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Category Archives: Cocktails/Beverages

Lemon and Rosemary Martini

21 Thursday Jul 2016

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Gluten-Free, Southern

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

cocktail, gin, gluten free, lemon, martini, rosemary, Southern

One of my favorite things about living in Lexington is the food scene. We have tons of new restaurants and food based events. This past week, we had Burger Week; 36 establishments created and sold a $5 specialty burger. Some were creative, using things like kimchi or other non-traditional toppings. Others were more traditional but used high end ingredients like homemade corned beef with homemade kraut and dressing. This week encourages you to go out and try new places.

While at Napa Prime, located between Lexington and Versailles, I was pleased to see a Lemon and Rosemary Martini on the menu. Though I drank sangria that night, I was inspired to go home and create. Below is my version. Multiply this recipe by the number of total drinks you want to make…. Or just be selfish and make one only for you….

Martini

Lemon and Rosemary Martini

  • 2 oz gin (or vodka if you prefer) *use gluten free spirits for gluten free version
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
  • Ice, preferably crushed
  • Lemon peel and additional rosemary to garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, juice, syrup and the rosemary sprigs. Top with ice and then shake vigorously. Strain and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with the lemon peel and a rosemary sprig. Serves 1.

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Peach Margaritas

04 Tuesday Aug 2015

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Gluten-Free

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

adult, beverage, cocktail, lime, margarita, peach, summer, tequila

Nothing says summer like fresh peaches. Their fuzzy skin and slurp inducing juiciness is so inviting you can barely stop eating them long enough to make this cocktail…. But you really should. Save just one. It’s worth it.

peach

Peach Margaritas

  • 1 peach, quartered (and peeled if you prefer)
  • 2 oz peach lemonade (or regular lemonade)
  • 1 1/2 oz silver tequila
  • 1/2 lime, juices
  • 1 to 2 tbsp agave nectar
  • Ice
  • Salt to rim, if desired

In a blender, add the peach quarters, lemonade, tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar. Blitz until the peaches are smooth. Rim the glass with salt, add ice, and pour in the margarita mix. Serves 1.

Mulled Wine

29 Saturday Nov 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

cinnamon, cocktail, mulled, orange, red, star anise, wine

Today is a gloomy, miserable day. I am going to cuddle up on the couch with my new John Grisham book and a glass of this delicious mulled wine. I can’t think of a better way to cheer up.

DSC_0969

Mulled Wine (from Gimme Some Oven)

  • 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine
  • 1 orange, sliced
  • 1/4 cup brandy
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise

Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for at least 15 minutes. Strain, and serve warm.

A Derby Cocktail – Raspberry and Thyme Gin and Tonics

02 Friday May 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Kentucky Proud

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

beverage, cocktail, gin, Hopportunity, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Proud, raspberry, thyme, tonic

My favorite summer cocktail is the Blackberry and Basil Gin and Tonic. Right now my basil plants are tiny but my thyme is really growing like gangbusters. It inspired me to make these new gin and tonics. I really enjoyed them! Either of these cocktails are delicious and would be great served at your Derby party. Have you picked a horse yet? You can check them out here. My pick is Hoppertunity. How did I pick him? I looked for the prettiest horse but all are brown/black. Then I read the names. Hoppertunity is the mosty food/drink oriented horse of the group. Who doesn’t love hops? What horse will you be betting on?

DSC_1233

Raspberry and Thyme Gin and Tonics

  • 12 raspberries
  • 4 large sprigs of thyme, bruised to release flavor
  • 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup simple syrup
  • 12 ounces gin
  • Tonic water
  • Ice

Set out four high ball glasses. Place 3 raspberries, a thyme sprig, juice of ½ lemon, and 1 tablespoon simple syrup in each glass; muddle together. Fill each glass with ice, followed by 3 ounces of gin. Top off each drink with tonic water, stir and serve. Makes 4 drinks.

Passion Tea Lemonade Cooler

22 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

beverage, gluten free, knock off, lemonade, passion, starbucks, tea

I am sort of getting bored with my usual water or lemon water that I drink each day. I don’t want to add very many calories though. I mean, that’s sort of the point of water – low calorie hydration. This recipe is a knock off of the popular Starbucks drink but much cheaper. And with only 77 calories per recipe, this is way better for you than soda!

DSC_1204

Passion Tea Lemonade Cooler

  • 2 Tazo Passion Tea Bags
  • 16 oz water
  • 5 oz lemonade (I used Simply Lemonade)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

In a large glass measuring cup, add two cups of water. Place in the microwave and heat to a boil. Add the tea bags, sugar, and vanilla extract to the hot water. Allow to steep for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags and let sit on the counter until a bit cooler. Refrigerate until cool (about an hour). In a large glass, add the tea, lemonade, and lots of ice. Makes one very large cup or two average size water glasses.

Chai Lattes to Ward off the Bitter Cold!

05 Sunday Jan 2014

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

beverage, black tea, chai, cheap, drink, gluten free, homemade, latte, vegetarian

According to the National Weather Service, we are currently experiencing gust of wind up to 35 mph. Though our temperature is 55F, it is expected to drop 8F with wind chills below -5F. Tomorrow promises to be even better – Highs around 9. Wind chill readings 12 below to 22 below zero. Thank goodness for my electric blanket and this chai.  The flavors of this chai are perfect. Exactly like my local coffee shop makes it, only I didn’t use steamed milk. Plus my version is a heck of a lot cheaper!

DSC_1153

Chai Latte for One

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 black tea bag
  • 1/4 tsp of ginger, cardamon, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon
  • Sugar to taste
  • 1 cup milk

In a small saucepan, combine the water with tea and the spices. Boil gently until the tea is steeped well. Add your sugar and the milk. Simmer until heated through. Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer. Serves 1 but multiplies well.

Bluegrass Sundown ~ The Cocktail

12 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Kentucky Proud, Southern

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

beverage, Bluegrass Sundown, bourbon, cocktail, cream, hot, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Kentucky Proud, Southern

On our recent tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, we visited Town Branch Distillery in Lexington. In addition to their Town Branch bourbon and Kentucky Ale beers, they also make Kentucky Sundown, a coffee flavored liquor with a bit of bourbon and sugar infused for additional layers of flavor. The back of the bottle features the recipe for a deliciously warm cocktail perfect for the rainy fall days the weatherman is predicting will come later this week.

DSC_1013

Bluegrass Sundown ~ The Cocktail

  • 2 ounces of Bluegrass Sundown
  • 4 ounces of boiling hot water
  • Heavy cream

Shake the Bluegrass Sundown well and measure out into a glass. Add the boiling water and stir. Tilt the back of a spoon touching the liquid and gently pour the heavy cream over the spoon. This allows the cream to float on the top. As you drink, the hot mixture will flow through the cold cream. The contrast is as divine as the flavor. Makes one cocktail.

Basil and Peach Bourbon Fizz

05 Saturday Oct 2013

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Kentucky Proud, Southern

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

basil, bourbon, cocktail, fizz, Kentucky Proud, peach, Southern

After a Bourbon Series, I think it might be appropriate to show you at least one way I enjoy my bourbon. I especially like that it incorporates the seasonal ingredients of peaches and basil. Don’t be put off by crushing the peach. It only takes a minute and having the smoothness is essential to me. I don’t like chunky drinks. I do like this though! And you will too. Promise.

DSC_0967

Basil and Peach Bourbon Fizz (inspired by this recipe)

  • 1 peach
  • 4-5 basil leaves
  • 2-4 ounces Sprite
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 ounce sweet bourbon (think Makers’s Mark or Woodford Reserve)

Pit the peach and press it through a small screened strainer or a Foley mill. Muddle the basil leaves and the peach together. Add the bourbon, simple syrup, and ice. Top with Sprite. Garnish with a basil leaf. Makes one cocktail.

Other bourbon recipes you may like-

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce

Cherry Bourbon Fizz

Bourbon Truffles

Bourbon Cherry Lemonade

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

 

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Maker’s Mark

03 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Kentucky Proud, Travel

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bourbon, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Kentucky Proud, Southern, staycation, summer, tourism, travel

Maker’s Mark • Loretto

Distillery Hours – Monday – Saturday • 9:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. EST, Sunday (March through December) • 11:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. EST. General admission is $7 for adults. Summer shut down will be from August 12 to September 9, 2013 (similar times in other years; check website for more details). Full tours will still be available, but bourbon will not be in production.

MM 1

What makes Marker’s Mark different from other distilleries?

  • According to Guiness World Book of Records, Maker’s is the oldest operating bourbon distillery, operating since 1805.
  • They hand dip every bottle with their signature red wax.
  • There is no rye in the mashbill. Instead they use corn, red winter wheat, and malted barley. This is why their bourbon is sweeter than some others.
  • They are a “small batch bourbon,” which they define as “a bourbon that is produced/distilled in small quantities of approximately 1,000 gallons or less (20 barrels) from a mash bill of around 200 bushels of grain.”
  • Marker’s Mark is one of the few distilleries left that hand rotates the barrel positions in the rickhouse to produce the desired flavor.

MM 2

A Brief History

The land on which Maker’s Mark resides has long been a distillery.  T. William “Bill” Samuels Sr. purchased what was known as “Burks’ Distillery” in 1954. The distillery was in poor repair and, with his family, Bill revamped the whole place and created a distinctive new bourbon- Maker’s Mark. They priced their distinctive red wax dipped bottles (Bill’s wife Margie’s idea) at a higher price than other bourbons and marketed it with the slogan “It tastes expensive… and is.” Though the company was sold to several different companies through the years, the Samuels family continued to oversee it’s production. Today, Bill’s grandson Rob is CEO and president.

In early spring 2013, Maker’s Mark (in response to a huge new demand for bourbon) decided to reduce the strength of it’s whiskey from it’s traditional 90 proof to 84 proof. The idea was that they would be able to increase the available stock. There was a huge negative reaction from customers. Radio stations and newspapers across the Bluegrass featured some negative reviews of the new “watered down flavor” as well as the consumer reactions. Only 12 days later, the company rescinded it’s position and now bottles only at the original 90 proof strength.

MM 7

The Tour

We really enjoyed our Marker’s Mark tour. The tour group met in an old farm house, decorated in 1950s style. We then walked the grounds. Each building is painted in the distinctive red and black color scheme. All the shutters have a bourbon bottle cut out as decoration. The only building that is not red and black is the Quart House, one of the oldest liquor stores in the United States and a National Historic Landmark.

MM 5

When we visited, the distillery was in shut down and repairs were being done. Despite that, we were still able to see the giant tubs for cooking mash and their 5 story continuous column still. We toured a rickhouse; it was like all the other’s we had previously seen on the Trail, complete with Angel’s Share smell. Marker’s Mark is one of the few distilleries left that hand rotates the barrel positions in the rickhouse to produce the desired flavor.

MM 4

After the bourbon is aged perfectly, it is emptied from the barrels and bottled in the distinctive square bottles. Each bottle is hand dipped in red wax. We were able to watch the process from start to finish. The people on the line were very efficient. I doubt I could dip as fast as them! (If you want to try your hand at dipping, you can buy and dip your own bottle in the gift shop.)

MM 6

My favorite part of the tour was the Tasting Room. The tour guide said it was new; it is very cleanly designed. Each person to tour was given a taste of four bourbons – Maker’s White, Maker’s Fully Matured, Maker’s Over Matured, and Maker’s 46 (double oaked bourbon). It was nice to taste them each and compare them to each other. Honestly, of all the bourbons I tried on the tours, I liked Maker’s Mark the best. It is sweeter, less spicy and easy to drink. For those who are trying to acquire a taste for bourbon, this is the place to start. Overall, we really enjoyed this tour. The grounds are lovely, the tour was informative, and the bourbon was tasty. It is clear that the employees of Maker’s are passionate about their product and that they recognize that quality is more important than quantity.

Other posts in the series:

Bour·bon – /ˈbərbən/

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Four Roses Distillery

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Wild Turkey Distillery

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Woodford Reserve

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Jim Beam

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Town Branch

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Heaven Hill

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Maker’s Mark

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Heaven Hill

01 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by annashortcakes in Cocktails/Beverages, Kentucky Proud, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bourbon, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Kentucky Proud, Southern, staycation, summer, tourism, travel

Heaven Hill • Bardstown

Distillery Hours – Monday through Wednesday • 10AM to 5PM, Thursday through Saturday • 10AM to 5:30PM, Sunday (March – November only) • Noon to 4PM. General admission is $5 and free to military families.

HH 1

What makes Heaven Hill Distillery different from other distilleries?

  • Heaven Hill Distilleries is America’s largest independent, family-owned and operated producer and marketer of distilled spirits.
  • Heaven Hill is America’s seventh-largest supplier of distilled spirits.
  • Aging in its facilities is the second largest inventory of aging Kentucky whiskey in the world, with over 900,000 barrels. This accounts for nearly 17 percent of the world’s future supply of Bourbon.
  • Heaven Hill has filled over six million barrels of Kentucky Bourbon since it was founded after the repeal of Prohibition. Pretty incredible!

HH 4

A Brief History

Founded by the five Shapira brothers in 1934, the Heaven Hill Distilleries is still run by descendants of the Shapiras, making it the only family owned and operated bourbon distillery on the Bourbon Trail. With a brief pause during WWII to manufacture alcohol for the war effort, the distillery has continued to operate and now is the seventh largest spirits supplier in the US and the second largest holder of aging bourbon in the world with 900,000 barrels in stock (this is according to their website.) Today, Heaven Hill Distilleries is the owner of such brands as Copa De Oro Coffee Liqueur, Dubonnet Aperitif, Coronet VSQ Brandy, DuBouchett Cordials and Liqueurs, and Burnett’s Vodka. For a full list, click this link.

HH 3

The Tour

The Bourbon Heritage Center is the main visitors center for the distillery. This building was built to pay homage to the bourbon trade. Limestone is used for the brickwork, copper is used in the roofing, and oak as the hardwood flooring. It was named The International Whiskey Visitor Attraction of the Year 2009 Winner by Whisky Magazine. It is quite lovely indeed.

HH 2

Our tour guide was a very nice lady who was knowledgeable about the bourbon. She took us to a rick house, gave us quite a few details about the distillation process, and gave an excellent tasting. I do have a couple of reservations about the tour. We didn’t see much- just the visitors center and the rick house. For being such a large operation, I would have liked to have seen more of the actual operations. We didn’t get to see any of the actual distillation process. Instead, they set up a model in the visitors center. If this is going to be your only visit to a distillery, this is not the place to go. It was a good tour but your won’t see much of the process. I suggest some place like Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark or Buffalo Trace (not on the Trail.) We did get an excellent tasting, though. The tour guide made the effort of talking about the flavor profiles that we should taste in each sample. We tried each of the bourbons straight and with a bit of water. She also told us how the master distiller felt each bourbon was best savored. If he doesn’t know how it is best tasted, I doubt I will. And I appreciated the expert tip. Evan Williams was about to release a new seasonal bourbon based liquor- Apple Orchard. I asked the tour guide if it was good and she said “Do you want to taste it?” Of course, I said yes and we got an extra sample! I love that she was passionate enough about the product to try to convert me. And she did. We bought a bottle as soon as it was on the market. Overall this was a nice tour, but I wouldn’t want this to be someone’s only distillery visit.

Other posts in the series:

Bour·bon – /ˈbərbən/

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Four Roses Distillery

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Wild Turkey Distillery

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Woodford Reserve

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Jim Beam

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Town Branch

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Heaven Hill

Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Maker’s Mark

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