Ice + Clink + Drink

More than any other holiday, Thanksgiving Day is defined by The Meal:  The lore of the first Thanksgiving meal between pilgrims and Native Americans (who certainly must regret it now) and the meals we Americans eat every fourth Thursday in November. Since cranberries are such an integral part of the turkey dinner, I was drawn to incorporating them into a pre-dinner cocktail.  An aperitif primes the digestive system for a meal, and this cranberry shrub cocktail will do just that.

Shrubs are fruit preserved with vinegar and were widely consumed in the colonial America that came after the pilgrims (look, more history!). They are an effective way to make seasonal fruits last longer, and, in cocktails, add both sweet and acidic elements.  Having that acidic component is a huge plus for group cocktails as it means no tedious citrus squeezing.   

There are two ways to produce a shrub, either the cold-process method where fruit is macerated with sugar for 24-48 hours before adding vinegar, or by simmering the ingredients together until the fruit is broken down.  For cranberries, using heat is a better option to soften the harder fruit. Here’s what I did:

Cranberry Shrub

4 c. fresh cranberries

3 c. sugar

1 c. water

2 c. apple cider vinegar (I used unfiltered)

Split open all of the cranberries with a muddler or other hard tool. Combine with sugar and water and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes as fruit softens and sugar dissolves. Add apple cider vinegar and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool some. Strain out all solids, bottle and keep in the refrigerator. Makes 3+ cups after straining. A shrub can last months because of the preservation nature of vinegar.

I chose apple cider vinegar because I thought it would pair nicely with the cranberries, but any variety – white or red wine vinegars, white vinegar, champagne vinegar – will do. Brandy also seemed suiting, along with a final garnish of cayenne pepper to add a bit of heat. So while the cocktail was coming together with aspects of tart, tangy and heat, it still needed a touch of sweetness to round it out. An amaretto’s almond flavoring provided the missing element.

Sauced Cranberry

1 oz brandy

½ oz cranberry shrub

¼ oz amaretto (I used Di Saronno)

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Mix brandy, shrub and amaretto in a glass with ice. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to garnish (this is optional, but provides a nice heat and offsets typically non-spicy Thanksgiving dishes to come later).  It will be lacking the full flavor, but if you want to substitute an almond syrup for the amaretto, start with half the amount and add to taste.  To scale into a pitcher drink that serves 12, use 12 oz of brandy, 6 oz of shrub, and 3 oz of amaretto; pour into a glass with ice and garnish.

There is some research showing that consuming vinegar (in salad dressings and such) can help stabilize blood sugar, lower glucose levels in diabetics, and help with general digestive issues.  Like, perhaps, those caused by ingesting mass quantities of turkey, mashed potatoes and pie?!  But even if the Sauced Cranberry doesn’t provide health benefits, it is easy to make ahead and the shrub could do double-duty as a mocktail with Sprite or ginger beer.

 Have a Happy Thanksgiving. May you pull the long side of the wishbone!

 Cheers, ICE

 

Don’t you love anagrams? So much fun scrambling up words to make new combinations. Here are some for “Halloween Cocktails” that still fit the theme:

 For real Halloween cocktails, whip up the Bloody Sunday punch I created last year, or try this fun layered one. Enjoy either of these at your Halloween party next weekend! I will work on more next week (“Hello, A New Cocktail”).

 Hone Well A Cocktail

Amongst the Halloween parties October 27-30 will be the first annual Seattle Cocktail Week – definitely “A New Alcohol Tickle!” There will be events at bars all over the city in celebration of cocktails. For updates, check out the event’s Facebook page. Be sure to attend the LUPEC event on Thursday, October 27 from 7-9 pm at Rob Roy. “Boobs, Booze & Beignets” will raise money for breast cancer research New Orleans-style. Good cause + good cocktails = good time!

Cheers, ICE

 

Maybe you have a last BBQ to attend this Labor Day Weekend and need an easy pitcher drink. The Capetown Collins is that drink. It is easy to create and unique in taste – the perfect combo.

Capetown Collins* (make ahead of serving)

 In a pitcher, combine the gin, Rosemary-Rooibos Syrup and lemon juice and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Stir well and strain into ice-filled collins glasses. Garnish with the rosemary sprigs. Makes six servings.

 Rosemary-Rooibos Syrup

 In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil with the rosemary sprig; simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the tea bags and let steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags and rosemary and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Let cool, then pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

 You really only need an hour and a half advance notice to throw this together. The syrup is quick to steep while you juice a couple of lemons, and then combine it all in a pitcher. The rosemary and rooibos tea together give it a nice spice profile that mellows the gin. This combination of ingredients isn’t especially seasonal, so keep the Capetown Collins in mind for parties throughout the year.

 Cheers, ICE

 *the Capetown Collins was created at No. 9 Park in Boston and featured in Food & Wine’s Cocktails 2008.

 As always, check out my Glossary of Spirits page for alcohol and mixer definitions and details.

 

There are pros and cons to cocktails. One of the pros is how the alcohols and mixing agents combine to create new, fabulous tastes. But the con is that strong drink equals drunk. Now that my friends and I are getting just a wee bit older, getting sloshed isn’t usually a goal at a party.  Not that it can’t still be fun (get that girl a microphone!). 

 So, sometimes a pitcher drink with a wider ratio of non-intoxicating ingredients to alcohol can be the right prescription. Sip this DRY soda Rhubarb Mojito at your 4th of July BBQ and you’ll still be conscious for the fireworks (notice I said sip and not guzzle!).

Rhubarb Mojito* Pitcher (8 servings)

Muddle mint in a pitcher, add rum, simple syrup and lime juice. Refrigerate to chill. Just prior to serving add chilled Rhubarb DRY Soda and stir gently. Serve in ice-filled glasses.

DRY Sodas come in a variety of interesting flavors and are found at many grocery stores, including Amazon Fresh. While using the DRY soda is a convenient option for easy entertaining, a mojito would also be fabulous using the rhubarb syrup I posted last year.  Try this: 

Rhubarb Mojito, Take Two

 Cheers, ICE

 *Created by Matthew Walker & Devlin McGill for Bellevue, Washington’s 0/8 Seafood Grill. Original recipe can be found on the DRY Soda site.