syrup
1 dash lavender bitters
fresh honeycomb (for garnish)

Combine Tequila Don Julio Blanco, fresh lime juice, honey syrup and lavender bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with fresh piece of honey comb.

Clementine Crush
1 part Sauza Blue Silver tequila
1 part clementine juice
1/2 part lime juice
1/2 part agave nectar
1 orange wheel

Add ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake and strain over ice into glass and serve. Garnish with an orange wheel. Sugar coated rim is optional.

Summer is in full swing for most of the nation and with it the usual brush with unbearable heat and humidity for most of the nation. Along with upcoming July 4th cocktails and National Tequila Day celebrations, we’ve also received some pretty interesting recipes that don’t really fit under a theme or holiday. We’re rounding them up and presenting them to you here for your experimentation and enjoyment. Got any recipes you’d like to share? Drop us a line!

Budapest Bramble
(created by Nicholas Bennett)
1 1/4 oz Unicum Plum
1/3 oz Zacapa Rum 23
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/3 oz demerara syrup
2-3 blackberries
Quartered lime (for garnish)

Muddle blackberries and quartered lime in the bottom of glass. Add Unicum Plum, Zacapa Rum 23, fresh lemon juice, and demerara syrup and fill with pebble ice. Garnish with lime wheel and a blackberry.

Julio & Daisy
(created by Christian Armando Guillén)
1 1/4 oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco
1 oz hibiscus and passion fruit infused agave syrup
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1 dash pepper bitters
Orchid (for garnish)

Combine Tequila Don Julio Blanco, hibiscus and passion fruit infused agave syrup, fresh lime juice and pepper bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with orchid.

Raspberry Refresher
1 1/2 parts Courvoisier VS
3-4 fresh raspberries
1/2 part passion fruit puree
1/4 part lime juice
Ginger beer

Build in cocktail shaker shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass; top with ginger beer. Garnish with raspberry.

PM Kick
1.5 oz Tanteo Jalepeno tequila
3 oz fresh watermelon puree
.5 oz agave syrup
.5 oz fresh lime juice
3 sprigs cilantro

Build in a pint glass with ice. Shake, and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with cilantro.

The Amelia
1.5 oz Grey Goose vodka
.5 oz St. Germain
1 oz fresh lemon juice
4 muddled blackberries
blackberries for garnish

Muddle blackberries with lemon and St. Germain. Add ice and vodka. Shake and strain into martini glass.

In some circles, it’s the official start of summer. In others, it is a time to pay reverence and salute those who have dutifully served in our United States Armed Forces. Whatever your occasion, we’ve taken the liberty to try out all of the cocktails suggested below and present them for your celebratory consideration. May you have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Summer Thyme
1 1/2 parts Aperol
1 1/2 parts gin
1 dash of Angostura Bitters
1 part Sparkling Ice Pink Grapefruit
thyme rub

Shake Aperol and gin with ice and pour into a chilled martini glass that has been rubbed with thyme sprig. Top with Pink Grapefruit Sparkling Ice. Garnish with thyme sprig.

Tanqueray No. TEN Green Machine
1.25 oz. Tanqueray No. TEN
3 oz. green juice
mint sprig for garnish

Blend greens, apple, and lemon together to create green juice. Pour green juice into glass, add Tanqueray No. TEN and stir. Garnish with a celery stalk or mint sprig.

Grapefruit Summer Solstice Punch
10 parts Bacardi Grapefruit
4 parts Pineau des Charentes
4 parts orange liqueur
5 parts orange blossom honey syrup
7 parts lime juice
lemons, sliced as garnish

Mix all ingredients and place into a punch bowl with a large ice block.

Le Grand Fizz
1 1/2 parts Grey Goose Vodka
1 part St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
3 lime wedges
1 parts chilled soda water

Build in an oversized cabernet wine glass with plenty ice. Add Grey Goose vodka, then squeeze three lime wedges and discard. Top with St. Germain and chilled soda water. Garnish with two lime wedges.

It’s been a while since we last offered an installment of cocktail recipes devoted entirely to celebrating Mom on her special day. Time for an update! Here are a few excellent recipes worthy of serving while she’s waiting for you to finish cooking breakfast or brunch.

The Ruffino Tuscan Cosmo
4 parts chilled Ruffino Prosecco
3 parts chilled cranberry juice
½ part triple sec
splash of lime juice

Combine triple sec and cranberry juice. Pour mixture into glass, filling ¾ full. Top off with Ruffino Prosecco and finish with splash of lime juice.

Mommie Dearest
1.5 parts Svedka Raspberry Vodka
2 parts Champagne
1.5 parts sour mix
1 part white grape juice

Pour all ingredients, except for champagne, into a cocktails shaker. Shake and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with champagne. Garnish with a grapefruit peel and raspberries.

Coco Turin
Created by Revae Schneider
1 oz Baileys Espresso Crème
1 oz Cîroc Coconut
1 oz dark roast coffee
1 teaspoon simple syrup
2 oz hot water
coconut shavings for garnish

Combine Baileys Espresso Crème, Cîroc Coconut, dark roast coffee, hot water and simple syrup in a coffee mug. Stir well for 20 seconds. Garnish with coconut shavings.

The annual running of the Kentucky Derby (preceded shortly by the annual running of locals out of town) is fast approaching (it’s Saturday). And aside from the traditional fare of bourbon-based Old Fashioneds and Mint Juleps served on every corner, here are a few alternative recipes that may liven up your get together.

Oaks Lily
1 part Grey Goose vodka
½ part fresh lemon juice
½ part simple syrup
3 part cranberry juice
splash of orange liqueur

Fill glass slightly above rim with cubed ice. Pour ingredients in order listed to ½ inch from top of glass. Stir slowly and present with a fresh blackberry and a slice of lemon.

Malt Julep
2 parts Glenfiddich 14 Years Old
bruised mint leaves
simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Build with crushed ice and garnish with mint sprigs in a traditional Julep cup.

Slow & Low Julep
3 oz Slow & Low Rye
1/2 oz simple syrup, preferably demerara
Lots of mint — 10 springs (reserve 1 sprig for garnish)
Crushed ice
Copper, steel or aluminum cup

Muddle whiskey and mint in a mix glass. Add 1 large cube of ice. Stir, but not so much as to dilute — a bakers dozen revolutions. Add liberal amounts of crushed ice to more than fill the tin cup. Fine strain contents of mix into a glass over crushed ice. Garnish with 6 mint leaves.

The Upbeat
0.75 parts Drambuie
0.75 parts Hendrick’s Gin
2 parts Darjeeling tea (cooled)
0.5 part rose simple syrup
2 dashes peach bitters
1 parts sparkling water

Combine Drambuie, gin, and simple syrup in a mixing glass filled 3/4 with ice. Stir for 30 seconds to combine. Pour into an Old Fashioned glasses with one large ice cube. Add 2 dashes of the bitters into each glass. Further sweeten with rose simple syrup to taste. Stir again. Finish with Sparkling water in each glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

The Grandstand
1 ½ oz. Cynar
¾ oz. Wild Turkey 101
½ oz. simple syrup
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
½ oz. fresh grapefruit juice
12 mint leaves
2 oz. soda water
2 dashes Fee Brother’s Grapefruit Bitters

In a rocks glass add mint and all ingredients except soda water and bitters. Gently muddle, add ice then soda and top with bitters.

Tired of the same old margies every year for Cinco De Mayo? Check out some of these bad boys to twist the holiday in a different direction.

Mexican Martini
Developed by Garrett Flanagan for El Original
1.5 oz. lime juice
1.5 oz. simple syrup
3 oz. tequila
0.5 oz. olive juice

Shake with ice, pour into martini glass, garnish with olives. (Note: Chris grew up drinking these at the Cedar Door in Austin where they originated, and after trying one myself and home, I’m understanding why.)

Tullamore D.E.W. Margarita
1 ½ parts Tullamore D.E.W. Original
1 part Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
¼ part Montelobos Mezcal
¾ parts fresh lime luice
4 drops of Bettermen’s Burlesque Bitters

Fill shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain into ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Gavilán
2 parts Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
2 parts grapefruit juice
1 part lime juice
2 parts Jarritos de Toronja (grapefruit soda)

Build into a highball over ice, garnish with a salt rim and grapefruit slice.