No-Bloat, Fresh DIY Cocktails

[ French 75 champagne cocktail [ striped straw found here ] ]

[ Essential bar tools ]

In celebration of Michael’s birthday, I’m going to talk cocktails. Recently, he has taken up a fun, new hobby: bartending. We’ve been experimenting with the freshest ingredients & all different kinds of spirits. I thought I despised gin. Turns out, I don’t hate the juniper tasting liquor at all when it’s used properly. Below are the recipes for four DIY cocktails with fresh, skinny ingredients. Happy birthday, hunny!

Skinny Cocktail List:

+ French 75: 

1.5 ounce gin [ my preference Hendrick’s gin ]
1/2 ounce of simple syrup [ we make our own- see below for recipe ]
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 splashes of French champagne 

+ Instructions: over ice, in a tall glass, add simple syrup, gin, & lemon juice. Stir gently together. Top with champagne. Garnish with lemon peel.

+ Gin-Gin Mule:

2 ounces gin
3/4 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce ginger syrup [ DIY recipe below ]
Ginger beer [ to taste ]
8 fresh mint leaves

+ Instructions: add mint leaves, ginger syrup, & lime juice to a mixing glass. Muddle until mint aroma is released. Add gin & ice. Shake until cold. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Add ginger beer & garnish with fresh mint.

+ Clover Club:

1.5 ounce gin
1 ounce simple syrup
3/4 fresh squeezed lemon juice
6 raspberries
1 egg white [ yes, an egg white ]

+ Instructions: add simple syrup & raspberries to a shaker & muddle gently. Add lemon juice, gin, and egg white to a shaker. Dry shake with no ice to mix egg in. Add ice, shake until cold, double strain into cocktail glass with ice. Garnish with lemon peel.

+ Grapefruit Tom Collins:

2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 ounce simple syrup
3 ounces of Perrier sparkling water

+ Instructions: add gin, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, & simple syrup to mixing glass. Add ice, shake, and strain over ice-filled Collins glass. Add Perrier sparkling water and stir gently. Garish with a grapefruit wheel, halved.

P.S. Use real fruit to make your fresh juices! And here are the fresh syrup recipes:

++ Simple Syrup:

1 cup organic sugar
1 cup of water

+ Instructions: add water & sugar to a saucepan and boil over low heat. Stir until all the sugar dissolves & it’s clear. Bottle the syrup [ a funnel does wonders here ] & put it in the refrigerator.

++ Ginger Syrup:

2 ounces fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 cup organic sugar
1 1/2 cup water

+ Instructions: combine ginger, sugar, & water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Continue simmering for thirty to forty minutes or until syrup smells gingery. Remove from heat and cool completely. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve, transfer to a bottle, & refrigerate. [ Recipe adapted from Cocktailia ].

Cheers!

[ Gin-Gin Mule ]

[ The Clover Club ]

[ Grapefruit Tom Collins ]

[ Happy birthday to my love! ]