Raspberry Mojito

Something to do with your bountiful raspberry crop. 

Ingredients

2 oz white rum

1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

.5 oz lime juice

.5 oz simple syrup

10 mint leaves

Ice

Method

Blend all ingredients in your Magic Bullet or blender, garnish with some hole mint leaves and serve.

Strawberry Daiquiri

Years ago my brother's partner Mark gave our university bound daughter a Magic Bullet. A dorm hit that was used in more than one party, I discovered it in the basement in the spring and I'm putting it to good use!

Daiquiri on the deck

Ingredients

2 oz white rum -Havana Club is my preference

.5 oz lime juice

.25 oz simple syrup

6 strawberries

1 cup of crushed ice

Fresh strawberry for garnish

Method

Put all ingredients except garnish into the Magic Bullet or blender and process until smooth. Pour into a margarita glass or a coupe glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry.

You could rim the glass with sugar if you want to be fancy.

Rhurbarb Negroni

This is bitter. Very bitter. Better have some fig cakes and manchego to go with it.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Rhubarb shrub
• 1.5 oz Tequila 
• .5 oz Campari
• .5 oz sweet red vermouth
• Ice cubes

Method

Put all ingredients in cocktail shaker and shake for 30 seconds. Pour into chilled coupe glass and serve over ice.

Ancho Old Fashioned

I discovered Ancho Reyes in Puebla, Mexico on my little retirement get-away and was delighted to find it at Liquor Depot. It's spicy and perfect!

Instructions

2 ounces bourbon

.75 oz Ancho Reyes

.25 oz agave syrup 

1 dash charred cedar bitters from Black Cloud

Method

Mix all ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a rosemary sprig or a wide lemon peel.

Chinotto and Rum

Found at Italian grocers or import shops, Chinotto is a dark, bitter soda made of the juice of the fruit of the myrtle leaved orange tree. The Brio brand is sold in Canada and is a bit sweeter. In Italy it apparently contains quinine, so take that mosquitos!

This is a great two ingredient cottage drink. Basically a rum and coke without the sweetness.

Ingredients

2 oz rum  7 year Havana Club is my preference

Bottle of Chinotto 

Lime wedge to garnish

Method

Pour the rum and Chinotta over ice and serve with lime.

Rhubarb Martini and Rhubarb and Soda

Rhubarb is one thing that grows here, very vigorously and I can't keep up with it. A good rhubarb shrub makes a nice syrup with a bitter tang that can be used in several drinks. And it's pretty!

Rhubarb Shrub

3 cups chopped rhubarb stalks
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar 

Boil all ingredients for five minutes, strain and chill in the fridge. 

Rhubarb Martini

Ingredients

1 oz rhubarb shrub
1 oz vermouth
1 oz gin
2-3 ice cubes

Method

Just like a regular martini. Put everything in the shaker and then into your martini glass.

Rhubarb and Soda

12 ozs rhubarb shrub

Soda

Simple syrup to taste- if this is too bitter for you!

Mix it all in a highball glass over ice.