Cucumber-Cilantro Margarita

These cocktails were wonderful! They were the perfect way to use the delicious home grown cucumbers given to me by a friend.

This recipe was adapted from The Village Times Herald, contributed by Barbara Beltrami. Tasty and refreshing.

Yield: makes 2 cocktails

• 1 wedge or slice of lime
• coarse salt
• 3 oz tequila
• 1 tsp orange liqueur, such as Cointreau
• 3 oz freshly squeezed lime juice or key lime juice
• 1/2 cup peeled and seeded chopped cucumber
• 2 T granulated sugar
• 6 cilantro leaves, chopped
• 2 dashes Tabasco or Chipotle Tabasco
• 6 ice cubes
• 2 cucumber slices, for garnish

1. Wipe the rims of two margarita glasses with the lime wedge or slice. Dip in a shallow dish of coarse salt; set aside.
2. In a blender combine the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, chopped cucumber, sugar, cilantro, hot sauce and ice cubes; blend for one minute. (I used a Vitamix.)
3. Immediately pour into prepared glasses over ice.
4. Garnish with cucumber slices, as desired.

Apple Cider Margarita

I have seen several versions of this seasonal cocktail but I’m not sure if I need to try another one. This one is festive and fabulous. I first tried it on Halloween and now plan to incorporate it into my Thanksgiving weekend menu. Perfect! 🙂

The recipe was adapted from thehealthfulideas.com, contributed by Veronika. I used gold tequila and added maple syrup.

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Rim:

• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• A lime wedge

For the Margarita:

• 1.5 oz tequila
• 0.5 oz Cointreau 
• 0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice, or more, to taste
• 2 oz apple cider
• 0.5 oz (1 T) pure maple syrup
• small dash cinnamon, optional
• 1-2 dashes orange bitters
• ice cubes
• apple and/or lime slices, for garnish, optional

To Make the Rim:

1. Combine the turbinado sugar and cinnamon on a small plate.
2. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it in the sugar. Set aside.

To Make the Margarita:

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add a handful of ice, and shake for 10-15 seconds until it’s very cold to touch. 
2. Pour into a margarita glass (or another glass of choice) over ice.
3. Garnish with an apple and/or lime slice, if desired, and enjoy!

Simple Strawberry Cocktails

After picking eight heaping quarts of beautiful strawberries, I had to try a couple of new strawberry cocktails. I must say that it is difficult to make a strawberry cocktail that I would prefer to my favorite Strawberry-Basil Martini and (close second) The Union Square Strawberry Cocktail. Thankfully, we had plenty of strawberries and beautiful evenings to be able to enjoy all of them! 🙂

Both of these cocktails are incredibly simple and quick to prepare. The first is a Strawberry Gin & Tonic- perfect because one of my favorite summer cocktails is a classic gin and tonic. The recipe is from hometoheather.com. The second is a Spicy Strawberry Margarita. My husband made it as a celebratory cocktail on my birthday. ❤ He garnished the rim of the glass with a mixture of coarse salt and chile powder. The recipe was adapted from vinepair.com, contributed by Natalie Migliarini. Tasty and refreshing.

Strawberry Gin & Tonic

Yield: 1 cocktail

• 1 shot gin
• 1 wedge lime
• tonic water, to fill
• 1 mashed strawberry
• lime wedge or slice, or strawberry, for garnish
• ice

1. Use a highball glass and fill about ¼ full with ice.
2. Pour the gin over the ice.
3. Add your mashed berry, squeeze the lime wedge and fill with tonic water.
4. Garnish with lime or strawberry and serve.

Spicy Strawberry Margarita:

Yield: 1 cocktail

• 1.5 ounces tequila
• 1 ounce of lime juice
• 1/2 serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded (if desired), chopped or sliced into rings
• 3 strawberries, chopped
• 1/2 ounce agave nectar
• salt and/or Tajín or chile powder, for the rim
• 1 cup ice

1. Rim a rocks glass with salt and/or Tajín or chile powder.
2. Chop peppers and strawberries and add all ingredients into shaker, shaking to chill and combine.
3. Pour chilled mixture, including the ice, into rocks glass.
4. Garnish with a fresh strawberry, if desired.

Ina Garten’s Pomegranate Gimlet

Here’s another treat that would be perfect for Valentine’s Day! ❤

This cocktail is composed of many of my favorites. I love a classic gimlet. 🙂 This pomegranate version would also be festive for the holidays or just tasty any other time of the year.

This recipe was adapted from Today.com. I modified the proportions to make individual cocktails. The volumes for 6 gimlets are also noted below.

Yield: one cocktail

• 2 oz (4 T) gin
• 1 1/2 oz (2 1/2 T) pomegranate juice (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 1/2 oz (2 1/2 T) freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 2/3 oz (1 1/2 T) agave nectar or simple syrup
• lime slice and pomegranate seeds, for garnish

For a Crowd:

Yield: six cocktails

• 1 1/2 cups gin
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (6 to 8 limes)
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 6 lime slices and pomegranate seeds, for garnish

1. At least one hour before serving, place martini glass(es) in the freezer.
2. Combine the gin, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice (for 1 cocktail) or large pitcher (for 6 drinks).
3. If making multiple drinks, fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice and add the drink mixture until the shaker is three quarters full.
4. Shake for a full 15 seconds.
5. Pour the mixture into the frozen martini glasses and garnish with a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds, or more to taste, and a slice of lime.

Note: To make your own simple syrup, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small pot and heat just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Refrigerate until cold.

Vanilla Pear Sour

This festive seasonal cocktail was absolutely fabulous. My husband and I enjoyed it prior to our quiet Thanksgiving feast this year.

This recipe was adapted from Jamie Oliver via francoiselaprune.com. I poached thin slices of pear so that I could use them as a garnish. I may poach even larger slices next time. We preferred it with a little bit less alcohol so I noted a range in the recipe below.

The delicious pear syrup can be made in advance, making this perfect for Thanksgiving or a party. We used the leftover syrup to make more cocktails! 😉 It could also be drizzled over ice cream.

Yield: Makes one drink (plus additional Vanilla Pear Syrup)

For the Vanilla Pear Syrup: (makes enough syrup for approximately 10 drinks)

• 1 Bartlett pear, cut in half or quartered, cored, & cut into thin slices
• 200 g (7.1 ounces, 1 cup) granulated sugar
• 200 ml (7 ounces, scant 1 cup) water
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

For the Cocktail:

• 30ml (1 ounce, 2 T) Vanilla Pear Syrup
• 30ml (1 ounce, 2 T) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 44 to 50ml (1.5 to 1.75 ounces) vodka
• ice cubes
• poached pear slices, for garnish

1. Add the pear slices, sugar, water, vanilla seeds with vanilla bean pod to a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Let the poaching liquid infuse and cool down for another 30 minutes.
3. Strain through a fine wire mesh strainer, reserving the poached pear slices for garnish. Keep pear syrup in a jar in the refrigerator; it will keep for 5 days.
4. Combine the lemon juice, vodka and 30ml of the vanilla pear syrup into a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass with ice.
5. Garnish with a thin pear slice (or two).

Note: This cocktail was also wonderful with Meyer lemon juice. (I used the juice of my very first lemon from my Meyer lemon tree!) 🙂

The New York Sour

My husband really enjoys making cocktails (for me!) but rarely drinks one himself. This wine-spiked whiskey sour was especially great because he and I both enjoyed one. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Mary-Frances Heck. We used an Italian Barbera and agave nectar instead of simple syrup. Nice.

Yield: 1 cocktail

• 2 ounces rye or bourbon whiskey
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup or 3/4 ounce agave nectar
• 1/2 ounce fruity red wine (such as Shiraz or Malbec)

1. Combine whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup/agave nectar in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill shaker with ice, cover and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds.
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Gently pour wine over the back of a spoon held just above the drink’s surface so wine floats on top.
5. Serve.

Cucumber, Basil & Lime Gimlet

This refreshing summer cocktail was another way to use my beautiful basil and special homegrown cucumbers from a friend. There is still time to enjoy one! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from liquor.com. It is an adaptation of a classic gin gimlet which is composed of gin, lime juice and simple syrup.

Yield: One cocktail

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka or gin
• 2 1/4-inch slices cucumber, peeled
• 2 fresh basil leaves. plus more for garnish
• 1 ounce lemonade
• 1/4 to 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, to taste

1. Muddle the basil and cucumber in a shaker.
2. Add remaining ingredients and ice and shake.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over ice.
4. Garnish with a basil leaf. Serve.