Thursday, July 2, 2009

Cocktails for the Summer


These drinks were featured in the Summer 2009 issue of 'Elegant Bride.' The Jewel of the CondeNast bridal group.


“Remembrance”

Canton Ginger Spirit – 1 oz
Blood Orange Juice - 2 ozs
Rosemary Simple Syrup – ½ Tspn
Triple 8 Vodka – 1 oz
½ Lemon – juiced
Splash Club Soda


1. Rosemary simple syrup: add equal parts sugar to water. Dice up a long sprig of rosemary into ultra fine pieces. Add everything to a pan and heat up until all the sugar has dissolved. Let infuse for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve.
2. In a martini shaker combine all the ingredients, except club soda and shake. Pour into a martini glass and add club soda.

Garnish: Rosemary sprigs OR red sanding sugar

“Lavender Sweetheart”

Lavender Tea – 2 ozs
Beefeater Gin – 1 oz
St Germain – 1oz
Lime Zest
½ Lime – Juiced

1. Bring 4 ounces of water to a boil and infuse with 1 Tbsp. of lavender. Steep for 5 minutes, then strain. Let cool.
2. Zest half a lime and reserve.
3. Add all the ingredients except the zest into a highball glass, stir.
4. Sprinkle zest on top

Garnish: Oversize or Regular Lavender Ice cubes OR Lime Pinwheel

“French Cuffs”

6 Ozs.Champagne
½ Oz.Aperol
½ Oz. Elderberry

1. Pour Champagne into fluted glass.
2. Pour the elderberry over the bottom of a soup spoon slowly into the champagne. This will create the layers for the desired look.
3. Pour the Aperol over the spoon slowly.

Eyrie Vineyards


Eyrie Pinot Blanc, 2006
$20 or Under
Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills, Oregon

A Brief Introduction to Eyrie Vineyards
If you love Oregon Pinot’s then you need to know where the story began, with David & Diana Lett. Eyrie (Eye-ree) is an iconic American vineyard. David Lett or ‘Papa Pinot’ was the first person to plant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. He was the first to plant Pinot Gris in America. Eyrie’s 1975 Pinot Noir competed in the Paris and Beaune wine competitions and beat out the French Burgundies. Can you say ‘Upset’? Thanks to Ms. Wasserman who slipped David’s Pinot’s into the tasting panels, Oregon gained International acclaim as a place to grow Pinot Noir in the New World (I think only the Europeans still use this term to describe America).

So after the history lesson you should taste their wines. These should be easy to find, although not as prevalent as a Pinot like Erath, Eyrie’s wines are still very small production (15,000 cases total in 2007). The Pinot Blanc case production is 700 cases and in the words of Food & Wine “Eyrie doesn’t make a lot of pinot blanc, so buy it when you find it, and indulge in its lean, intense mineral and light pear flavors”

The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in stainless steel which gives the wine a full and round sensation in the mouth plus tasty citrus profiles. It’s a medium to full bodied white with tangerine peel and sour apple flavors. 2006 was an excellent vintage. Drink up!

Pair with Oysters, Cheeses, Fish…the Summer