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I love discovering interesting new cocktail recipes, so I'm continually browsing Pinterest and other sites for combinations I haven't tried before. One of my frustrations is seeing a delicious-looking cocktail and then discovering that it calls for three or four exotic, unusual, and/or expensive ingredients that I'd never use for anything else. But every now and then I stumble across something a bit different that's made mainly from ingredients that I have on hand plus one thing that's a little unusual. Here are some of my favorite "fancy" cocktails that don't require a major investment in unusual ingredients! There are four recipes for each ingredient so you have more options to use it.
Cheers!
The "Fancy" Ingredients: Egg, orgeat, St. Germain, blue curacao, pear juice/puree, rosemary simple syrup, champagne, Tuaca
Standard Ingredients:
Gin
Vodka
Bourbon
Cognac/brandy
Rum
Whiskey
Tequila
Red wine
Triple sec (or other orange liqueur)
Chambord (or other raspberry liqueur)
Dry vermouth
Club soda
Plain or lemon seltzer
Apple juice
Cranberry juice
Half and half
Lemonade
Simple syrup
Maple syrup
Lemon juice
Lime juice
Angostura bitters
Orange bitters
Optional Garnishes:
Lemon
Lime
Orange
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Whole almonds
Fresh thyme
Fresh mint
Fresh rosemary
Fresh raspberries
Fresh cranberries
Maraschino cherries
Coarse salt
Sanding sugar
The Ingredient: Egg (whole, white, or yolk)
Royal Clover Club
New York Sour
In a cocktail shaker without ice, add 2 oz bourbon, 1 oz lemon juice, an egg white, and 3/4 oz syrup and shake for 20 seconds. Add ice and shake for an additional 30 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Gently pour the red wine over the back of a spoon to float it on the top of the bourbon.
Sidecar Fizz
In a cocktail shaker without ice, combine egg white and 3/4 oz lemon juice and shake vigorously 20-30 times. Add 1-1/2 oz cognac, 3/4 oz triple sec, and 1/2 oz simple syrup; fill with ice and shake another 20 times. Strain into a coupe or martini glass, top with a splash of club soda, and garnish with a lemon twist.
The Ingredient: Orgeat (almond syrup with a hint of orange blossom)
Harmony
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 50 ml cognac, 70 ml apple juice, 10 ml lime juice, and 5 ml orgeat. Shake until chilled then strain into a highball or martini glass. Leave ungarnished or add a twist of lime or lemon or an apple slice.
Army & Navy
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 2 oz gin, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz orgeat, and a dash of bitters. Shake until chilled, then strain into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Natural
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 1-1/2 parts rum, 1/2 part cognac, 2 dashes lemon juice, and 2 dashes orgeat. Shake and strain into a wine glass of ice cubes.
Almondtini
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 1-1/2 parts vodka, 3/4 part apple juice, 1/2 part lemon juice, and 1/2 part orgeat. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a whole almond, if desired.
The Ingredient: St. Germain (elderflower liqueur)
Elderflower Gimlet
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 2 oz gin, 3/4 oz St. Germain, 1/2 oz lime juice, and 1/2 oz simple syrup and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
Bowery Orchard
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 1-1/2 oz whiskey, 1 oz apple juice, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 1/2 oz simple syrup, 1/4 oz St. Germain, and a dash of bitters. Shake until well chilled and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube or sphere. Garnish with an apple slice or a twist of lemon.
Elderflower Margarita
Rub a slice of lime around the rim of a rocks glass and dip in coarse salt. Chill. In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 2 oz tequila, 2 oz St. Germain, and 1-1/2 oz lime juice. Shake until well chilled and strain into prepared glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
St. Germain and Cranberry
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 1 oz vodka, 1 oz cranberry juice, 1/2 oz St. Germain, 1/2 oz. lemon juice, and 1 tsp syrup. Shake until chilled, then strain into a rocks glass and garnish with a lemon wheel.
The Ingredient: Blue Curacao (orange liqueur)
Blue Russian
Add a small amount of crushed ice to a chilled martini glass. Pour 2 oz blue curacao over the ice, then gently pour 2 oz vodka over that. Top with 1 oz half and half.
Patriotic Passion
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 1-1/2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz blue curacao, 1-3/4 oz apple juice, 3/4 oz lime juice and shake until chilled. Strain into a tall glass of fresh ice and garnish with a skewer of fresh raspberries. (This photo includes a garnish of stars cut out of jicama, but that's way too much work for me.)
Yale
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 2-1/2 oz gin, 1-1/2 tsp dry vermouth, 1-1/2 tsp blue curacao, and a dash of orange bitters and shake until well chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or a lowball glass with a large ice cube or sphere.
Blue Lagoon
To a cocktail shaker of ice, add 1-1/2 oz vodka, 1-/2 oz blue curacao, and 6 oz lemonade. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a hurricane or other tall glass of fresh ice. Garnish with an orange wedge and a maraschino cherry.
The Ingredient: Pear Juice/Pear Puree (buy bottled or make your owned by mashing or blending a peeled and cored ripe pear)
Blissful Pear
Moisten the edge of a martini glass with lemon juice and dip in sugar, then chill. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 2 oz vodka, 4 oz pear juice, and a splash of lemon juice. Shake well and strain into prepared glass. Top with seltzer and garnish with pear zest or a slice of pear.
Pear Collins
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 2 oz gin and 2 oz pear puree. Shake until chilled then strain into a highball glass of fresh ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a pear slice and a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
Pear Cosmo
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz triple sec, and 1 oz pear juice. Shake until very cold, then strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with a floating slice of pear.
Pear Bourbon Smash
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 2 oz bourbon, 2 oz pear juice, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, and a splash of lemon juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with seltzer and garnish with a slice of pear and/or a twist of lemon.
The Ingredient: Rosemary Simple Syrup (make your own)
To make the syrup: In a small saucepan, stir together 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar, Bring to a boil and add 4 large sprigs of rosemary. Simmer over low heat for 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes, then discard the rosemary and strain the syrup. Keep refrigerated.
Rosemary Gin Fizz
Ingredients: Gin, lemon juice, rosemary simple syrup, club soda
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 2 oz gin, 1 oz lemon juice, and 1/2 oz rosemary simple syrup. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass with ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of rosemary.
Bourbon Lemon Rosemary
In a shaker of ice, combine 2 oz bourbon, 1 oz lemon juice, and 1 oz rosemary syrup. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
Rosemary Lemon Drop
Moisten the rim of a martini glass with lemon juice and dip in sugar (optional: mix finely chopped rosemary with the sugar). In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 2 oz vodka, 1 oz lemon juice, and 1 oz rosemary syrup and shake until cold. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with a floating sprig of rosemary.
Rosemary Gimlet
In a cocktail shaker of ice, combine 1-1/2 oz gin, 1-1/2 oz rosemary syrup, and 2 oz lime juice. Shake until well chilled and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lime wedge and/or a sprig of rosemary.
The Ingredient: Champagne (or Prosecco, cava, or other sparkling wine)
Champagne Margarita
Ingredients: Tequila, triple sec, lime juice*, simple syrup*, champagne
Moisten the rim of a champagne flute with lime juice and dip in sugar. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1 oz tequila, 1 oz triple sec, 2-1/2 Tbsp lime juice, and 1 tsp simple syrup (*you can also use Rose's Sweetened lime juice and omit the simple syrup). Shake well and strain into the prepared glass, then top with 3 oz champagne and garnish with a lime wedge.
French 75
In a cocktail shake with ice, combine 1-1/2 oz gin, 3/4 oz lemon juice, and 1/2 oz simple syrup. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a champagne flute and top with champagne. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Classic Champagne Cocktail
Place 1/2 tsp sugar (or a sugar cube) in the bottom of a champagne flute or coupe glass and add 2 dashes of bitters, then 1 Tbsp cognac. Fill with chilled champagne.
Kir Imperial
Pour 3/4 oz Chambord into a champagne flute, then top with chilled champagne. Garnish with a fresh raspberry.
The Ingredient: Tuaca (spiced brandy-based vanilla liqueur)
Ruth's Chris Sidecar
Ingredients: Cognac, lemon juice, triple sec, Tuaca
Moisten the rim of a coupe or martini glass with lemon juice and dip in sugar. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1 oz cognac, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz triple sec, and 1/2 oz Tuaca. Shake and strain into prepared glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Apple Crumble
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 2 oz Tuaca, 1/2 oz lemon juice, and 1-1/2 oz apple juice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass. Garnish with a shake of cinnamon.
Detroit Irish
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1-1/2 oz bourbon, 2 oz Tuaca, and 1/2 oz triple sec and swirl (do not shake), then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Tuaca Daquiri
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine 1 oz rum, 3/4 oz Tuaca, 3/4 oz lime juice, and 1/2 oz simple syrup. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with orange peel.
Cheers!
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