P77: Summer Cocktail Week 16 (Adam & Michelle)

P77

There was some pressure to wrap up the Summer Cocktail series with a winner and it all came together with the assistance (again) of cocktail sounding board Derek (co-host of his own incredibly informative beer blog at Wild Turkey Beer Club).  Our recent postings feel a little vodka/rum heavy and whiskey deserves another turn.  Even Michelle who isn't normally a whiskey drinker poured the Seagram's 7 heavier to balance out the flavors of this tasty, refreshing cocktail.  It's good enough to enjoy on a regular basis and simple enough to whip up in a minute.

Ingredients:
Whiskey (used Seagram's 7)
7-Up
PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

Fill a highball glass with ice.  Add 1.5 oz whiskey (1 jigger), 1 oz PAMA and top off with 7-Up.  Give it a stir (the 3 ingredients actually create a pretty cool layered effect when poured, so could be served that way for presentation but I would include a stir stick to maximize the taste).  Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Food Pairing: Whiskey & PAMA Glazed Pork Ribs

I had been eyeing a bourbon-glazed rib recipe for a while and this cocktail lent itself perfectly to cooking up a nice rack.  I swapped in Seagram's 7 instead of bourbon and substituted 1 oz PAMA for the plum sauce, but otherwise followed this highly recommended recipe at epicurious.com: Glazed Baby Back Ribs.  They were super tender and the sauce was fantastic.  I prefer my usual cooking technique, which is 100% on the grill as I like the texture of the ribs and spending a few hours on the patio downing a drink or two while keeping on eye on the grill.  However, I will absolutely pair this glaze and cocktail again.

FemBossi: Summer Cocktail Week 16 (Amie & Bonnie)

FemBossi, coming soon!

Mari Jane: Summer Cocktail Week 15 (Anonymous Contributors)

Anyone who knows someone from Eugene probably thinks 1 of 2 things: (1) You must be a Duck fan! or (2) You must be a stoned Duck fan!  True, Eugene is known as a haven for Deadheads, hippies and a generally laid-back culture, perhaps due to the fact that in 1972, the State of Oregon was the first state in the United States to pass cannabis decriminalization legislation.  If you live in Eugene, you essentially fall into 1 of 3 categories: you carry a Medicinal Marijuana card, are licensed to grow for a dispensary, or have a friend who does at least one of those.  For those who have smoked and eaten their fair share of ganja, infusing for a beverage remains the final weed frontier.  Needless to say, our Tribute to Our City Week is as much about the beverage as it is the theme-related munchies food pairings.

My BFF was kind enough to contribute to our summer's blogging activities by infusing a 1/4 oz of home-grown bud into 10 oz vodka.  Since Oregon also gets credit for developing the blackberry's cousin, Marionberry, we also infused a pint of these into 8 oz vodka (note: in a blackberry vs marionberry infusion taste test, the marionberry was sweeter and much tastier and, like our previous strawberry infusion, was delicious enough to enjoy as a sipping treat).  Unsure of the potency or resulting effects, we rolling this week's recipe using tsp and Tbs.  We've also included a bonus cocktail in case you don't live in Eugene.  :-)

Mari Jane

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp MaryJane Infusion
1 Tbs Marionberry Infusion
1/2 Tbs Black Raspberry Soda (used HOTLIPS Soda from Portland)
1/2 tsp Kraken
1 drop Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters

Shake with ice and serve in aperitif glassware.

Meri Kraken Berry

Ingredients (makes 2-4 drinks):
3/4 cup Peach-Infused Dark Rum
2 oz Marionberry-Infused Vodka
2 oz Kraken Black Spiced Rum
1 oz Patron Orange Liquor
6 oz Americana Black Cherry Soda

Puree in a blender with the peaches from infusion.  Add ice and blend until crushed.

Locally Made Munchies
Chinook Salmon (Oregon)
Tillamook Cheese (Tillamook on the coast)
Kettle Brand Chips (Salem)
Hazelnut Hummus (Eugene)
Marionberry Coated Hazelnuts (Aurora)
Dagoba Organic Chocolates (Ashland)

Theme-Related Munchies
Stoned Wheat Thins
Garden Herb Triscuits
Rainbow Mini Bell Peppers (b/c every munchie fest needs something "healthy")

Song Pairing
'Allison' by Frank Black of The Pixies (who spends much time in Eugene)
'Hey Eugene' by Pink Martini (a Portland-based orchestral and concert group--think Arcade Fire meets PDX Cello Project)

Game Day: Summer Cocktail Week 15 (Adam & Michelle)

Game Day

"Red beer" might be a new concept to some, but if you've ever tailgated in Lincoln or happened to grow up in a handful of select regions like rural Nebraska (wait, isn't all of Nebraska rural?) then it's likely you've tried a red beer.  The classic red beer is comprised of cheap beer and tomato juice and some in my extended family even add a dash of salt for good measure.  Yes, it's hilarious that I married a dietitian and my family salts their beverages.

Unfortunately, I hate tomato juice so have been on a quest to create a red beer sans tomato.  With some help from cocktail experts Derek and Eric (I generally only talk to people with rhyming names) I finally pieced together a really good red beer accentuated with nature's perfect food...bacon.

Ingredients:
Cheap Beer (used Coors Light)
Cran-Cherry Juice (used Diet Ocean Spray)
Tabasco
Maple Bacon

In your favorite pint glass combine 30% cran-cherry juice with 70% light beer.  Add 2 dashes of Tabasco and garnish with crispy fried maple bacon.  The taste is similar to a fruity wheat beer and I love the finish from the Tabasco.

While experimenting to find the perfect garnish we tried plain bacon, maple bacon, maple bacon brushed with maple syrup and maple bacon sprinkled with brown sugar.  The syrup and sugar bacons were both deliciously decadent, but the simple hint of sweetness in the maple bacon won out.  The bacon I used wasn't tall enough to stand alone in the glass, so I cut a small diagonal slit in the side to hook it over the edge.  Mmmm...bacon.

Gemstone: Summer Cocktail Week 14 (Amie & Bonnie)

Gemstone

More details coming soon!

Ingredients (makes 2 drinks):
3 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
4 oz Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
1 oz Peruvian Pisco
Ruby Red Ice Cubes
Crystal Geyser Sparkling Water Ice Cubes

Food Pairing: Emerald Valley salsa, Black Diamond extra sharp cheddar cheese, whole wheat flat bread fashioned into diamond shapes and made into layers.

Song Pairing: 'Topaz' by B52s

Murphy Lake & Minnesota Winter: Summer Cocktail Week 14 (Adam & Michelle)

Savage and the Twin Cities take on different lives in summer versus winter, so our 'tribute to our city' theme took the form of dual cocktails.  The first is a sparkling lake scene, brought to life with the edition of Swedish Fish (appropriate given the large Scandinavian population in MN).  The second is a snowball of shaved ice that's as versatile as it is refreshing on a hot day like today.  It's so versatile that we couldn't help but make two variations and pay homage to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and specifically the "Spoonbridge and Cherry."  To top it off we paired this week's drinks with a song from Minnesota natives, the Gear Daddies: 'Cut Me Off.'  It was a fun flashback to college days and great background music to enjoy a couple Sunday cocktails.
Link to Live Version of 'Cut Me Off'

Murphy Lake

Ingredients:
White Rum (used Bacardi)
Triple Sec
Tropical Blue Schnapps
Club Soda
Orange Bitters
Swedish Fish
Orange

Fill a collins glass with ice and wedge a couple Swedish Fish on the outside of the ice.  Add 1/2 shot rum, 1/2 shot triple sec, 1/2 shot blue schnapps and 3 drops of orange bitters.  Top off with club soda and garnish with an orange slice.

Minnesota Winter, Pure Snow

Ingredients:
Ice
UV Cake Vodka

We used UV Vodka because it's made in Minnesota and also because I had heard rumors that its flavored vodkas had more distinct flavors.  The cake vodka was an easy choice because of its clear color and it did indeed taste like frosted sheet cake.  Using an ice shaver (we used a cheap manual version that worked just fine), shave enough ice to fill a small bowl and transfer to a chilled martini glass.  Pour a shot of cake vodka around the edges of the glass to keep a snowball-like mound in the middle.

Minnesota Winter, Cherry

Ingredients:
Ice
Cherry Snow Cone Syrup
Black Cherry Rum

Using an ice shaver, shave enough ice to fill a small bowl and transfer to a chilled martini glass.  Combine equal parts cherry snow cone syrup and black cherry rum and pour over the ice.  To create the "Spoonbridge and Cherry" effect balance a spoon with a cherry over the top of the glass.

Sangdori: Summer Cocktail Week 13 (Amie & Bonnie)

Sangdori

While I was in San Diego last week, Bonnie began brewing-up a concoction we've been looking forward to all summer: Secret Ingredient Sangria.  Bonnie's artistic nature melded with her inner mixologist this week when she not only committed to choosing a beautiful bounty of fresh fruits, but also declined temptation to look at any formal Sangria recipes.  "I knew the usual additions to the wine, besides the fruit, are Grand Marnier and brandy, but I decided to branch out and select what ingredients I could find in Amie's liquor cabinet."

Not surprisingly, she was able to find a myriad of options and eventually chose Triple Sec, a duo of bitters and an unsuspecting but quite worthy secret ingredient.  Originally we had thought to use Emergen-C, the vitamin supplement antioxidant mix (which, btw, is a perfect way to add fruity flavor to vodka in you're low-carbing).  However, once Bonnie started digging into the recesses of the resident bottles, "a beautiful green bottle of Midori surged forth and the recipe burst across my field of vision like the loveliest pattern of fireworks!"

Ingredients:
1.25 bottles Red Wine (we've been really loving a 2008 California Zin/Merlot/Cab blend, Menage a Trois.  It delivers a fresh, ripe, jam-like fruity character with strawberry undertones and a spicy backbone which served as a perfect base for our brew)
1 cup Brandy
1/2 cup Midori Melon Liquor
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1 Orange
1 Pear, peeled
1 pint Fresh Raspberries
1 pint Fresh Blackberries
1 splashy dash of Orange Bitters
1-2 drops of Lemon Bitters

Combine ingredients in a large glass bowl and chill.  We sampled after 3 days and found it to be so delicious that we supplemented the remaining brew to make the batch last all week.  By Saturday it had truly come into its flowering of flavors!  I had no idea Sangria could be so refreshing and was surprised at how smoothly the fruit absorbs the wine (as opposed to infusions that often drain the fruit of all flavor).  I'm not sure there's a bad fruit choice for Sangria, but Bonnie's method sure worked: "I chose berries and oranges but the pear called out to me as if wanting to be part of the group.  And I'm so glad, because not only does it add to the flavor, once it absorbs the wine, it tricks your friends into thinking you added beets!"  There you have it.  Sangdori...Refreshingly Delicious and Fun!

Double A: Summer Cocktail Week 13 (Adam & Michelle)

Double A

Our shot/shooter theme drink is one of our simplest and started with a spur-of-the-moment infusion.  When cleaning out the fridge before vacation I discovered some fresh mango and limes that were begging to be infused with vodka.  You could get creative and use almost any combination of flavors to form the base of this shot.  See what's in the fridge, throw it in vodka for a week and see what happens!  The mango didn't give up as much juice as I expected so the limes created the primary flavor.  For better balance I recommend infusing the mango for a week, then adding the limes for 3 days before straining.

By the way, Double A stands for Absolut Awesome because Absolut is so versatile and infuses so well!

Ingredients:

Citrus-Infused Absolut

Grapes

Simple Syrup

In a shaker add 4-5 red grapes and a splash of simple syrup.  Muddle well.  Add ice and 1-1.5 oz of infused vodka.  Shake well and strain into your favorite shot glass.

The sweetness from the fresh grape juice accentuated by a splash of simple syrup was really tasty and make the Double A easy to throw down.  It'll be fun to try with different flavors (or even plain) vodka and rum.

The Hangover

Week 13 was delayed (posts coming shortly) due to hangover-related complications, so we thought it would be fitting to post our best hangover prevention tips and best hangover cure tips!

Preventative Steps

Adam: Don't mix types of alcohol (beer, wine, liquor).  If you're only having a couple drinks this isn't a big deal, but a night-long assortment leads to no good.  Pick one and stick with it.

Amie: Before bed take an Emergen-C, 3 ibuprofen, and keep a water bottle by the bed.

Bonnie: Build up a high tolerance through frequent drinking.

Michelle: Drink quality stuff--avoid cheap alcohol.  Have a glass a water between each drink.  Before bed take 3 ibuprofen and 1 Tums.

Cures (don't kid yourself--there's no cure, but these may help!)

Adam: Cover up with the quilt Granny gave me decades ago (or your favorite blanket) and keep sleeping until you feel better.

Amie: Consume a can of Pringles and a Diet Coke (although there was some debate as Bonnie and Pat would insist on it being a regular Coke).

Bonnie: Consume a Coke and really really crispy home fries or hash browns, preferably with cheese and onions.  This can also work well as a preventative measure before bed.

Michelle: Sleep with a sleep mask on as it needs to be the darkest ever.  Consume pretzels.

Two final thoughts...

(1) Eat in proportion to how much you're drinking.  More food in your stomach (with a few exceptions) while drinking generally helps.

(2) Bum rush the jazz ho!

Packs A Punch: Summer Cocktail Week 12 (Adam & Michelle)

Packs A Punch

This started as a twist on a Mai Tai, evolved into a version of Rum Punch and then morphed into a souped-up Sangria.  Regardless of its lineage, the bottom line here is that "Packs A Punch" is potentially the healthiest drink you'll enjoy all week.  The dietitian across the table from me might disagree but I would argue there are more fruit servings in one drink than I normally consume in a week.  We maximized our rum theme by including not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 4 different kinds of rum between the cocktail and food pairing.

Cocktail Ingredients:
Black Cherry Rum (used Cruzan)
Bacardi 151
Dark Rum (used Myers's)
Pineapple Juice
Orange
Lime
Pineapple
Nectarine
Green Apple (used Granny Smith)
Starfruit

Several hours before serving, pour pineapple juice into an ice cube tray (we used a rubber tray that makes X shapes) and freeze.  Using frozen juice instead of ice cubes avoids watering down the drink as it melts.  In a goblet add a couple frozen pineapple juice cubes, a slice of lime, pineapple chunks, a slice of nectarine, a slice of orange and a couple slices of green apple (they turned out to be our favorite fruit).  In a separate bowl (or bottom of a hand juicer) combine the juice of half an orange, the juice of half a lime, 1 oz of pineapple juice, 1.5 oz of black cherry rum (1 jigger), 2/3 oz of 151 and dark rum to taste (used about 2/3 oz).  Give it a little stir and pour over the fruit in the goblet.  Garnish with a slice of starfruit.

Food Pairing: Mojito Marinaded Shrimp

In a large baggie combine 1/4 cup Bacardi light rum, a handful of chopped mint leaves, zest of 1 lime, juice of 1 lime, 2 Tbsp kosher salt, 1/3 cup sugar, seal and shake until the salt and sugar dissolve.  Add jumbo shrimp, seal and refrigerate for 20 minutes.  Don't over-marinade the shrimp or the lime juice will start to cook them and you'll end up with ceviche.  Grill the shrimp over medium-high heat for a couple minutes on each side until pink and cooked through.  The salty mint and lime flavor goes great with the sweetness of a Packs A Punch!