Drinking The World

The other day I told you about Lydia Reismueller, shaking up a storm of cocktails. Here is one of her creations that I found both very unusual, and tasty. Unusual because she infuses young conifer tips into neutral spirits to get a fresh, piney taste and aroma, like walking through a pine woods in spring; then uses her own citrus syrup as the sweetener.

Forester Fizz created by Lydia Reismueller

2 oz Conifer-infused 190 proof neutral spirit
3/4 oz lime juice
3/4 oz citrus syrup
1-1/2 oz club soda
Knotted pine needle garnish

Shake all ingredients except soda over ice, and pour into a highball glass (including ice in shaker). Top with club soda and garnish with a knotted pine needle.

Conifer Infusion: Snip or pluck about 1/2 pound of the soft, bright green, new growth, from the tips of the branches on as many types of Conifers (Pine and Fir Trees) as you have available. Rinse the tips in cold water and let dry in a colander. Gently bruise the needles to emit their oil and immediately place a ½ gallon to one gallon size sealed jar with750 ml of 190 proof neutral spirits (if you can’t find neutral spirits in your area use 100 proof vodka.) Let stand for 3 days, gently shaking once a day, then strain and bottle.

Citrus Syrup: Bring two cups of water to a boil, add one cup of dark brown sugar, and one cup of light brown sugar. Turn down heat and stir gently until the sugar dissolves and it turns clear. Add the citrus zest and turn off the heat, stir a few times and let cool. When I zest citrus I slice the zest thinly, to get as little of the bitter white pith as possible.

Welcome to the Cocktail Revolution! New, exciting, wonderful, stimulating, tasty, tangy, creamy, frothy, complex, unusual, thoughtful, icy cold cocktails are making the scene. We're in the Second Golden Age of Cocktails and you ain't seen nuttin' yet! Here at Drinking the World we delve into All Things Cocktail on a regular basis. How to Tips, History, the Future of Cocktails, Spotlights on Mixologists, New Spirits, Liqueurs, Ingredients; and of course, Recipes.

Today we're going to put the spotlight on bartender Lydia Reismueller.

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Bright Eyes Kiwifruit Fizz

1 oz Plymouth Gin
1 local, organic, egg white
3 oz Zespri Gold Kiwifruit puree
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz lemon verbena infused simple syrup
1/2 oz half & half
Fever-Tree Premium Spring Club Soda

Shake all ingredients except club soda on ice vigorously for at least one minute. Strain into a chilled Collins glass and top with club soda. Stir gently and serve with a side of gold kiwifruit and a spoon.

Celery Cup #1

1=1/2 oz Square One Cumbumber vodka
1 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz 4 Copas Agave Nectar
1 one inch piece of fresh cucumber
1 two inch piece of celery stalk from close to the heart for sweetness
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro

In a mixing glass muddle cucumber, celery, cilantro, and lemon juice into a pulp. Add remaining ingredients, add ice, and shake well. Strain into a tall, ice filled glass and garnish with a celery stalk.

Ginger Chu-Cumber

2 oz Kome Shochu (Rice Shochu)
1 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger liqueur
1/2 oz Fee Brothers Rock Candy syrup
1 oz fresh lime juice
Several slices of fresh cucumber

Muddle cucumber in shaker with simple syrup, add other ingredients and shake well on ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a thin cucumber wheel.

Herb Cane

2 oz Boca loca Cachaca
1/2 oz Chartreuse Green
1 oz fresh lemon juice
3 basil leaves
6 mint leaves
1/2 oz brown sugar syrup

Muddle mint and basil in shaker, add the rest of the ingredients and shake well on ice. Strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Squeeze oil from an orange twist into drink and add twist for garnish.

Big Mango created by Kevin Brauch

2 oz Parrot Bay Mango Rum
1 oz Smirnoff vanilla Vodka
1/2 oz Parrot Bay Pineapple liqueur
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1-1/2 oz mango/apple juice

Shake well on ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Sidewinder's Fang

1 oz Old New Orleans Amber Rum
1 oz El Dorado 5 yr Demerara Rum
1-1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1-1/2 oz fresh orange juice
3 oz fever-Tree soda water
1/2 oz passion fruit syrup

Pulse in a blender with 1 cup of ice cubes and pour into an ice-filled snifter. Garnish with an orange horse's neck (a long and wide strip of orange zest.)

Orchards in Bloom created by Elayne Werns

1-1/2 oz Ciroc Vodka
1/2 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger liqueur3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz honey syrup (50/50 honey/water)
1 oz Red Grape Juice

Shake well on ice and strain into a sugar rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a purple orchard, floating on a slice of kiwi.

Navan Cocktail #4

1/2 oz Navan Vanilla liqueur
1-1/2 oz Laird's Apple Jack
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1 dash Angostura bitters

Shake well on ice and strain into a chilled champagne flute. Garnish with a lemon wheel.