Drinks, Lockdown Libations

Lockdown Libations no. 12: Spicy Averna

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At the back of the cupboard, there is a bottle of Averna Amaro, which I purchased for one sole purpose: to make Black Manhattans.

Averna Amaro

To say I was once addicted to that cocktail, which I was first introduced to at Model Milk — it was on the drinks list from the first day it opened — could be an understatement. My love was real. And strong. As were the cocktails themselves. Ahem.

Since the goal of this project is not to make old favourites but explore new options, that meant trying to find something else to do with the Averna.

A deep brown liqueur, almost cola-like in colour, Averna Amaro plays well with the bourbon and orange zest in the original Black Manhattan recipe. This Sicilian bitter’s recipe has, apparently, remained the same for more than 150 years. With notes of citrus zest, warming spices, cola and ginger, I get why I’m drawn to it.

And I was surprised at how versatile it appears to be — though most recipes seem to play up the citrus and ginger. I saw highballs with lime and mixed cocktails with tequila — even a traditional bourbon sour spiked with Averna.

With three lemons in the fridge and a bottle of ginger beer I’ve had since… I actually don’t know, to be honest… going with the Spicy Averna was an easy choice.

Spicy Averna I

The heat of ginger and tart lemon do really well against the liqueur. And it was nice to not have to pull out the cocktail shaker.

This will do really well in the hotter days of summer. I am already predicting some tipsy afternoons on my balcony.

Adding the Averna Amaro

Topping with ginger beer

Spicy Averna II

Spicy Averna

  • 2 ounces Averna Amaro
  • 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 4 ounces ginger beer*
  • piece of candied ginger for garnish (optional)

Into an ice-filled Collins glass, add the Averna Amaro and lemon. Top with ginger beer and stir very gently.

If garnishing, slice partway into the ginger and perch on the glass rim. (I didn’t have any, so I skipped this part. But I bet that is a delightful garnish.)

*Not to be confused with ginger ale, which doesn’t have the requisite spicy punch of heat that ginger beer does.

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Drinks, Lockdown Libations

Lockdown Libations no. 11: Gold Rush

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I think the remainder of this project will essentially involve bouncing back and forth between gin and bourbon recipes, since that’s what the bulk of the bottles in my cupboard contain. With the odd vodka one thrown in.

Since last week was gin, it’s only fair to go back to bourbon. (I’m a middle child; I’m all about fair.)

Blanton's Bourbon

I’ve also set a mini goal to not use Cointreau for at least the next couple of weeks. Which rules out the Bourbon Sidecar I was considering — watch this space!

Over the summer, when the travel restrictions were eased, I spent a few days in Kelowna and visited the Tantalus winery for a tasting. I ended up buying a few bottles. (Their Riesling is excellent.) And I impulse bought some of their honey. A little jar with the most beautiful golden colour. The vineyards have beehives and Arlo’s Honey Farm collects the golden liquid from them and puts it into jars so it can be sold in the wineshop.

Tantalus honey

I’ve been sitting on it for several months now mostly because I wasn’t sure what to do with it. (I basically use honey in tea and for peanut butter and honey sandwiches — I make no apologies — and this seemed a little bit of a waste for the Tantalus.) But I cracked it a few weeks ago for tea and when I was licking the spoon after, I was taken aback. The depth of flavour is so lovely. It’s not just that straight-up sweetness from big-production honey.

(Aside, I think I shall drizzle some over Parm tonight for watching the next episode of WandaVision.)

Coming across this recipe for a Gold Rush seemed the perfect opportunity to use this honey. And, really, it’s a Bourbon Sour with a different sweetener. What’s not to love?

Break out any good honey you have for this one. You will be rewarded.
Gold Rush II

Gold Rush III

Gold Rush I

Gold Rush

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 1 ounce honey syrup — see below
  • 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • lemon peel, to garnish

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add bourbon, honey syrup and lemon juice. Shake vigorously for 15 to 30 seconds, until the vessel is cold to the touch. Strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube. Garnish with lemon peel.

Honey Syrup

Warm equal parts of honey and water on the stove (or microwave on low heat), stirring occasionally until dissolved.

Confession: I did this by boiling water and adding it to an equal part of honey and then stirred. Which, bonus, means not having to wash a pot.

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Drinks, Lockdown Libations

Lockdown Libations no. 10: White Lady

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I’ve never heard of a White Lady before. That’s not the start to some Karen joke, I swear.

White Lady - with egg white

Which is surprising given it is described as a gin-based Sidecar — hello! — and seems to be in the vicinity of a classic sour.

Although initially looking for a vodka recipe, nothing felt particularly inspiring, but when I searched for gin cocktails, this one popped up and I was game — even though I feel like I am, at this point, abusing my poor Cointreau bottle quite a bit.

The original White Lady, the creation of a bartender named Harry McElhone, was a combination of Cointreau, lemon and … creme de menthe. Which, no. A decade after that he realized what I would consider the error of his ways and replace the creme de menthe with gin. (There is some contention in its history insomuch as the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel credits the creation to one of their bartenders, Harry Craddock.)

Empress Gin and Cointreau

Given it’s a classic, I was surprised to discover how many variations there were when it comes to measurements.

Some recipes called for two parts gin to one each of lemon and Cointreau. Others skewed more to the gin. Some called for simple syrup, some for egg white and others for neither of those ingredients. (Egg white was a later addition to the recipe. Neither of the so-called original versions used it.)

I tried both with egg white and without. You know, for SCIENCE!

I do enjoy the smoothness the egg white brings to a cocktail, especially when you use a dry shake method to really froth things up. But there was also some pleasure in the simplicity of preparing the drink without the need for the two-step shake. The flavour of the White Lady without the egg white was sharper, brighter. With it, the drink was gentler. I’m not convinced one is noticeably better, just different.

White lady - with egg white

The White Lady made with egg white is smoother in texture and flavour.

White Lady - no egg white

Made without egg white.

I wanted to pull out my Empress Gin for the first time in the Lockdown Libations challenge. I thought a slight purple hue to the drink would be a nice touch, but it was lost in the egg-white version. It did cast a slight pink (because of the interaction with the acid of the lemon) to the non-egg white version, which was quite pretty on an otherwise dreary afternoon.

White Lady

  • 1 1/2 ounces dry gin
  • 1 ounce Cointreau — or another orange-flavoured liqueur
  • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 ounce (about 1 teaspoon) simple syrup
  • 1/2 ounce egg white*

*The egg white of a typical large egg is 1 ounce. So, to make a single batch, you want half of an egg white. Of course, you could make it easy on yourself and mix two at once and just use the whole white. ;)

To a cocktail shaker, add the gin, Cointreau, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake without ice until the white is frothy. Add the ice cubes and shake again until the drink is chilled.

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The egg white is optional, of course. If not using, skip the dry shake and just add all the ingredients, along with ice, to the shaker and then shake until well chilled.

Writing and drinking

Writing while sipping…..

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Drinks, Lockdown Libations

Lockdown Libations no. 9: Bourbon Renewal

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Crème de cassis is probably the most unusual — or maybe unexpected — liquor in my cabinet.

And, if I’m going to be brutally honest, it should have been “retired” before now given it has, unlike many other liquors, a shelf life. Not that it goes bad, per se. But the flavours dull and the colour goes brown. Turns out, it should be kept in the fridge after opening. Lesson learned.

Creme de Cassis

Likely known best for Kir Royales, crème de cassis is made from blackcurrants, which lends a lovely dark purple hue and fruity flavour. When added to white wine, it becomes a kir. Added to bubbles and it becomes ‘royale.’ Champagne makes everything fancier, naturellement.

Given the point of the series is to try new things, that meant no Kir Royales for me this time.

Bourbon Renewal ingredients

Turns out a very talented bartender in Portland, Oregon by the name of Jeffrey Morgenthaler created a recipe right up my alley: Bourbon Renewal.

Named after a band his former business partner was in, Morgenthaler came up with the drink for Clyde Common, which I am adding to my list of places to visit whenever travel is a safe option again. Do I hear 2022?

Bourbon Renewal pour

The drink is a play on a traditional bourbon sour, this cocktail adds a little crème de cassis for a berry undertone and beautiful colour — you know, if your crème de cassis is still the right shade.

I loved it. Which has made me think it wouldn’t be so bad to replace my retired bottle with a new one….

Bourbon Renewal I

Bourbon Renewal

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • 1/2 ounce crème de cassis
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup, or less to taste
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add bourbon, lemon juice, crème de cassis, simple syrup and bitters. Shake vigorously for 15 to 30 seconds, until the vessel is cold to the touch.

Strain into an ice-filled (oops!) Old Fashioned glass.

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