Joy the Baker » cocktails

Homemade Ginger Syrup for ginger ale

joythebaker — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:56:18 +0000

Homemade Ginger Syrup for ginger ale

recipe from Imbibe Magazine

makes 2 cups ginger syrup

2 cups coarsely chopped ginger

2 cups granulated sugar

6 cups water

Place chopped ginger in a food processor (or blender in a pinch) and pulverize until well chopped.

Place ginger, sugar, and water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half, until the liquid has reduced down by more than half. You’re going from 6 cups of liquid to 2 cups. The boiling syrup will become glossy and silky as it cooks down and nears completion.

Remove syrup from the flame and strain twice through a cheese cloth, or fine mesh strainer, into a large bowl. Let syrup cool slightly before pouring into a bottle to store. Cool completely before incorporating into drinks.

This site tells you that you can make candied ginger from the cooked ginger. Check it out!

Ginger Ale

1 cup club soda

3 tablespoons ginger syrup (or to taste)

lime wedge

dash of bitters (optional)

ice

Combine all ingredients in a glass over ice. Stir with spoon to incorporate. Enjoy immediately. If you wanted to add bourbon… that would be delicious.

It’s a Bloody Mary

joythebaker — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 07:30:43 +0000

Have you ever watched Sex and the City 2 with a straight dude who is waaaaaay more into it than you?

I have. That happened.

Have you ever thought about renting Steel Magnolias, buying a box of tissue and inviting this same gentlemen over… just to test the waters? I have. Duh.

Would Driving Miss Daisy be too far? Eat, Pray, Love?

This is just craycray. I need a Bloody Mary… and a few hours working on my Netflix queue. I might have a winner here.

I happen to love a good Bloody Mary. Duh.

There are all sorts of things going on in this drink: tomato juice, a little spice from horseradish and hot sauce, roundness from Worcestershire sauce and booooooze!

Honestly? I’m in it for the salty goodness of the pickles and olives and caper berries. It’s really the only way I ever want to eat a salad.

Have you ever made your own Bloody Mary? It’s an investment but totally fun! If you’re having company over this holiday season… you should totally impress them with your cocktail skills and pickle skewering.

It’s A Bloody Mary

makes two small or one large drink

i made this recipe in cups because i don’t have a bartending jigger thing.

Print this Recipe!

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons tomato juice

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold vodka

generous pinch of salt

generous pinch of freshly freshly ground pepper

scant 1/2 teaspoon horseradish

4-5 dashes Tabasco sauce

scant 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

pinch of crushed celery seeds, crushed

two lemon wedges

ice

pickles, olives and celery on skewers for garnish

In a measuring cup, mix together tomato juice, vodka, salt, pepper, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, celery seed and crushed celery seeds. Stir together and pour over two small glasses filled to the brim with ice cubes. Pour the Bloody Mary mixture over the ice glasses, squeeze in lemon wedges and place garnish in the glass along with a straw.

Keep in mind that all of these ingredients can be increased or decreased according to your taste. Play around!

Summer Sweet Raspberry Lemonade

joythebaker — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:38:55 +0000

When it comes time for a little human to call me Mom, there are several things I hope for. Here are a few of those hopes:

I hope that I’ll no longer run screaming from the room at the sight of a spider. Mom has to take care of the spider… that’s sort of part of the deal as Mom, right? Maybe can I always get away with saying, “Let’s go get Daddy to take care of that spider.” I hope that works.

I hope that a deep affection for pickles and pancakes, though not necessarily on the same plate, is hereditary.

I hope that I have as good a pair of Mom Hands as my mom.

Most importantly, I hope that I create as patient and loving, supportive and hilarious a family as was provided for me.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you who have the patience and care to raise new, happy, and lovely people in the world.

Here’s some dreamy Raspberry Lemonade, and all sort sof recipes that you might consider making for your mom and family this weekend.

This gorgeous Raspberry Lemonade is absolutely the perfect drink to have chilled in the refrigerator all summer long. Consider it The Real Deal Pink Lemonade. An absolute dream, and worth the two easy steps it takes to make. You’ll have enough raspberry sauce to add to the lemonade, swirl into ice cream, and drizzle on top of Milk Chocolate Pudding. Super yum!

Summer Sweet Raspberry Lemonade

adapted from Simply Recipes

Print this Recipe!

1 cup sugar, for a less sweet lemonade, take the sugar down to 3/4 cup

1 cup water to make the simple syrup

1 cup fresh lemon juice

4 cups cold water

2 Tablespoons to 1/4 cup raspberry sauce, depending on how much raspberry you like

Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Add the prepared raspberry sauce and stir to combine. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve over ice.

Serves 6.

Easy Raspberry Sauce

1/2 of a 12-ounce bag frozen raspberries, thawed

1 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons water

Place the thawed raspberries in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Add sugar and water and mix until the raspberries form a smooth puree. Transfer raspberry puree to a fine mesh strainer fit over a bowl. Press the puree through the strainer, until only the raspberry seeds and a bit of pulp remain the the strainer, and a beautiful raspberry sauce is all that’s in the bowl.

Adaption:

Prosecco Raspberry Lemonade: Fill a glass with ice cubes. Fill the glass half full with raspberry lemonade and top with Prosecco or Champagne. Garnish with fresh basil or mint leaves. Hey! Hey! Cocktail!

Fun and Festive Mother’s Day recipes. Just click on the picture or the link to find the recipe!

Cinnamon Raisin Pull Apart Muffins

Pink Grapefruit Yogurt Cake

Lemon Souffle Pudding

Amazing Apple Crisp

Mocha Rum Cake

Mint Julep Two Ways

joythebaker — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:44:31 +0000

These bourbon laden treats were inspired by two things: those still spring, but almost summer days that give you a hint at just how blazing hot this summer is going to be, and… this weekend’s Kentucky Derby.

Here’s what I know about Spring:

It’s green. Once we get past the Easter Bunny stage, it’s all about blooming flowers and May showers. Spring makes me feel like I’m in love with the world… probably because I am.

Here’s what I know about the Kentucky Derby:

Horses. Hats. Mint Juleps.

Here’s what I know about bourbon:

Dang, it’s good!

Here, for your Spring and Derby pleasure, are Mint Julep two ways.

The first is a classic Mint Julep cocktail. If you’re from the South and think that somehow this recipe is not a classic version, then please accept my humble apologies as a native Californian. This is the (ooooh so delicious) way I’ve had Mint Juleps foreva-eva-eva.

The second version is all of the Mint Julep fix-ins on watermelon cubes. Brilliant, right? So refreshing, so fun, and just the perfect way to get ready for the summer sun.

Mint Julep, the cocktail

makes 1 drink adapted from Chow

Print this Recipe!

3 sprigs fresh mint
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
2 ounces bourbon
club soda or filtered water
sprinkle of powdered sugar

Muddle the leaves from two mint sprigs with teaspoons of water and sugar in a highball or collins glass.

Once the mint is bruised and the mixtures is super fragrant, fill the cup with ice cubes. Pour in bourbon, and top with club soda or water and garnish with the remaining mint sprig and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Mint Julep, the watermelon

adapted from Gourmet May 2005

2 tablespoons bourbon or blended whiskey
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint plus 2 tablespoons whole small fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
1 small, seedless watermelon (about 2 pounds of diced watermelon, I just used a small mixing bowl full of diced melon)

Stir together bourbon, chopped mint, and sugar in a small bowl. Let stand 20 minutes (to allow flavors to develop).

Meanwhile, trim, peel, and dice a watermelon. Place in a medium mixing bowl. Pour bourbon mixture through a sieve onto watermelon. If you leave the chopped mint in the mixture, pour it all over the watermelon, and don’t serve it immediately, they’ll eventually turn brown and icky. I learned the hard way. Add whole mint leaves and gently toss to combine. Place in the fridge to chill until serving.

Cucumber Raspberry Vodka Sparklers

joythebaker — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:17:48 +0000

I went into this post practically kicking and screaming today. Let’s be honest- sometimes the words flow, other times it’s a task just to get myself to sit in the chair long enough to post a few words and photos.

This whiny, kicking and screaming, can’t-even-stand-myself feeling seems to be a Labor Day holiday signature of mine. See, the holiday represents the end of summer. I’ve always had enormous jubilation for Memorial Day, the unofficial kick off of summer, and great disdain for it’s holiday evil doppelganger- Labor Day. When I was a kid, we would always have to return to school the Tuesday after Labor Day. The end of summer and the return to school always seemed like a great tragedy to me. I’m talking Hamlet level tragedy.

It would seem that the feelings of that 9 year old, who can’t come to terms with her new backpack and Trapper Keeper have followed me to adulthood. I still don’t like Labor Day. I still have a hard time coming to terms with the end of summer. But now I get to add alcohol to the mix.

My Oh My. Cucumber Raspberry Vodka Sparklers.

I hope you all have a lovely Labor Day weekend. Be safe. Be sound. Don’t kick or scream. That doesn’t help anything. Trust me, I’ve tried that approach for the last 27 years.

Cucumber Raspberry Vodka Sparklers

makes 4 cocktails. do share.

inspired by Martha Stewart

Print this Recipe!

2 English cucumbers
Small ice cubes
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
12 fresh raspberries, rinsed
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
4 ounces (1/2 cup) vodka
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Cointreau
1 large bottled sparkling water (this recipe is not terribly sweet, so you can use lemon lime soda if you’d like more sweetness)

Cut 4 thin spears from 1 cucumber, and reserve for garnish. Peel remaining cucumbers, and quarter them lengthwise. Scrape out seeds with a spoon, and discard. Coarsely chop cucumbers, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add mint, sugar, raspberries and lime juice, and shake. Add 3/4 cup cucumber juice, the vodka, and Cointreau, and shake. Strain into 4 glasses filled with ice. Finish with a splash of sparkling water in each glass and stir. Garnish each cocktail with a cucumber spear.

Incidentially, I wish these were diamonds.