Shake, Stir, Pour-Fresh Homegrown Cocktails Make Syrups, Mixers, Infused Spirits, and Bitters with Farm-Fresh Ingredients-50 Original Recipes

by Garces, Jose; Loeb, Katie

• ISBN13: 9781592537976
• ISBN10: 1592537979
• Format: Spiral Bound
• Copyright: 2012-07-01
• Publisher: Quarry Books

Summary

Homegrown Cocktails-no bootlegging required! Ever tasted a Thai basil martini, rhubarb margarita, or preserved lemon vodka tonic and wondered, “How’d they do that?” Homegrown Cocktailsis your complete guide to making infused liquors, cordials, bitters, and cocktails from fresh, delicious ingredients at home. Learn how to combine fresh produce and other botanicals with the liquor you have at home, and you’ll never need to beg the bartender for the recipe again. Inside, you’ll find: - 50 unique cocktail recipes from an expert “garden-to-bar” mixologist - Step-by-step instructions and photos for all stages of the distilling and infusion process – never miss a detail or a finishing touch! - Tips on how to make the most of your ingredients: enhancing flavor, color, and presentation!

Author Biography

Katie Loeb is a bartender, sommelier, creator of craft cocktails, and author of numerous articles and cocktail recipes, which have been published in Bon Apetít, The Los Angeles Times, Imbibe, Philadelphia Magazine, Inside, and Food & Wine Magazine cocktail books. She has consulted for numerous restaurant groups and spirit brands, providing cocktail recipes, beverage lists, and operations assistance. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Katie Loeb is a bartender, sommelier, creator of craft cocktails, and author of numerous articles and cocktail recipes, which have been published in Bon Apet\u00edt, The Los Angeles Times, Imbibe, Philadelphia Magazine, Inside, and Food & Wine Magazine cocktail books. She has consulted for numerous restaurant groups and spirit brands, providing cocktail recipes, beverage lists, and operations assistance. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Excerpts

Blueberry Syrup

Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. That alone is a good enough reason to include them in your diet, but their delicious sweet flavor is the best reason to include them in your beverages, both alcoholic and not.

Ingredients:

—3 cups (710 ml) water

—3 cups (366 g) blueberries, rinsed clean and any visible stems removed

—2 cups (400 g) sugar

—1 teaspoon grated or microplaned lemon zest

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

2. Add blueberries and lower heat to a simmer. Simmer berries for 10 minutes until they begin to soften.

3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

4. Puree in blender, add lemon zest, and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain into a bowl through a fine-mesh strainer, chinoise, or through a double layer of cheesecloth to remove berry skins, lemon zest, and any stems or leaves.

5. Funnel into clean glass jars and refrigerate. This syrup keeps for up to 3 weeks.

YIELD: APPROXIMATELY 1 QUART (1 L)

Blueberry Lemonade

Berries and lemonade just scream summertime. Blueberry lemonade is refreshing and takes advantage of the bounty of the season. This recipe works brilliantly with raspberry or strawberry syrup, too. You could easily substitute raspberries or strawberries into the Blueberry Syrup recipe in the same proportions and use those syrups for berry lemonade variations.

Ingredients:

—1 1/2 cups (355 ml) Blueberry Syrup (above)

—1 1/2 cups (355 ml) fresh lemon juice

—3 cups (710 ml) water

—Garnish: Lemon wheel or skewered blueberries

Directions:

6. Combine Blueberry Syrup, lemon juice, and water in a large pitcher or container. Stir well to combine.

7. Serve over ice and garnish with a lemon wheel or skewered blueberries.

8. If you’d like to make this into Adults Only Lemonade, add a couple of ounces of citrus, raspberry, or vanilla vodka, or a citrus-forward gin like Bluecoat to your glass.

YIELD: 1 1/2 QUARTS (1.4 L)