The Cocktail and Spirit Gals

International Tequila Day

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 10:38:47 -0700

International Tequila day is today! We were ahead of the game by attending a Tequila Class at STK at the Cosmopolitan Hotel last Wednesday.

Marc Suciu, the Premier Accounts Manager, Resort Spirits, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada led the class in the bar, and STK provided appetizers to go along with the cocktails.
“Tequila is a party starter,” said Marc over the cheers of the audience.

So what is Tequila? It’s a liquor from Mexico, right? Well, by way of Spain. Agave was first made into wine; the Spanish brought brought distillation to the new world. And the new world made tequila!

Jalisco is where Xerofica-Agave-Tequilana, a member of the lily family grows. Think Champagne classification and place of origin.

Tequila requires ten years of growing, and three additional years for its production and manufacture. In order for the beverage to become classified as Tequila it requires 51 percent of fermented sugars extracted from the Blue Weber-Azul.
If these conditions are not established, then the beverage is referred to as mezcal.

Here are the types of Tequila most recognized:

Blanco (White) or Plata (Silver), clean taste
Reposado; aged in wood 2 months, lively taste
Chinaco; aged in oak for 3 months, slightly mellow with an edge
Anejo; aged for a year in barrel, the bourbon of tequilas
Dorado; color obtained through the use of caramel and other flavorings. icky, not recommended

According to Marc, there is a Tequila shortage coming. “There is so much good tequila right now, but not much estate growing.”
So look for some of the smaller producers to support.

Like El Tersoro, the tequila featured in Marc’s recipes. They distill to proof and then distill the proof, which gives the tequila a clean smooth taste that is perfect straight-up or in cocktails.

Thank you Marc, for these refreshing, appetite cleansing cocktails!

Let’s get the party started!

Jalisco Summer (Grapefruit Cocktail)
o   1.5oz El Tesoro Platinum Tequila
o   3oz fresh Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice
o   1oz fresh Lem,on Juice
o   .5oz Agave Nectar
o   2 thin slices of grapefruit
Method: In your mixing glass combine all liquids, add ice and shake just to cool the liquid. In serving glass wrap the inside of the glass with the sliced grapefruits, add fresh ice, and strain liquid into glass over fresh ice. Add mint sprig for garnish.

Acai Cooler (Acai Margarita)
o   1.5oz El Tesoro Platinum Tequila
o   .5oz Cedilla Acai Liqueur
o   3 blackberries
o   Juice of one lime
o   .5oz Agave Nectar
Method: In your mixing glass lightly muddle the blackberries to release color then combine all liquids, add ice and shake just to cool the liquid. Strain over fresh ice in the serving glass, and garnish with two thinly sliced lime wheels, and one blackberry

Smokey basilic

Tue, 7 Feb 2012 17:22:39 -0800

Basil is an herb we like to have around all the time. So with some farmers market basil and a lemon from the backyard we came up with this.

1 lemon, peel rind, juice lemon into shaker
7 leaves of basil
1 tsp maple syrup
1 shake Trader Joe smoked seasonings
Muddle
add ice
1.5 oz Bourbon
3oz Lemon Ginger juice from Trader Joe’s
Shake and pour
Garnish with lemon peel and basil leaf

Licorice, smoking spice with hint of sweet :)

Moonlight Mixology

Sun, 5 Feb 2012 09:29:46 -0800

Las Vegas is a place where getting the invite can mean a free drink or two, mixing with the hipster crowd, and/or getting chatted up in the woman’s bathroom by one of the mini me’s for an exclusive club opening...YAWN. But as you know, as we search the world for creative cocktails we will do almost anything for you guys. :)

When the Moonlight Mixology at the Petrossian Bar invitation crossed our paws last week, we decided to attend. We like this bar in The Bellagio for caviar, champagne, people watching and the occasional cocktail; they also do a mean afternoon tea. So being fans of their mixologist, Matt Myers, we decided to make an after hours appearance.

The first drink of the evening, the free one, was a hit with Buttercup. Mount Shasta combines Effen Cucumber, Cascade Hop Infused Gin, Grapefruit Yuzu Syrup, Kafir Lime. “You know I like the savory ones, Pumpkin. This is one refreshing drink, the cascade hops lend a citrus note, and the grapefruit yuzu brighten the drink with a little bitterness.”

The next drink was The Flying Dutchmen, a stiff one that bourbon and beer drinkers will like. Knob Hill Single Barrel, Hum Liqueur; a hibiscus, ginger, cardamom, kefir lime spirit, Creme de Peche, Lemon Grass Syrup and Heineken.

The last one was my favorite, and I like smokey drinks. Could be all that snuggling next to the fireplace. The Devil’s Dinner contains Jim Bean Devil’s Cut, Creme de Mure; a creamy blackberry liqueur, Smoked Syrup, fresh lemon, and Jalapeno water. A bit smokey and a bit fire-y.

So if you want to get into the loop on cocktail magic invitations in Las Vegas, follow the bars and hotels on twitter and FaceBook, or when you arrive look for flyers or ask the concierge about upcoming events.

Here are the links for the Bellagio and Petrossian Bar.

Sunny Side Up

Wed, 1 Feb 2012 14:26:31 -0800

Fresh orange juice straight from the backyard tree, inspired this twist on a margarita. Well, a cocktail gals twist! No wine in sight this time, but using a sparkling wine instead of blood orange soda would add some golden bubble milage.

orange rind
8 mint leaves
1 tbs maple syrup

Muddle, add ice to shaker

Add:
Juice from 1 orange
1 jigger tequila
3 jiggers blood orange soda

Shake-Shake-Shake, and pour into margarita glass, then sip-sip-sip. Floral, orange pow, sweet but not saccharine. Just like us.

Getting Sassy with Port

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:34:08 -0800

Port is amazing on its own as a digestif, an aperitif or after dinner drink. We gals like to sit around the fire with a wee glass of authentic tawny port.
Good news for us, Port is making a comeback as a cocktail ingredient. It’s showing up in craft cocktails from New York, to Seattle to our humble abode. Here’s one we created for #PortDay 2012.

Sassy Porto Canuck
Muddle 8 leaves of mint with 2 tbs maple syrup in a cocktail shaker
Add ice
Add 1 oz tawny port, 1 oz bourbon, 3 oz blood orange soda
Shake gently and pour into a martini glass

Its not too sweet, earthy and warming, with a little acidic fizz. Hey Vegas, the cocktail gals are here to mix things up!