Pisco Sour

If you have been to Peru, you have no doubt had more than one Pisco Sour, a classic South American cocktail that was supposedly invented in Lima in the 1920s.

Pisco from Peru in a super fancy bottle!

Pisco is a kind of brandy made with grapes- developed by Spanish colonizers in the 1600s.

I brought a couple of bottles back with me years ago and completely forgot I had one left.  So I whipped up a batch, which would be great with Peruvian shepherd's pie (a dish served to us when we hiked the Salkantay Pass with United Mice using mashed potatoes, red onions, tuna and avocado) or the famous Peruvian rotisserie chicken, macerated with garlic time and pepper- known in our house as "Norky's" chicken after the chain restaurant we frequented. 

Some good memories!

Ingredients

2 oz Pisco (Can be ordered from Liquor Depot)
1 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz simple syrup
1 Fresh egg white
2 dashes Prairie Rose Black Cloud bitters

Ice cubes

Method

Add all ingredients except bitters to cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain into glass.  Add bitters on top of the foam.

Watermelon Mint Mojito

Serve this with a fresh baguette topped with goat cheese and some fresh tomatoes and basil from your garden

Ingredients


1 small seedless watermelon, chilled
20 mint leaves
Juice from 1 lime
2 oz Simple Syrup (if watermelon is not sweet)
6 oz tequila

Salt and lime to rim glass
If you're in the mood, use your melon ball tool to make 2 balls of watermelon
2 mint sprigs for garnish

Method

Peel and cube watermelon. Put all ingredients except salt and garnish in blender and blend till smooth. Chill. Rim margarita glass with salt. Pour mixture into prepared glass. Stick the melon ball on the mint and pop it in the glass.

Moscow Mule

A copper mug is a must. I ordered mine from Amazon. Not only does it keep the drink very cold, some experts say that once the vodka touches the copper, it begins to oxidize slightly, adding a tangy smell and improving the taste.

Ingredients

1.5 oz Vodka from Park Distillery in Banff or Three Point Vodka from Eau Claire in Turner Valley
.5 oz lime juice
Half a bottle of Ginger Beer from Grizzly Paw in Canmore
2 droppers of Garden Party Bitters from Black Cloud
Lime wheel for garnish

Method

Add lime juice to mug. Fill with ice cubes. Add vodka and bitters and top with ginger beer. Garnish with lime wheel.

English Garden

I'll start here with the most delicious cocktail that was served as a "signature cocktail" at my daughter's recent wedding held at Peke's Manor in East Sussex.  A gorgeous summery drink.

Ingredients

1.5 oz gin  Go for something British that is low on botanicals.
.5 oz St Germain elderflower liqueur or elderflower cordial (from Ikea or get the homemade version from Dave's mom Jane. It is delicious!)
2.5 oz apple juice  I make my own from my crazy overproducing apple tree
.25 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
Cucumber ribbons to serve

Method

Put all ingredients except cucumber in shaker with ice and blend well. Put cucumber ribbon in highball glass filled with fresh ice and add cocktail.

Bride and Bridesmaids at Peke's

Where to Start

This is what I bought with my ATA retirement gift card.

What to do on your "stay-cation"? Or in your retirement when you can't afford to go somewhere exotic?

Play around with cocktail recipes.

There are tons of recipes online, but what makes one better than another and what do you really need for equipment and raw ingredients?

First, you need the basics, obviously.

Equipment

• Cocktail Shaker
• Jigger
• Pitcher
• Old Fashioned and/or Rocks Glasses
• Copper Mugs
• Highball Glasses
• Martini Glasses
• Wine Glasses
• Strainer
• Zester
• Bitters 

Ingredients

I don't like more than four ingredients in a cocktail. You need good ingredients but not too many so you can let the flavours shine through. More than four and you've just got various forms of swampwater.

I like to use Alberta ingredients if possible. On every road trip we try to hit up local distilleries, vineyards and breweries- there are getting to be more and more of them! A trip to the Italian Centre is great for inspiration. Herbs and fruit from your own garden are also great!

Quality is key. Use cheap gin and cheap vermouth and you'll get a crappy martini. 

• Simple Syrup (Boil one cup of sugar in one cup of water, store in fridge). You can make variations of this by adding herbs such as basil, cilantro and mint 
• Tonic (Eau Claire Distillery out of Turner Valley makes a nice one. My brother-in-law swears by Fevertree- available at select grocery stores)
• Soda (I usually use Canada Dry) 
• Limes, Lemons
• Course salt for glass rimming (Maldon's is my preference)
• Ginger beer (Grizzly Paw Brewing in Canmore makes a very nice version that is not too spicy)
• Gin, Rum, Vodka, Vermouth, Rye, Bourbon (see individual recipes for brand preferences)
• St Germain Elderflower liqueur and Ancho Reyes are go-tos on my summer list
• Old Prairie Sentinel Distillery in Lacombe makes a delightful Pickled Pepper Vodka as well as limited edition gin and other spirits
• Get the taster pack of bitters from Black Cloud

Extras

• A good deck with sunshine and flowers and dogs
• Or a camper, tent or trailer in a remote campsite
• Quiet (Tell your neighbours it is cocktail hour. No lawn mowing, weed-whacking or kids on trampolines allowed)
• Comfy deck chairs
• Snacks (preferably brought by some good friends)

Tapas party!