Summit Sips » cointreau

Drink of the Week: Improved Gin Cockail

Randy — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 04:37:21 +0000

David Wondrich calls it “New York’s answer to the Sazerac.” If you’re a fan of that drink, you probably know that it comes from New Orleans. A true cocktail in the original definition of the word, the Sazerac features whiskey, sugar, water and bitters, plus a little absinthe—a fantastic classic. And since New York was originally a Dutch colony, it makes sense that their version would involve gin—but not just any gin. If we stay true to the period in which this was created, that gin would have been Dutch genever. It would be fair to call this the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail.

Not long ago, we explored genever in the Bols Alaska cocktail, so here’s another fun way to use it. If you’ve been thinking about adding genever to your cabinet, let me tell you, it’s time. The truth is, genever is a very interesting product that can

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Drink Of The Week: Royal Bermuda Yacht Club

Randy — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:37:36 +0000

Mount Gay 1703 Old Cask Selection, Barbados

I am no rum expert, but I am learning, and although I have managed to collect a few bottles, there seems to be no end in sight. Rum (and related sugar cane spirits) are distilled all over the world. Some are made from molasses while others are distilled from fermented cane juice. Distilleries use column stills, pot stills and sometimes both. They can match the alcohol content of other spirits or create overproof varieties. There are light rums, gold rums, spiced rums and dark rums (enough to make an adult Dr. Seuss story). Some are bottled immediately and others get better with time. With qualities that used to be merely a result of storage and shipping, the finest rums in the world today are aged in oak barrels and carefully blended to produce flavors that could drive a whiskey lover to

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Drink Of The Week: Jasmine

Randy — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:15:51 +0000

This week, we feature another bitter-sour combination in the Jasmine cocktail. If you enjoyed the Campari Sour a few weeks ago, this drink is similar, although it is more complex and has no egg white. If you thought the Campari Sour was simply too bitter, you might really enjoy this drink instead. It’s a lot more accessible because the bitterness is no longer taking center stage, giving a little room for the other ingredients to share the spotlight.

There are a few recipes floating around for the Jasmine cocktail. Most align on the ingredients with differences in proportions. I tried several of them and zeroed in on this one because it “evolves” in your mouth. Other cocktail recipes can be more forgiving of quarter-ounce adjustments, but here, tiny changes to the measurements (or inaccurate pouring) will transform the experience dramatically. For one thing, this is more than just a

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Drink of the Week: Corpse Reviver #2

Randy — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 03:26:36 +0000

We are already a full week into October, and this being the second scariest month of the year (beware of Income Tax April), it seemed fitting that I feature cocktails that would work nicely at a Halloween party. Over the course of the next four weeks I’ll cover my favorite ghoulish classics as we work our way toward the end of the month. Today, I want to show you a cocktail that deserves to be on your list of favorites all year long. Although the name may have you running for the hills, this drink may surprise you with its simple recipe and delicious flavor. The Corpse Reviver #2 is our first Halloween Drink of the Week.

It may sound like a potion that can resurrect the dead, but in this case the Reviver is actually a class of cocktails usually considered “morning-after” refreshments. Nothing helps a corpse recover from

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Drink Of The Week: Margarita

Randy — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:28:20 +0000

It’s Cinco de Mayo, the voluntary holiday when we celebrate Mexican heritage. Although it’s virtually ignored throughout most of Mexico, the 5th of May is significant to folks in Puebla where the Mexican army defeated the French in 1862 against overwhelming odds. It was also the last battle in which a country in the Americas was invaded by an overseas army. The holiday has been celebrated in California every year since, and it has become nationally recognized in the United States as well as other countries, much like St. Patrick’s Day and Oktoberfest.

In recognition of this day and to pay tribute to our beloved spirit from Mexico, I am posting my favorite recipe for the most popular drink in America—the Margarita. The proportions of ingredients and sometimes the ingredients themselves are often debated. By most standard definitions, the Margarita contains tequila, triple sec and lime juice, but I

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Drink of the Week: Sidecar

Randy — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:45:26 +0000

I had originally wanted to feature the Brandy Crusta for the Drink of the Week, but the key to that cocktail is getting a full peel of a lemon to sit just right—like a skirt—around the inside of a wine glass. Actually, my best wine glass was too tall for this, and a cocktail coupe was too wide at the rim for the full peel to sit properly, and other glasses looked strange and. . . well, you get the idea. I just didn’t feel like I had the right glass for the Crusta, and believe me when I tell you that I have a lot of cocktail glassware! In the end, I decided that if I was having trouble showcasing the right glass, I could hardly expect my readers to have an easier time. Besides, I couldn’t figure out how one would drink the Brandy Crusta with this

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Pomegranates and How to Make Grenadine

Randy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:45:52 +0000

Randy explains how best to open a pomegranate and release the precious seeds within as well has how to use the juice from these seeds to make grenadine. Once you've made your own grenadine, there are several delicious recipes to try, including the Singapore Sling, Monkey Gland, and the Commodore Cocktail.

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