Sauce: The Gin Diary, Part IV

Cocktail: Winter Cherry 

Ingredients: 1.75 oz. London Dry Gin, 1.75 oz. Cherry juice, 1.75 oz. Club Soda. 0.5 oz. Heavy cream, Ice cubes, 0.5 oz. Lemon juice, Red maraschino cherry, 0.75 oz. Simple syrup  

Directions: Fill a Collins glass to the top with ice cubes. Pour lemon juice, heavy cream, simple syrup, and gin into a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice cubes and shake aggressively. Strain into the glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a cocktail skewer.  

Bartender Reaction: I decided to make the Winter Cherry on the first day of Spring in Washington state. A stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean in a little cabin north of Ocean Shores, this cocktail felt like a wonderful goodbye to the wet Seattle winter. I guessed right! While I was initially worried about the cherry juice (something I have not had in a long time) presenting a bitter flavor, the combination of heavy cream, lemon juice, and simple syrup gave the cocktail a balanced, but sweet flavor. Without a doubt, this is a cocktail I will return to again, no matter the season.  

Be good to each other,  

Nathan 

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Sauce: The Gin Diary, Part I

Cocktail: Clover Club

Ingredients: 1.5 ounces of gin, .75 ounce of lemon juice, .5 ounce of dry vermouth, 2 teaspoons of grenadine, 1 egg white

Directions: Combine gin, lemon juice, vermouth, grenadine, and egg white in a cocktail shaker; shake 10 seconds without ice. Fill shaker with ice; shake about 30 seconds or until cold and frothy. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Bartender Reaction: I think this is the perfect summer cocktail. Thanks to the grenadine and lemon mixed with gin and dry vermouth, it achieves a perfect balance. I love its strong red color and texture (thanks to the egg white). Of all the gin-based cocktails we will explore in this series, this is the one I drink most often and recommend to those wanting to dip their toes into the world of gin.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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Sunday Cocktail: California Lemonade

With spring beginning this week, I thought I might try my hand at something light and refreshing. Then I remembered I live in LA, and it is basically 75 degrees year-round. So, this cocktail goes out to all those still braving Old Man Winter. This one won't warm you up, but it will leave you longing for a little sun in your life. 

California Lemonade

• 2 oz. Bourbon Whiskey

• 1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

• 1 oz. Simple Syrup

• 1/4 oz. Grenadine

• Soda Water

• Garnish (If available) Orange, Lemon Wheel, Maraschino Cherry

Instructions

• Shake first five ingredients with ice

• Strain into ice-filled Collins glass

• Fill with soda water

• Garnish

• Drink! 

Be good to each other, 

Nathan

Sunday Cocktail: Blackberry Gin Sling

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan

Sunday Cocktail: Pima de Lima

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan 

Last Weekend We Drank

"Moscow Mule" 

What You'll Need: Vodka, Lime Juice, Ginger Beer, Lime, Pint Glass, Cocktail Shaker, Ice

How to Make It: In a cocktail shaker, add ice, 2 oz. vodka, and 1 oz. lime juice. Shake and add to a pint glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer and a lime Enjoy! 

"Twister" 

What You'll Need: Vodka, Lime Juice, Lemon-Lime Soda, Lime Wedge, Collins Glass, Ice

How to Make It: In a collins glass, add 2 oz. vodka and 1 oz. lime juice. Stir and then add ice. Top with lemon-line soda, Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy. 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan 

Last Weekend We Drank

What You'll Need: Old-fashioned Glass, Lime, Coarse Salt, Blanco Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Ice, Cocktail Shaker. 

How to Make It: Rim an old-fashioned glass with a lime and coarse salt. Next, fill the glass with ice. Then to a cocktail shaker, add ice, 1 1/2 oz. of blanco tequila, 1 oz. fresh lime juice, 1/2 oz. simple syrup. Finally, shake and strain into the glass. Enjoy!. 

"Toasted Drop" 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan 

Last Weekend We Drank

What You'll Need: Gin, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Soda Water, Mint, Highball Glass, Ice, Cocktail Shaker

How To Make It: Fill a highball glass with ice. Next, add a small amount of ice to a cocktail shaker. Then, add 2 oz. gin, 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice, 3/4 oz. simple syrup, and then shake. Pour the mixture into the highball glass. Fill to the top with soda water and garnish with mint. Enjoy! 

"Pacific Sunshine" 

What You'll Need: Lemon Wheel, Coarse Salt, Tequila, Blue Curacao, Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice, Angostura Bitters, Ice, Cocktail Shaker, Hurricane Glass, and a Small Plate. 

How To Make It: Using the small plate, spread the salt out over the plate. Use the lemon to rim the glass and then rotate the glass around the salt until evenly coated. Next, fill the glass with ice. Then, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add 1 1/2 oz. of tequila, 1 1/2 oz. blue curacao, 3/4 oz. simple syrup, 3/4 oz. lemon juice, and 1 dash of Angostura bitters. Cap and shake aggressively. Pour the mixture into the glass and garnish with a lemon wheel. Enjoy! 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan 

Last Weekend We Drank

What You'll Need: Brandy, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Soda Water, Lemon Wheel, Collins Glass, Ice, Cocktail Shaker. 

How To Make It: First fill a Collins Glass with ice. Then, add to the Cocktail Shaker 2 oz. Brandy, 3/4 Lemon Juice, and. 3/4 oz. Simple Syrup. Then shake like you are mad at the world. Strain the entire mixture into the Collins glass. Top with Soda Water and garnish with a Lemon Wheel. Enjoy! 

"Boston Sidecar" 

What You'll Need: Light Rum, Brandy, Triple Sec, Fresh Lime Juice, Cocktail Shaker, Cocktail Glass, Ice 

How To Make It: Fill the Cocktail Shaker with ice while the Cocktail Glass chills in the freezer. Add 3/4 oz of Light Rum, 3/4 oz. of Brandy, 3/4 oz. Triple Sec, and 1/2 oz. of lime juice to the shaker. Cap and shake aggressively. Strain and add the mixture to a chilled glass. Enjoy!  

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan 

Last Weekend We Drank

What You'll Need: Vodka, Blue Curacao, Fresh Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Maraschino Cherry, Old Fashioned Glass, Ice, and a Cocktail Shaker

How to Make It: Add ice to a cocktail shaker. Add 1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. blue curacao, 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 oz. simple to syrup to the cocktail shaker. Cover and shake. Then add mixture to an old fashioned glass. Finally garnish with a maraschino cherry. Enjoy. 

Bartender's Note: The photo above is a double. 

Be good to each other, 

-Nathan