Saturday Spirits: Gin & Herbs Spring Cocktail

March 28, 2015 2 Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

My favorite thing about Spring is the emergence of all the fresh herbs. This cocktail is the perfect mix of fresh herbs and the wonderful aromatics of gin.

Ingredients
Shaker
Muddler
Ice
Rocks glass with Ice
4 Slices of Cucumber (3 for beverage and 1 for garnish)
1 sprig thyme for garnish
1 oz Basil & Thyme Simple Syrup (See recipe below)
½ oz lime juice ( ½ of freshly squeezed lime)
1 ¼ oz Gin
2 oz Sparkling Water (Or Soda Water)

Directions
1. Put ice, 3 slices of cucumber, 1 oz of basil & thyme simple syrup, squeeze of lime juice, and the half of the lime into a shaker—Muddle
2. Pour gin into shaker, cover, and shake vigorously
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice
4. Pour in sparkling water and garnish with cucumber slice and thyme sprig
5. Enjoy!

How to Make a Basil & Thyme Simple Syrup
1. Put a handful of basil leaves and several sprigs of thyme into a small sauce pan with 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of water. 2. Stir the mixture as it heats on medium-low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved (about four minutes) 3. Remove from heat and let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 4. Once cooled, taste to see mixture as it sits to get your desired herbal flavor. 5. Once you have your desired flavor pour mixture over a sieve— to strain the solid from syrup—into a jar.The mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month.

Originally published on InComplete Magazine

A Well Crafted Pantry

Saturday Spirits: Gin, Thyme, and Quick Pickle Fizz Cocktail

August 23, 2014 No Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

Gin Fizz Cocktail with Quick Pickle Recipe // A Well Crafted Party — Photo by Motormouth Studios

This cocktail must be one of the strangest concoctions I’ve come up with yet. But, I was really craving a savory and smooth cocktail that utilized some of the yummy produce that my husband’s garden was giving us. At first I tried some muddling of these awesome cucumbers that he grew. But, the cucumber was much too bitter for a good cocktail. That is when I realized they were PICKLING cucumbers. Duh. So, a quick pickle happened and then the magic of this drink came together. If you are looking for a savory and smooth cocktail — good for brunch or a nice lunch on the lawn — then I’d challenge you to give it a shot.

Gin & Thyme Fizz Cocktail with Quick Pickles

This cocktail is made with egg white. Egg whites give a cocktail a creamy and rich texture along with some pretty awesome looking foam. Use your best food handling practices when working with raw eggs at all times. Clean hands, freshest possible eggs, and safe handling. Typically when using egg whites in a drink I like to shake up the drinks ingredients without ice to make sure the foam is the best and then I add ice, shake a bit and pour into a glass. Because I wanted the thyme and quick pickle to impart some flavor in this drink I chose to shake it all together with ice. It still worked great.

Ingredients & Supplies:

Cocktail Glass- I used a rocks glass
Cocktail Shaker
Ice
Fine Mesh Sieve
1 Egg White
2 oz Gin
1 oz Simple Syrup
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 Quick Pickles (recipe below)
2 Sprigs of Thyme

Directions:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour over the gin, simple syrup, and lime juice. Add in 1 sprig of thyme and 1 quick pickle.Finally add the egg white.
SHAKE LIKE CRAZY! Shake it up really well so that the quick pickle and thyme really infuse the drink with flavor and so the egg white gets nice and frothy.
Strain the cocktail into a glass. You can do this drink up in a martini glass, or like I did, on the rocks in a rocks glass.
Garnish with quick pickle and sprig of thyme

Quick Pickle Recipe

Quick pickles are not pickles that will last for a long time in your pantry. I like to make quick pickles the same day or the day before I’m going to eat them. Make at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before you need them.
Ingredients & Supplies

1 Medium to Large Sized Bowl
2 Pickling Cucumbers cut into spears
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
1 Cup Water (Boil before use)
1/2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt

Directions

Put vinegars, water, and sugar in bowl and stir until sugar dissolves.
Add cucumber spears to bowl, make sure vinegar solution covers all spears.
Sprinkle with salt, cover and set in fridge.
Test for a crunchy, slightly acidic and slightly sweet pickle after about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

A Well Crafted Pantry

Saturday Spirits: Twists on the Martini Recipe

August 9, 2014 3 Comments A Well Crafted Pantry

Greek Martini and Other Twists on the Classic // A Well Crafted Party — Image taken by Portland photographer Macey Snelson of Motormouth Studios

Last week’s post featured one of my all time favorite cocktails… a simple, classic martini! I also shared a bit of the terminology surrounding martinis. I could drink a classic martini almost every time I want a drink. However, every now and again I like to mix up my martini a bit with one of the following “twists” on tradition.

Martini with a Twist: This is actually pretty much considered a classic. But, because I typically prefer olives… this is mixing it up for me. When I want a different flavor than olives I’ll make the classic martini and add a lemon twist. Nearly any bar, any where will have the ingredients to make this cocktail. (A twist is just a piece of citrus zest that garnishes a cocktail.) How to Make a Lemon Twist: I love this Bon Appetit article that shows three ways to make a lemon twist.
Dirty Greek Martini: (pictured) One of my favorite greek restaurants serves their dirty martini subbing greek olives instead of the traditionally used pimento stuffed green olives. I like to do vodka in my greek martini! This cocktail might be best made at home since most bars aren’t going to carry greek olives. How To Make a Dirty Greek Martini: Pour 2 oz vodka, 3/4 oz dry vermouth, and 1/4 oz greek olive juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake at least 45 seconds. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with greek olives.
Gibson: A Gibson Martini is traditionally a Gin martini garnished with a pickled onion. This is a super traditional drink—most bars will be able to easily whip this up for you. How to Make a Gibson Martini: Pour 2 oz of gin and 3/4 oz dry vermouth over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake for at least 45 seconds. Stain into a martini glass. Garnish with pickled pearl onions.
Dirty & Spicy Martini: A dangerously good sipper if you like it hot… I tried this martini at a bar that had their own pepper infused vodka. You can easily make it at home, but some bars may have the fixings for this as well. How to Make a Dirty & Spicy Martini: Pour 2 oz pepper infused vodka, 3/4 oz dry vermouth, and 1/4 oz olive juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a pepper and olive!
Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives with a Dry Martini: When I know a bar has freshly stuffed blue cheese olives I will ALWAYS order this drink. They have to be freshly stuffed though… I haven’t met a jarred blue cheese stuffed olive than I’ve liked yet. How to make Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives with a Dry Martini: For the martini I like to keep it very dry and clean. First you’ll want to prep your olives. I typically get large pimento stuffed green olives, pop out the pimento’s and stuff with blue cheese using my fingers. I then pour 1/4 oz vermouth into a chilled martini glass, swish around the glass and pour out. Then pour 3 oz of vodka over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with your freshly stuffed Blue Cheese Olives!

There are a ton of variations of cocktails that are based off the basic martini recipe. Changing up garnishes and/or portions can easily switch up a drink.

Tell me…. do you like martinis? If so, what is your martini order? Comment below!

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