Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Gin Sage Paloma

 

    What a month it has been, and I felt like it might never end.  Why does January always seem to take so long to come to its conclusion?  At long last we have made it and now it's time for another new herb infused cocktail from the Oaks Bed and Breakfast, by the Tipsy Oak Lounge. 

    We did a twist on a classic Tequila drink and made it with Gin instead and let me tell you it does not disappoint.  The sweet and sour of the grapefruit mix well with the Gin in this paloma to make a smooth and refreshing drink. 

    The one thing I think I will do differently from my video is make my simple syrup a sage infused simple syrup.  Sage has a great smokey flavor and with just muddling I did not feel that alone brought it out enough.  However, adding it to the syrup would do wonders, along with a little more grapefruit juice.  A one-to-one ratio on the grapefruit to Gin I think would be best.  This is going to look like a little more juice or less Gin.  

Gin Sage Paloma

1.5 ounces Gin

1.5 ounces Grapefruit juice

1/2 ounce sage simple syrup

Splash of Club Soda or Sparkling Water

In a shaker cup muddle some sage at the bottom.  Fill with ice.  Add in all liquid except Soda or Sparkling Water.  Give it a good shake.  Pour into a salt rimmed glass, top it off with Club Soda or Sparkling Water, and garnish with grapefruit slice and sage. 

    This is a great drink to have on any day of the week and can of course be made into a mocktail by excluding the gin and adding more Sparkling Water.  Be sure to stop by the Tipsy Oak Lounge to enjoy your herb infused cocktail.  As always please drink responsibly and have a designated driver. 

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Sparkling Sage Pear

     

    Fall is by far my favorite season, and I can hardly wait for it to kick in, here in Sulphur Springs, and around the state.  All the festivals, food, and fun that can be had in fall; let's not forget the cooler temperatures.  Plus, the colors of fall are just so warm and inviting, they make you want to sit around the campfire and tell stories, roast marshmallows, or enjoy a fall cocktail.  

    October's cocktail is full of fall flavor.  Sage, and pears, really come into their own in the fall season.  One of the last, non-citrus family fruits to ripen on the tree are pears.  With multiple varieties grown around the globe, pear can be used in so many different applications.  Pears can be baked and eaten with a touch of cinnamon.  Made into a crip to enjoy for dessert or breakfast.  We chose to use the pear this month as a highlight to our cocktail of the month.  

    We blended up fresh pears, to make the pear nectar for this drink.  The fresh pears give it a heavier, more full feeling, and it holds on to the flavor longer.  We also used sage as our herb this month, because of the woodsy, strong flavor the herb lends to the vodka when infused.  There is no specialty liquor that has sage in a bottle, so you must make your own on this one.  If you want to make this drink at home be sure to plan ahead.  

   To infuse your vodka, cut some sage and place it in a jar.  Fill the jar so that the sage is fully covered.  Tighten the lid and place it on a windowsill to speed up the process.  The vodka I used sat by the window for about a week before I made my cocktail.  Depending on how strong you want the sage flavor to be, will be determined how long you let it sit.  

    This recipe also calls for ginger simple syrup.  Just like always one to one on the sugar to water ratio, add in your fresh chopped ginger and a tablespoon of lemon juice, to a pot on the stove.  Let all the sugar dissolve and the mixture heat up.  It's as easy as that to bring our the ginger flavor for this drink.

    Sparkling Sage Pear

3 ounces Pear nectar

2 ounces Sage infused vodka

1/2 ounce Ginger simple syrup

1/2 lemon

Sparkling water or ginger ale

    Combine all the ingredients, except for the sparkling water, into an ice filled shaker cup. Shake it up  well.  Once completed, pour into two iced filled glasses, and top it off with sparkling water.  Garnish your drink with slices of pear and sage.  

    Of course, if you do not want to make this drink at home you can always stop by the Tipsy Oak Lounge located at the Oaks bed and breakfast and order one, or two.  This drink can also be made without the liquor, and into a delicious mocktail for everyone in your group to enjoy.  As always drink responsibly and have a designated driver.  Cheers!

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Lemon Basil Martini

 

    Summer is still in full swing, and the herb garden is still producing wonderfully, fragrant and tasty herbs for all our guests to enjoy.  Our ultimate favorite summer herb is basil, so we had to feature it one more time in a cocktail before we pulled them out to wait for the next year's growth.  Let me tell you, the basil in this month's drink packs a punch and really shines.

    We typically plant three or four varieties of basil each year.  Two of our favorites that we use regularly are purple basil and the traditional sweet basil.  These two are the varietals we are featuring is this month's cocktail.  You will notice in our images, that the liquid has a pink tint, this is due to the use of purple basil.  The muddling process broke down the leaves which emitted a color when mixed with the liquid ingredients.  The entire process really made the drink stand out.

    The beautiful part of this drink is how easy it is to make and consume.  If you are a fan of vodka this basil martini is for you.

Lemon Basil Martini

6-10 basil leaves

3/4 ounce simple syrup

3/4 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 ounces vodka 

Ice

Rim your martini glass with lemon sugar, before starting your drink.  Muddle the basil leaves at the bottom of a shaker cup.  Add all the liquid and ice.  Shake vigorously until the shaker cup is very cold.  Pour contents into the prepared glass.  Garnish with lemon wedge and fresh basil.  

    The lemon basil martini is so easy to make and even easier to consume.  Take time while you are at the Tipsy Oak Lounge to enjoy this cocktail of the month, with friends. You are sure to enjoy the flavor and mix of this cocktail.

    As always please drink responsibly and have a designated driver.  We hope that you will share with us your versions of this drink or join us to have one.  Cheers from the Oaks bed and breakfast. 

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Raspberry Peach Lemonade

 

    August is right around the corner, and for the month of August we will be featuring a Raspberry Peach Lemonade at the Tipsy Oak Lounge as our cocktail of the month.  We wanted to harness  more summer flavors to help everyone get ready for the start of the school year and ready themselves for the fall.  Being able to pull out all the joy and fun from summer is what life is all about.  We want to help you make that happen by creating a simple and delicious drink to enjoy on those summer evenings.  

    A great part of this drink, is that if you have leftover Mint Simple syrup from last months cocktail, you can use it again here in this drink to add a little sweetness to the tart of the lemons.  Since mint is our herb once again, that just makes it even sweeter. 

    We did utilize frozen fruit for this drink since, ironically we did not see any peaches at the store, during the time and location in which we went.  Raspberries last a little longer in frozen form than fresh.  I would recommend using fresh when you can to really pull the flavor and natural sweetness from the fruit.  

Raspberry Peach Lemonade

1 full peach, cut into chunks

1/4 cup Raspberries

1 cup water

2 lemons, cut and squeezed

1 ounce Mint Simple syrup

1 1/2 ounces Rum

Blend up the fruit and water into a puree.  Muddle mint at the bottom of shaker cup.  Squeeze two lemons into the shaker cup.  Add simple syrup, fruit puree, and rum.  Shake until mixed well.  Pour into an ice filled glass and garnish.  You can go all out with peach slices, raspberry and mint, or keep it simple with just mint. 

    This makes for a refreshing summer drink for the whole family.  Make a big batch and leave out the rum to let the kids and those not drinking liquor to enjoy as well.  The perfect summer mocktail for all.  As always please drink responsibly and have a designated driver.  Until next month, Cheers from the Oaks bed and breakfast.  

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Watermelon Basil Margarita

 

    Summer is the perfect time to sip an ice cold drink on the patio or outside deck.   Watch nature change and adapt as you sit back and relax with a tasty beverage.  This month the Oaks Bed and Breakfast, presents a Watermelon Basil Margarita, as the herb infused cocktail of the month.  A thirst quenching treat with amazing summer flavors for those of age to enjoy.

    This drink has just the right amount of sweetness, between the watermelon and the basil simple syrup.  Just add in some lime and tequila and you have a summer drink ready for the deck.  Grab some ceviche or chips and salsa to enjoy with your margarita.

    The simple syrup is easy to make.  A one to one ratio of sugar to water, plus add in your basil and bring to a boil on the stove top.  Let the mixture simmer until all the sugar has melted.  Set aside to cool and then place inside an air tight container until ready for use. 

    I did pick up a seedless watermelon, that had seeds, so I had to pull those out while making the drink, no one wants to have seeds in their margarita.  I guess I need to select a better option next time.  Here are the details for you to enjoy this drink.

Watermelon Basil Margarita

1 1/2 ounces Tequila Silver

1 ounce Lime Juice

1/2 ounce Basil Simple Syrup

2 ounces Watermelon Juice

Add everything to a shaker cup filled with ice.  Give it a vigorous shake and pour over a sugar and chili rimmed glass.  Garnish with a slice of lime and basil.

    Be sure to check out our simple video of how to make the

Watermelon Basil Margarita on our YouTube channel.  You can also explore our past drinks there as well.  

    You can rim your glass with just sugar, sugar and chili or nothing at all it depends on what you want to taste.  The simple syrup brings out the flavor of the basil but is subtle in the tasty of the drink.  While you can savor the watermelon flavor with each sip.

    We hope that you will enjoy the Watermelon Basil Margarita this summer.  Stop by the Tipsy Oak Lounge to taste one this June.  As always please remember to drink responsibly and have a designated driver. Cheers!