By Jeb Fiorita and Peter Olson
During these uncertain times, it is easy to sit back, contemplate and wonder what tomorrow will bring. And in many cases, it is very easy to take the train to “negative town,” as I sometimes do myself. But then today, I was sitting outside on my patio, next to my early Father’s Day present a new grill and it occurred to me that sometimes you have to count your blessings and look for the good.
The sun is out and there is a mild breeze in the air. My son is practicing soccer drills on one side of the yard while my oldest is practicing field hockey. The youngest is jumping rope next to me, timing herself for her virtual gym glass. Our oldest who just turned 15 goes away for school, so having her home is a blessing.
And while it is only Tuesday, my mind moved ahead to Friday…the day I set aside for cocktails. We are able to socially distance ourselves from friends and neighbors, while still enjoying our favorite beverages.
I thought an article on fun, festive cocktails would be appropriate. These are cocktails that take a few minutes to make but are well worth the effort. I credit my father in law (as I have done in pat articles) as well as my mother for a few of these recipes and the memories that I cherish that they bring.
We (as a large community) may have missed Cinco de Mayo celebrations …which for most of us may have included great Mexican food, with you guessed it…Margaritas with immediate family or a few friends. So I thought I would pass along two of my all-time favorite margarita recipes. The first is pretty straight forward…
3 oz – Tequila (White, Rapasado or Anjeo)
1 oz – Grand Marnier
1 oz – Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
1 oz – Agave Nectar
Take the ingredients and add them over a full rocks size glass of ice. Then transfer all contents (including ice) into a shaker and give it a good shake for a few seconds. While the shaker is sitting for a minute, salt the rim of the glass and add a lime wedge. Then transfer contacts back to the glass.
My second favorite margarita recipe is a watermelon margarita. The key to this is the watermelon syrup. The process to make the syrup is as follows…
1.5 cups of fresh cubed watermelon
1 cup of white sugar
Add contents to a saucepan and reduce on medium heat until it becomes a gel/liquid. It is best to mash the watermelon while reducing. Once that is complete, set aside to cool. You make the regular margarita with the directions mentioned earlier. Now you just add 2 oz. of the watermelon syrup and shake in a shaker. I would recommend using sugar instead of salt around the rim.
If you want to add a little something fun to your margarita, add one oz of St. Germaine. This is an elderflower liquor that can liven up the cocktail.
While my father in law has introduced me to several artisan cocktails over the years, one in particular has always stood out. And when weather starts to turn warmer and days get a little longer, that is when I know it is time to create this cocktail. It is the perfect drink for this time of year. To make you will need…
5 oz Tangerine Juice
2 oz Gin
.5 oz Agave Syrup
2 wheels of a cucumber, peeled and muddled
Add all ingredients in a shaker (with ice) and give a few good shakes. Serve on the rocks with a cucumber sliced (not peeled). The mix of cucumber with the gin and tangerine is a refreshing break from your basic gin and juice.
Growing up in Wisconsin, my parents loved to entertain on Friday nights, especially after big games. No, I was not a high school football star, playing under the “Friday Night Lights” … I was in the band. Don’t laugh…marching while playing memorized music is tough as well. As I was saying, parents would gather at our house after the game where, oddly enough, mom would be the party coordinator and bartender. And she would make her favorite drink (introduced to her by her father) a Gin Sling. Now, this can be made in various ways. But my favorite is with Pimm’s No.1 Cup. This is a British gin-based liquor founded by James Pimm in 1823 and currently owned by Diageo. To make, take…
2 oz. Pimm’s No 1 Cup
4 oz. Sprite, Ginger Ale or 7 up
1 Cucumber stick cut length wise (for garnish)
1 Wedge of lime (for garnish)
Serve over ice in either a tall glass or as my parents did in a large glass beer mug. That limited your number of trips you had to make to the bar.
I hope you enjoy these cocktails and remember, the team at Val’s Putnam Liquors is here to assist you with your cocktail, wine and beer needs. We are offering free delivery as well as curb side pickup.
As we approach Summer with a sense of caution combined with a desire to be with family and friends, please be safe and responsible. We look forward to seeing you soon.
The Val’s Family
Jeb is the owner of Val’s Putnam Wines & Liquors with locations in Greenwich and Glenville. Peter is in charge of business development.
