Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Thyme Whiskey Limoncello

     

    March is here at last and we are ready for all that this month happens to bring with it.  Vacations, Spring break and hopefully a little rain.  To start the month off in a celebratory mood, we will be serving up our cocktail of the month, a Thyme Whiskey Limoncello.  Of course, we used our favorite Irish whiskey for this drink, Telling Single Pot Whiskey.  But you can use your favorite Whiskey or whatever you happen to have on hand.  Of course we chose an Irish whiskey in remembrance of St. Patrick’s Day. 

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, who when he was just 16 years old, was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave.  He managed to escape but returned to convert the Irish to Christianity in 432 ce, and is recorded with opening churches, monasteries and schools during his thirty years on the island.  He is said to have used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and is also said to have driven snakes from Ireland.  The Irish community celebrates the day as a religious feast day and it became Americanized in 1732 led by parade, “wearing of the green,” and dying rivers green, just to name a few.  

In continued celebration with St. Patrick, we selected Irish Whiskey as our base for our cocktail of the month and are excited to share it with you this month.  Please note here are a few more tips to make your drink the way you want it when making it on your own.  If you like your drink on the sweeter side, add in an ounce of simple syrup.  Do not have any Limoncello, just add more fresh squeezed lemon juice.  Make your drink the way you want it and use your favorite whiskey. 

Thyme Whiskey Limoncello

Serves 1

2 ounces Teeling Whiskey

1 ounce Limoncello

½-¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice

One sprig of thyme

Pull off the thyme leaves directly into your ice filled shaker cup.  Add in the whiskey, limoncello and lemon juice.  Shake until the outside is cold.  Pour into an ice filled glass.  Garnish with lemon rind and fresh thyme. 

This cocktail is great to sip and enjoy under the moon light, with friends.  Enjoy your drink with a hearty Irish stew or Seafood chowder.  Ask for it by request when you stay at the Oaks Bed and Breakfast or for any special event.  

Please enjoy responsibly and have a designated driver.  Cheers!

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Rosemary Gin Rickey

 

    The Texas weather is starting to think like fall and lower the temperature, while the sun is down at least.  That means cooler mornings and cooler evening hours, which makes the perfect time to enjoy a herb infused cocktail by the fire.  The twist with this classic cocktail is in the honey rosemary simple syrup.  

    Never one to change a good thing too much, after all vintage is always a current trend.  Instead of just adding in a bit of rosemary to garnish, we have steeped the rosemary and honey together to make a wonderful and powerful simple syrup.  

Rosemary Honey Simple Syrup

6 servings at 1 ounce

1/2 cup boiling water

2 TBLS Raw Honey

1/4 Cup Rosemary leaves

Add the honey and rosemary to a heat proof bowl.  Pour over the boiling water and stir until the honey dissolves. Let the rosemary steep for up to 20 minutes.  This also allows it to cool before making your drink. If you do not plan to use it right away, strain out the rosemary and place in an airtight container in the fridge.  This will last about a week.  Or you can freeze it into ice cubes for several months.

    The simple syrup is a great way to add a little sweet to your drink.  For anyone who knows me, knows that I do not like my drinks overly sweet, this makes the perfect amount to adjust exactly how you like your drink.  We are going to use about 1/2 ounce, so your simple syrup can go along way.  But if you have friends who like their drinks to be a little sweeter add another 1/2 ounce or so to their drink.  

    Rosemary Gin Rickey

serves 1

1 1/2 ounces Gin

1/2 ounces Rosemary Simple Syrup

1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice

1/2 cup Sparkling Water/Club Soda

In an ice filled glass pour all the liquids.  Stir to combine, and garish with lime wedge and rosemary.

    It's that simple to make this drink.  The longest portion of the drink happens to be making the simple syrup.  Once you have yours made it's pretty simple to put together.  Want to make your drink a mocktail?  Eliminate the gin and add in a bit more Sparkling Water or Club Soda.  Everyone in your group will enjoy this refreshing beverage.

    As always please drink responsibly and have a designated driver.  Cheers!

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Cranbaretto Sour

 

Our cocktail this month is a special request for a wedding we are hosting this April.  Our bride wanted to have an Amaretto Sour that is pink.  With a  little research we found a way to turn the drink pink and add a little bit of something extra to enhance the flavor. 

 

The Cranbaretto Sour has been born.  The great thing about this cocktail is that it is actually best to make in a big batch.  This serves our purposes very well, since it will be our signature cocktail on the day of the wedding.  We just need to prep the cranberries beforehand and we are off to the races.  In our single serve option, I think we needed a little more of the cranberry simple syrup.

 

The good news is that when we make this for the event, we will be working in big batches and can make the color as close to pink as possible.  By adding a light dash of edible pink glitter, the bride should be thrilled to have this special drink. 

 

Cranberry Simple Syrup

1 cup fresh cranberry

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

 

Add the cranberry, water and sugar to a pot and bring to a boil.  You want the cranberries to burst to release their flavor and color into the simple syrup.  The longer you cook it the more it will thicken, so do not overcook. 

 

Cranbaretto Sour

Serves 8

2 cups Amaretto

1 cup lemon juice

1 ounces cranberry simple syrup

 

Add all the ingredients into a pitcher and give it a good stir.  Pour over ice and garnish with mint and extra cranberries if you want.  Add more cranberry syrup to adjust to the color you are looking for.

 

We can hardly wait to serve this drink for the wedding.  We know the guests will enjoy each drop.  What a special way to ring in your special day, than with a signature cocktail.  We hope you will give this one a try and let us know what you think.  Please be sure to drink responsibly and have a designated driver. 

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Rosemary Apple Cider Margarita

 

    I was recently asked to make a cocktail for a special event at Craver's Community Garden in Sulphur Springs.  Their annual Empty Bowls fundraiser will be held on Thursday, November 7 and since they are serving Pozole I decided a fall twist on the classic margarita was in order.  Empty Bowls is held to bring awareness of food insecurities in our area and to raise funds for a local food bank that serves members in our community.  From 5:30 - 8 p. m. at 420 W. Park Street in Sulphur Springs, you can stop by to enjoy our cocktail, some delicious soup and see for yourself a wonderful community space in action.  

    Empty Bowls closes out the year at Craver's for the season before they reopen in the Spring to help serve the community by growing produce for the food bank and hosting community events for children and adults alike.  The goal is to raise enough money to purchase the food bank a fridge to hold fresh produce during the growing season.  You can grab yourself a bowl for $20, and go home with a beautifully decorated bowl made by the Sulphur Springs High School art department, or you can bring in a bag of shelf stable food to donate to the food pantry and enjoy a bowl of soup as well.  

    Let's get to the good stuff.  I'm sure you have already guessed by now that instead of doing a lime based mix we are going to use Apple Cider as the base for our margarita.  The quantity I'm listing for is for two or three drinks depending on you glass size. 

Rosemary Apple Cider Margarita

3/4 cup apple cider

1/2 cup Tequila

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

1/2 cup lime juice

brown sugar to rim the glass

sprig of rosemary

Mix the apple cider, tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime juice together in a pitcher.  Rub a lime wedge around the glass and dip into the brown sugar.  Fill the cup with ice and top with the mixed drink.  Garnish with Rosemary.  You can also choose to garnish with apple slice or a cinnamon stick.  

    Make this drink your own.  If you like it a little more tangy keep it the way it is.  If you prefer to have a sweeter Margarita then add a teaspoon or two of agave nectar.  I like to use an apple cider that looks like it had been homemade. Therefore, you have to shake it or stir often because the spices settle to the bottom.  Believe it or not the apple flavor is not overwhelming, and it's a great fall twist to a classic drink.  

    Stop by on November 7 at Craver's Community Garden to try it out or book a stay at The Oaks to test the drink for yourself on our back deck.  Remember to drink responsibly and always have a designated driver.  Cheers!

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Citrus Basil Gin

 

Summer is in full swing, and the garden at The Oaks Bed and Breakfast, is bursting with colors and flavors that remind us regularly of summer.  The tomatoes are slowly turning red, which is amazing considering how much rain we have gotten this Spring and early Summer.  The new herbs are coming in great, and I can hardly wait to enjoy all of them in new dishes and cocktails.

 

               This month I really wanted to feature St. Germain as one of the liquors in our cocktail and set out to find just the right mix to bring out the flavor of the Summer.  Basil is one of our all time favorite Summer herbs and does not disappoint in this mix.  The jalapenos really come out in this drink as well.  The longer you let the basil and jalapeno set in the Gin the stronger the flavor will be.  You could even go so far as to let it steep overnight if you really want to experience the flavor of those two items.

 

               The grapefruit adds a bit of tart to counteract the slight sting of the jalapeno in each sip.  The basil just adds that bit of Summer you are looking for on those warm Texas evenings sitting on the porch or back deck.  This drink is simple to make but complex in the flavors.  You won’t want to miss this one!

 

Citrus Basil Gin

 

2 ounces Gin

3-4 sliced jalapeno

4-6 basil leaves

2 ounces Grapefruit juice

1 ounce St. Germain

Club Soda (optional)

 

Add your jalapeno, basil and gin to a shaker cup and muddle the leaves and slices down to release the flavor.  Let the mixture sit for at least 15 minutes.  Depending on how strong you want the basil and jalapeno to be.  Add ice to your shaker cup, then add in St. Germain and grapefruit juice.  Give it good shake.  Pour over iced filled, sugar or salt rimmed glass.  Garnish with a sprig of Basil.

 

               St. Germain is one of our favorite liqueurs to use, it is smooth and a little sweet.  Since the elderberries are slowly starting to ripen out along the road, I felt it was time to revisit this French creation.  Not only do we have some basil which is a personal summer time staple, we also have the use of the elderflower liqueur, St. Germain.

               We hope that you will enjoy this refreshing summer cocktail and as always drink responsibly and have a designated driver. Be sure to check out our video on how we made this drink on our YouTube channel.  Cheers from the Oaks Bed and Breakfast.