Interesting Drinks for the Interesting Drinker

Paddington

1 1/2 oz Banks 5 Island Rum

1/2 oz Lillet Blanc

1/2 oz Ruby Red grapefruit juice

1/2 oz lemon juice

2 tsp bonne Maman orange marmalade

St. George Absinthe Verte, for rinsing glass

Ruby Red Grapefruit twist, for garnish

Pour a little absinthe into a chilled coupe glass, swirl around to coat glass and discard excess. Add the first five ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into the prepared chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the grapefruit twist.

Mimosa

1 part orange juice

1 part champagne

orange twist to garnish

Pour orange juice into a champagne flute and top with champagne. Garnish with orange twist.

Sea Breeze

2 parts vodka

4 parts cranberry juice

2 parts grapefruit juice

Build over ice in a highball glass.

Moscow Mule

2 parts vodka

1 part lime juice

dash of Angostura Bitters

3 parts Ginger Beer

Pour ingredients into a highball glass over ice and stir. 

Classic Negroni

1 oz gin

1 oz Campari

3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth

Combine all ingredients in an ice filled shaker. Shake until well chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a burnt orange. To make a burnt orange, cut about a 1 1/2 inch by 1 inch peel off a ripe navel orange. Be sure to get just the skin and as little of the pith as possible. Holding the orange peel between thumb and index fingers with skin facing out, hold a lit match over the glass and with the orange peel about an inch away from the flame squeeze the peel quickly and firmly between your fingers. When done correctly, a burst of flame will come from the oils being released from the peel leaving an aroma and adding a note of orange to the cocktail. Simply drop the twist in the drink.

Watermelon Cucumber Refresher

3 parts vodka

1 part triple sec

1 part watermelon cucumber juice

1 part fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a watermelon and cucumber slice and a sprig of mint.

Watermelon Cucumber Juice

2 cups diced, seeded, watermelon flesh

1 cup peeled, seeded cucumber

2 sprigs of mint (10-12 leaves)

Whir all ingredients together in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard pulp.

The Sidekick

4 oz Calvados

2 oz vodka

1 oz fresh lime juice

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1 oz simple syrup

sugar for rim

Rim the glass with sugar. Combine the cocktail ingredients in a shaker, add ice and shake 30 times. Strain into rimmed glasses. Garnish with a slice of apple.

Southside Fizz

2 oz dry gin

3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

8-10 mint leaves

chilled club soda

large ice cubes

Place mint leaves in a cocktail shaker and gently bruise with muddler. Add gin and lemon juice and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Fill shaker with large pieces of ice and shake gently for about 10 seconds. Double strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig.