Most hours will get a little happier with a special sip and a snack - cheers!
A sip and a snack, sometimes that’s exactly what the brief requires. For a recent socially distanced patio hangout with friends, the resident bar chef made a batch of Tart Cherry Gimlets which hit all the right notes. Pretty in the glass, puckery on the tongue, and easy going down the hatch. “I’ll have another, please!” was heard more than once that evening.
Here is Ilise’s recipe for the refreshing cocktail (quantities shown are per serving):
Tart Cherry Gimlet
1 ½ oz Gin
¾ oz Lime Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup*
1 ½ oz Tart Cherry Juice
Lime wedge and/or cherry for garnish
Directions: Put ice in a shaker, add all liquid ingredients, and shake well. Pour strained drink into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a slice of lime and /or a cherry. If preferred, serve this on the rocks.
* Simple Syrup: Add equal parts sugar and water in a pan and heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved into the water and the liquid looks clear.
Tart Cherry Gimlet
1 ½ oz Gin
¾ oz Lime Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup*
1 ½ oz Tart Cherry Juice
Lime wedge and/or cherry for garnish
Directions: Put ice in a shaker, add all liquid ingredients, and shake well. Pour strained drink into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a slice of lime and /or a cherry. If preferred, serve this on the rocks.
* Simple Syrup: Add equal parts sugar and water in a pan and heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved into the water and the liquid looks clear.
When serving drinks, always provide a snack alongside. Whether a feast or just nibbles, you decide, but it’s the way to be a responsible host by helping to absorb the alcohol.
A bowl of toasted, spiced nuts fits the bill. The flavors may be adjusted to suit your taste buds and it’s a great make-ahead dish. This zesty mix comes from Ina Garten, the revered kitchen goddess. While it is the rosemary you will taste first, the warm heat of the chipotle leaves a lasting presence. Find the delicious recipe here.
A bowl of toasted, spiced nuts fits the bill. The flavors may be adjusted to suit your taste buds and it’s a great make-ahead dish. This zesty mix comes from Ina Garten, the revered kitchen goddess. While it is the rosemary you will taste first, the warm heat of the chipotle leaves a lasting presence. Find the delicious recipe here.
“And what about the music”, I hear you asking. For the cook-along song I simply must defer to one of my favorite groups from the 1980s/90s – Cocteau Twins. I have no idea what the lyrics mean amid this atmospheric wave of sound, but the title surely fits the occasion.
For a jazzy accompaniment to your drinks and snacks, I recommend this playlist from a powerhouse quintet of days gone by – Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach, and Charles Mingus. One track is titled “Salt Peanuts”, which is how we got here. Welcome and enjoy!
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