The thing about minimalism is that it's all about deception.  What you think is simple is actually quite complex, and there in lies the magic.  I don't think I would ever call myself a minimalist - I like things (cough - glassware) too much - but I do like when a concept is followed through relentlessly. Which brings me to the Clarified Salty Paloma.  I first saw this cocktail on Instagram, posted by Max Reis (@beerghost), who works at Gracias Madre in Los Angeles.  He developed this minimalist take on the Paloma and kindly shared the recipe with me, and now I share it w ..read more

I find inspiration for cocktails: in food, in deserts, but most often, I find inspiration in the spirits themselves.  Whenever I'm getting acquainted with a new spirit, I taste it neat, and identify the primary flavors.  I then try to think about what other flavors will either compliment or contrast against the dominant flavors in that spirit and build a concept around that.  Lemongrass is a flavor that struck me in the new Bowling & Burch gin, the small batch gin made from 17 botanicals grown on the Limestone Branch Distillery grounds.  I was surprised to see Lemongr ..read more

This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite summer treats - mango with chili and lime.  When I lived in New York City I would always buy bags of chili mango from the street vendors who camped out in front of our offices.  When I moved out west to Colorado, I was able to find chili mango candy, like Vero Mango or dried mango covered in chili powder.   I love the combination of sour, sweet, and chili - three flavors that are also in this margarita. I made a mango syrup with Turbinado sugar and fresh mango, made from the blended fruit.  It's basically jam an ..read more

I love the time of year when Spring transitions into Summer - there is the promise of the Summer ahead, and it seems like all the flowers are blooming.  This time of year always makes me excited about my own garden, and I without fail start getting excited about the garden's bounty. I've recently been inspired by Bowling & Burch Gin, a New World Gin made in Lebanon, Kentucky made from botanicals grown in the distillery's gin garden.  Gah!  A Gin Garden!  Next project alert!!   Can we please have an interlude to discuss how amazing this bottle is??!?!  ..read more

I love Chili Oil - and I know I'm not alone.  I always have a bottle in the kitchen, sourced from my local Asian market.  I'm always looking for fun ways to bridge the gap between culinary dishes and cocktails, and my beloved chili oil has become my new favorite way to add savory flavor to my drinks.   This Old Fashioned is made with El Mayor Reposado Tequila, that hails from the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.  Their Reposado tequila is aged for a minimum of nine months, and is a dry tequila with flavors of agave, caramel, vanilla, and a subtle floral note.  And let ..read more

I posted this delicious Milk Punch on Instagram a few weeks back, but I thought it needed a more permanent place to live, the internet! The world is shut down and it's a great time to hone some new skills - like Milk Punch! I've been wanting to make Milk Punch since I got these gorgeous milky-white Little Tomato Glass hand-blown rocks glasses. They have a lip on the inside of the glass to prevent an ice cube from smacking you in the face: #genius. Hope you enjoy this little vacation in a glass! Jungle Bird Milk Punch • 1-1/2 oz Blackstrap Rum • 1-1/2 Pineapple Juice • 3/4 oz Campari ..read more

The holidays are officially upon us, which means, holiday party planning.  For those of you looking for an easy-to-prepare punch, I've got just the one for you.  It's made with Boodles Rhubarb & Strawberry Gin (which combines the London Dry style gin with the taste of fresh rhubarb and strawberry), prosecco, fresh lemon juice, ginger tea, and a homemade strawberry star anise syrup.  The Rhubarb & Strawberry gin has a nice brightness to it, and quite a bit of fruity flavor that pairs nicely with the round sweetness of the syrup and the holiday spiciness of the star anise.   The ha ..read more

It's already starting to get cold here in Colorado, and it's making me dream of escaping to a tropical island far far away with big beach umbrellas and tropical drinks.  While an island escape is not in the cards for the foreseeable future, I'll stick to the tropical drinks for the time being. I recently received a package from Rhum Clément with a few of their different products: the VSOP and Rhum Clement Creole Shrub, a rhum based orange liqueur, and Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rhum.  I instantly knew what I wanted to make: a classic Knickerbocker cocktail that pairs the flavors of orange li ..read more

I've been a fan of The Hangar 1 Distillery for quite a few years now, and have always found their products to be wonderful for cocktails and for sipping.  Their vodka is made from grapes and midwestern grains, which brings a nice brightness that works really well with a range of different flavors.  Hangar 1 recently sent a bottle of their latest release, their Hangar 1 Honeycomb Vodka that is infused with real honeycomb and asked me to come up with a cocktail to celebrate the release. My mind went immediately to the phrase Milk and Honey, the historical reference to the promised land, afte ..read more