vodka

Latkes and Libations

Adam (aka Mr. Muddle)Leave a comment

Gimel-let

2 oz vodka
1/2 Dry Vermouth
1/4 oz Calvados
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
Few dashes Orange Bitters

Combine ingredients in a glass with ice, shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with lemon peel Star of David.

We’re looking down the barrel of the holiday season, so why not keep things festive.  This week I wanted try and come up with a drink to celebrate Hanukkah.  One option was to pull inspiration from the menorah and candles, but Homer already made the best cocktail to incorporate fire.  Instead, I turned to the dinner table, where you will always find a plate of crispy latkes. Continue reading →

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They Call Me the Breeze

Adam (aka Mr. Muddle)Leave a comment

Offshore Wind

2 oz Vodka <Tito’s>
3/4 oz Cranberry Liqueur <Grand Ten Distilling Craneberry>
1/4 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

A few years ago I was at a beach Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Wildwood, NJ.  After two days of games in the sand, the whole team went out to dinner.  Most of us ordered beers, until one of my teammates shook things up and went with a Sea Breeze.  His argument being that he was sick of beer after two+ days of drinking Modelo Especials on the beach and boardwalk.  Apparently he made a good point, because almost everybody changed their orders to cocktails (mostly margaritas and G&Ts).  Another teammate then ordered a Bay Breeze, and a heated debate ensued.

Continue reading →

Muddle Travels: Finland and Estonia

Adam (aka Mr. Muddle)2 Comments

Everyman’s Right

1 healthy pour of chilled vodka <Saimaa>
1 spoonful of lingonbery and blueberry compote*
a squeeze of lemon juice

I’m using my vacation measurements for this one.  Combine everything in a rocks glass (or equivalent), and give a quick stir.  Garnish with fresh lingonberries and blueberries.

* If you don’t homemade compote on hand, muddled fresh berries or a spoonful of your favorite jam and some simple syrup should suffice.

Hey there!  Mrs. Muddle and I are back from our trip to Finland and Estonia, and we are pleased to report that both those countries have pretty formidable cocktail (and beer) scenes.  If there is one takeaway from drinking in that part of the world, it’s that fresh local ingredients in various forms are all the rage.  And I’m not just talking juices ; there were purees, foams, syrups, and of course garnishes.  Also berries.  Man do they love their berries. Continue reading →

Liquid Leftovers

Adam (aka Mr. Muddle)2 Comments

Brown Baggin’ It

1 1/2 oz Vodka <Tito’s>
3/4 oz lemon simple syrup*
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur <Luxardo>

Stir with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.
* for lemon syrup, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water, and boil until sugar is dissolved, remove from heat.  Soak lemon supremes (wedges will work too) for 30 mins, then remove.

The kitchen isn’t just for making drinks, it’s also for cooking food – something I enjoy equally as much, if not more.  Last weekend, those two worlds collided.  I’m trying to step up my lunch game, so I made this toasted bulgur salad to take to work during the week (it was delicious).  One component was candied lemon wedges, which are nothing more than lemon supremes soaked in simple syrup.  They added a wonderful bright sweetness to the salad.  After soaking the lemons, the recipe said to “reserve the syrup for another use”. Of course, I read that as “now I have half a cup of lemon simple syrup for cocktails”.

Continue reading →

Learning to Fly

Adam (aka Mr. Muddle)10 Comments

Aviation

2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur <Luxardo>
1/4 oz lemon juice (up to 1/2 oz if you like your citrus)
(the classic recipe calls for 1/8-1/4 oz Creme de Violette. I don’t have it at home, so I omit it, at no detriment to the drink though).

Shake with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry*.

If the Manhattan was the drink that had me sticking my toe in the classic cocktail pool, the Aviation made me want to take a running start and do a cannonball in there.

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