Stinger

STINGER

IBA cocktail. Despite the weird combination...this stuff works!

Hi everyone! Here's an IBA cocktail, that I decided to make. Two ingredients, simple enough, right? But when you take a closer look to what they are you might think "aaww hell naow!" Okay, let's see what a Stinger has in it:

• 5 cl cognac
• 2 cl créme de menthe (white)
• (mint sprig garnish)

Stir the alcohols with ice and strain into either a cocktail glass or on ice into a tumbler. If you want to, garnish with a sprig of mint. I suggest garnishing especially if using a tumbler glass.

So how does cognac and peppermint liqueur work together? I must (to my surprise) say, wonderfully! The Stinger is fresh, smooth and balanced. And it is devious, as its name suggests; this stuff goes to your head fast.

PS. If you don't have white créme de menthe and instead use green, the Stinger is called a Green Hornet.

Mint Julep

MINT JULEP

The official cocktail of the Kentucky Derby

Greetings everyone! Today I'll present you an old-time classic from the ancient times when Romans ruled the world. Well not quite, but nonetheless, this is one of the greatest cocktail I've had and I can easily recommend this drink for anyone. It's a stiff drink I admit but after the first sip I fell in love with it. I present you the Mint Julep.

To make a long story short, this is the cocktail served in the annual Kentucky Derby. It's a bourbon based cocktail and here's how you make one:

• 4-5 mint leaves or ~10 if they're smaller in size
• ~2 tea spoons of sugar
• 6 cl bourbon
• crushed ice
• a mint sprig for garnish

First, take the mint leaves, slam them against your palm and drop them in the glass. For perfectionists traditionalists out there, there's a Julep Cup that is traditionally used in this cocktail. Made out of pewter or if feeling rich and fancy, silver. But since I don't have one (yet), I shall use one of my fancier tumblers.

So the mint is in the glass, add your (granulated) sugar and gently press the sugar and the mint to release more of the essential oils/aromas of the mint. Don't shred the mint, press it.

Add your favorite bourbon, stir a couple of times and then keep scooping that crushed ice. What you want is to get the cocktail freezingly cold after which you add more ice. When the glass gives your frostbites, it's cold enough. Then add another scoop of crushed ice on top and garnish with a mint sprig and preferably at least one straw. Sip and enjoy slowly, since this drink only has alcohol in it. 

I have to tell you, this drink earned its place in my all time favorite top3 cocktails! It is super refreshing and has a great taste of bourbon/mint in it. I can't believe I haven't drunk one before!

Love at first sight (not to mention how visually beautiful the cocktail is), no doubt about it!

Mojito

MOJITO

2009

2011

2013, fresh mint from my own garden

 Probably one of the most known cocktail of all time, this is the Mojito. It is very nice to see how my skills and abilities as a mixologist have bore fruit. Just look at the pictures from the past years. In 2009 I barely knew how to muddle. The end result, shredded mint leaves and a funny lime wheel on the rim of the glass. In 2011 the glass isn't even filled up. Or then I took a picture of it after I had sipped several times of it. Contrary to 2009, I actually used the mint stalks. Now, 2013 I knew how to muddle and I even had my own mint from my garden. What could go wrong? Nothing I say, nothing. I'm really proud of my work. But let's begin, shall we? Do mind there are countless amounts of different ways to make a Mojito, this was mine.

• 5 cl white rum
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• ½ lime cut in four pieces
• ~12 mint leaves and a sprig for decoration
• crushed ice
• club soda

Gently slam the mint leaves on your palm and drop them in the glass. Add the simple syrup and gently press the mint leaves in order to release their oils. Don't shred, press. Add in the lime cuts and muddle them as well. Fill the glass ½ way with crushed ice and pour in the rum. With the help of the bar spoon mix the ingredients in the glass. Fill the glass with crushed again and top it off with club soda. Add a sprig of mint for decoration, pop a few straws in the glass and enjoy.

Cucumber & Green Tea Mojito

CUCUMBER & GREEN TEA MOJITO

What a pleasantly summery drink we have here! Here is a Cucumber & Green Tea Mojito, first introduced by a friend of mine who found it from here and let me know about it. At first my suspic-o-meter gave a signal. Cucumber...and tea...and a mojito?? Well, why the fudge not??

I had to do some before-hand preparations for this cocktail. The recipe serves four and the ingredients are measured accordingly:

• 1 cucumber (save some for garnishin)
• 20 cl water
• 20 cl sugar
• 20 cl white rum
• 20 cl green tea
• 4 limes
• 2 pots of mint
• (club soda)

The cucumber syrup:

• 1 whole cucumber
• 20 cl water
• 20 cl sugar (almost a full US cup)

Cut the cucumber into slices and with the water + sugar bring to boil and then let it simmer on medium heat so that the sugar completely dissolves. Strain the cucumbers and let the syrup cool at room temperature a little while before putting it in the fridge.

Brew a cup (25cl) green tea and let it cool similar as the syrup.

Get your mixing glass ready. Drop roughly 6-10 mint leaves in the glass (you can smack the mint leaves gently before doing this for the essential oils to come up better), add the juice of half a lime and gently muddle the mint/lime juice. Now add 5 cl of the cucumber syrup, 5 cl green tea and 5 cl rum and stir to mix. 

Take a tumbler, fill it with ice and pour in the mixture. Garnish with a few slices of cucumber, a sprig of mint, a wedge of lime and optionally a splash of club soda is okay too. Using a straw helps a lot too! On a side note, I never needed to use all of the limes listed in the recipe, I did well with 2½, using 1 half/drink + a small wedge. Also, I never used the club soda, didn't hurt the drink though.

I made this for friends that came over today and their commentary on this cocktail was unanimous; a very refreshing summer drink! 

To wrap this up, actually making four cocktails was a bit of a hassle, but all's well that ends well! A good cocktail this was! (and still is)

Thanks for the input, Tacy! :)