Hoppy Gimlet

It was snowing. On the way home from work on April 29th, it was snowing. So I did what any reasonable person would do. I stopped at the liquor store, grabbed a bottle of gin and headed home to play.

If only limes weren't so dastardly expensive right now...

Based off of the recipe from David A. Embury in The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks

1 serving

The Ingredients:

60 ml (2 oz) gin
15 ml (¹⁄₂ oz) fresh lime juice
15 ml (¹⁄₂ oz) honey simple syrup
4 drops hop bitters
lime to garnish

The Process:
Shake well with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.Top with bitters. Garnish with lime.

Hawaiian Rum Punch

Inspired by Hawaii.  I should probably be clear on that...this is certainly no authentic island drink.  Though in the tourist traps and tropical resorts anything served in a coconut or pineapple may qualify.

"One part sour, two parts sweet, three parts strong, four parts weak"

I'm not sure who is originally credited with this saying, though I first heard it from Bobby Flay.  I used this as the basis for our tropical punch.  That and a quick perusal of the drink menu at our very own Tiki bar on the banks of the Mississippi, Psycho Suzi's

Rum and pineapple were key.  I wanted to evoke something akin to POG.  Passion fruit, Orange Guava....not the game.  Though the two are related.

 The rest was trail and error until I discovered something tasty. 

POG, the juice, is exceptionally hard to find in Minnesota.  A lot of pineapple/orange/apple, Pineapple/banana/orange, even passion fruit/orange/apple mixes were on hand when I hunted, but guava remained elusive.  Surprisingly a bushel of the fruit was at our local grocery, but the price and time consuming process of juicing gave me pause.  In the end, flavored rums came to the rescue.  Passion fruit rum I found in a heartbeat.  Guava, again, I could not locate, though supposedly Cruzan makes one.

After tinkering around with different ratios...adding more lime, trying less grenidine, swapping in a few different fruit juices...I ended up pretty much right back with the recipe I based it off of.  The only major difference is I used flavored rums instead of Jamacian white and light rums.  I suppose whrn you have a good thing, it needed be tinkered with.

The end result is a sweet cocktail that is dangerously easy to drink.  The lime cuts through the fruit with just enough tartness.  The grenadine adds a berry like sweetness, but it still lacks that strawberry fragrance that the guava would have lent.  But in the end, I'm very content with the result.

And judging by the empty punch bowl and happy guests, I suspect everyone else was as well.

Recipe inspired by Bobby Flay

yields twelve 6 oz servings

The Ingredients:
1 cup lime juice
1 1/2 cups grenadine
1 cup coconut rum
2 cups Passion fruit Rum
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice

Pineapple, cherries and orchids for garnish

The Process:
Combine the juices and rum in a 2 qt pitcher or punch bowl.  Chill at least one hour.

To serve, ladle over ice and garnish with pineapple wedge, cherry and orchid blossom.

Snow Day Cocoa

Nothing beats a hard day of shoveling like coming in to hot cup of cocoa.

Growing up, hot cocoa had a special place in my heart.  Come fall, I would trek out to the chilly soccer fields to watch my brother kick the ball around with his team mates.  That early in the morning nothing fended off the cold quite like a cup of cocoa.  Even a cup of cocoa made from a pouch with hot water.

Mom always upped the ante.  After a cold day of shoveling or playing we would often come in to a pot of rich cocoa on the stove.  Thank you Hersey's.

This cocoa ups the ante a notch further.

Adapted from Hersey's cocoa recipe

The Ingredients:
1/3 cocoa powder
1/2 cup vanilla scented sugar*
1/3hot water
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
dash of corriander
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream


The Process:
Combine the cocoa, sugar, salt, cinnamon and coriander in a medium saucepan.  Slowly stir in the hot water and mix until well combined.  Bring the temperature to a boil over medium high heat.

Reduce the temperature to low.  Whisk in the cream, milk, and vanilla extract  Stir until heated through.  Label into mugs and garnish with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired.. 

*stick a pod or two of spent vanilla bean in a jar full of granulated sugar.  Add more sugar as you use it up.  The vanilla pods will keep fragrant for months

Hot Toddy

I seem to be ushering in the New Year with an awful head cold.  The last few nights of sleep of been more like fitful naps interspersed with an inability to breathe, a stiff neck and a scratchy throat.  While modern medicine has blessed us with a plethora of cough syrup, decongestants, expectorant and pain killers, nothing quite beats the hot toddy when it comes to easing the suffering. 

the recipe is my own, based on a preferance for whiskey and a favorite ginger honey cold concotion

yields about 4 servings

The Ingredients:
3 cups water
l lemon, washed and sliced
3-4  inch length of ginger root, peeled and minced
1/4 cup of honey, plus extra to taste
2 inch piece of cinnamon
10-12 whole cloves
8 oz whiskey


The Process:
In medium saucepan, combine the water, lemon, ginger, honey, cinnamon and cloves.  Bring water to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes (or longer for a stronger flavor).

To serve pour 2 oz of whiskey in four mugs.  Add about 3/4 of a cup of the lemon-ginger tea.  Sweeten with additional honey to taste.  Serve piping hot with a lemon wedge.


The Review:
At the moment, my nose doesn't feel as raw, nor my throat as sore, so something must be true of the healing powers of ginger, lemon and honey. Ginger has a history of treating medical ailments, from settling stomachs, to easing sore throats.  It supposedly has anti-inflammatory and immune system boosting properties that make it especially helpful in warding off the common cold.  Honey's anti-septic qualities (among other benefits) help ward off bacteria while it soothes, in addition to sweetening you concation.  The lemon adds a boost of vitamin c along with its antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers.  And the whiskey?  Well, when you're stressed out and aching all over, a little bit of booze can go a long way to relaxing you...long as you don't over do it.

The steam helps clear the nose while sipping on the hot concoction.  The spices are always a joy to inhale when your sense of smell comes back around.

Use a favorite whiskey.  But even without the alcohol, this hot drink goes a long way to soothe mind and body.