Smokey Rosemary & Zesty Meyer Lemon Gimlet

Smoky Rosemary & Zesty Meyer Lemon Gimlet

Sweet-tart Meyer lemon citrus fruits are only available in late winter and early spring. They are a real treat in general but especially worth seeking out for cocktail-making. Add a moody, smoky scent to this libation by smoking the glass with fresh rosemary before pouring in the cocktail. Makes 1 cocktail.
Ingredients:
1 rosemary sprig
2 oz. London dry gin1 1/4 oz. freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
1 oz. Meyer Lemon Cordial. (recipe follows)

Directions:
Using a barbecue lighter, hold rosemary sprig above flame until it’s smoking but not flaming. Gently swirl it in an empty cocktail glass (like a Nick & Nora) before dropping it in.

Add gin, juice and cordial to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake hard and strain into glass over rosemary (extinguishing it from smoldering). Makes 1 cocktail

Meyer Lemon Cordial

This is not technically a cordial, but adding the lemon juice—which would nudge it into that arena—would limit the shelf life. Instead, whip up the syrup, use it in this cocktail with fresh juice, then tuck any leftovers in the fridge. This syrup makes an excellent addition to soda water.

Ingredients & Directions:

Bring 1 cup (250 mL) water to a boil. 

Stir 1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar into the boiling water to dissolve, stirring constantly. 

When sugar has dissolved completely, stir in 1 tsp (5 mL) packed finely grated Meyer lemon zest and cool syrup for 15 minutes. 

Strain through fine-mesh sieve. Store in an airtight jar for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) syrup

Tangerine Dreams

 

Tangerine Dreams

A liquid version of the classic Dreamsicle frozen treat, this cocktail has been updated with the addition of a little fresh tangerine juice, blood orange gin and a splash of bitter orange Italian aperitivo.  Any vanilla gelato can be used in a pinch.  
Ingredients:
2 oz fresh tangerine juice
1 1/2 oz Beefeater Blood Orange gin 
1 oz Aperol 
1 heaping scoop of vanilla-saffron-ginger gelato or any vanilla gelato
Orange wheel to garnish
Sprig of rosemary to garnish

Directions:

Shake tangerine juice, gin and Aperol together over ice in a cocktail shaker for 30 seconds. Spoon the ice cream into a glass and pour the orange cocktail in. Garnish with an orange wheel and rosemary sprig.
Makes 1 drink

Alpine "One Rose Cocktail"

Alpine "One Rose Cocktail"

This cocktail is a signature drink from the Restaurant 350 Main in Park City, Utah.  So named because the Gin and Preserve Liqueur are products of the Alpine Distillery.  I went to my liquor store in hopes of duplicating the formula.  The clerk had an option to find a substitute  with an app. named Preserve Liqueur.   Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Gin

3/4 ounce Preserve Liqueur, which is a herbal liqueur

1/2 ounce Aperol

3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice

4 drops Rose Water

1 sprig Rosemary for garnish

Directions:

Add the first five ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake until chilled.  Double strain into your glass of choice.  Garnish with rosemary sprig.