Saturday, July 18, 2009

One Blog's Beginnings

A summer at the beach can do funny things to people. Namely, make them experiment in culinary ways of which they never dared to dream. First, I set out to simply refresh myself with various "coolers," some alcoholic and some of the "mocktail" persuasion. As you can see in the image, I began with normal, everyday ingredients such as ginger ale, and limes. With the help of my trusty muddler, I squashed the limes with some mint leaves and a dash of simple syrup. For drinks, I always advise investing the time to make a simple syrup that lasts for weeks in the refrigerator. Simple syrup dissolves instantly and sweetens evenly. Topping the drink off with gin and ginger ale makes a bubbly refreshment perfect for a day (or month) at the beach.

Two-Gin Cocktail
Substituting ginger flavored syrup would make this a "three-gin" cocktail.

1 half of a lime, cut into three wedges
1 oz. simple syrup
4-6 mint leaves
1 can ginger ale (I go Diet to reduce sugar)
1 shot gin
In the bottom of a tall glass, muddle 4 mint leaves, syrup and lime together either with the back of a spoon or a proper muddler. Add ice. Pour gin over ice, top with ginger ale, and garnish with mint leaves, if desired.






No comments: