Making your own creme de menthe can really improve the quality of the cocktails you make.
Ingredient
Cream of Coconut Recipe
Have you ever wondered how they make that delicious creme of coconut used in a Pina Colada? Here is the reverse-engineered DIY recipe that is as easy to make as simple syrup.
Grenadine Syrup
Note: I’ve done some new research on the topic of grenadine and it has a lot of implications for pre-prohibition cocktails. Check it out: What is Grenadine Made From? In the never-ending quest to discover what makes a great cocktail, I’ve embarked upon a study of grenadine. Sure it may seem like a trivial subject, but I’ve learned that it’s […]
Turin Vermouth
Historically referred to as stomachic or aromatic wines, Turin type vermouth is typically a sweet or sweetened wine with a high alcohol level. The alcohol content should be 42° underproof. Grape based wines are traditional, but fruit wine is also allowed if it is declared. The sugar should be dissolved in wine as the wine itself must not be diluted. […]
Falernum
This particular cocktail ingredient has had a significant amount of discussion in the old blogosphere. Many of the cocktail luminaries, if there is such a thing, have researched the origins of this flavoured syrup from Barbados. None more than Ted “Dr. Cocktail” Haigh. In a now-defunct Martini Republic post, the good Doctor made a couple of statements about Falernum that […]
Simple Syrup for Cocktails
As the title suggests, this recipe is simple but indispensable for making simple syrup for cocktails.
Jamaica Ginger aka “Jake”
Last week bartender Trevor Easter asked me a question about Jamaica Ginger for a cocktail that he was researching. It just happened that I did know a fair amount on the subject. While doing research for Fix the Pumps I came across some old recipes for the production of Jamaica Ginger (1800s) and its fall from grace. For some reason, […]
Dark Caramel Syrup
One of the great things about mixology is the infinite number of ingredients to work with. One flavour that has been a favourite is caramel or burnt sugar. This ingredient provides a number of benefits to any cocktail, including colour, mouthfeel/texture and most importantly flavour! I have created a simple recipe that is great to use in cocktails. The key […]
Pimento Dram
Making classic Tiki drinks isn’t the easiest endeavour. When you start browsing through the drink recipes, trying to decide what to try next, you may often find yourself in short supply of a number of key ingredients. One of them is Falernum, sometimes called Velvet Falernum, which is fairly easy to make if you can’t find a supplier. The other […]
Lillet Blanc
What is Lillet Blanc? Lillet Blanc (pronounced Lee-Lay) is an aperitif from the Bordeaux region of France that was created in 1887 as a tonic for whatever ailed you. It comes in white or red versions, the red version being created in the 1960s, and is in the same family as vermouth, but it has subtle differences. The formula for […]
Orange Flower Water
The distilled spirit of orange blossoms is one of those rare ingredients in cocktails, that should probably get more attention. There are a few cocktails that use orange flower water, the most common being the Ramos Gin Fizz, but other than that there aren’t a lot of really popular cocktails that utilize this ingredient. This is unless of course, you […]
Noilly Prat Original Vermouth
You know the world of the cocktail is changing when a vermouth company reformulates their product to the original recipe. This seems to be happening more frequently now that people have started to appreciate more complex flavours and less syrupy sweetness. Noilly Prat Original has just hit the airwaves in Ontario, with their rediscovered love for the past. Prior to […]