It’s Still Summer: Cocktails to Cruise to an End of Season Happy Place

Red Almond Beetle Bliss Cocktail

Red Almond Beetle Bliss*   

Recently, we were looking to enjoy a cocktail that was a little tiki; a bit of a favorite summer classic -- the Negroni and one that embraced Bill’s favorite fruit - the Red Jacket tart cherries.

So I played around with the ingredients and came up with a cocktail that we loved. Hope you do too.

Ingredients:

• 2 jiggers Nolet’s Gin
• 1.5 jiggers Orgeat
• 1 jigger Campari 

You can also do equal parts gin and Orgeat.

Method:

Put a few ice cubes in a cocktail shaker; add in the ingredients; wait until all cold and shake. Add the frothy mix to a chilled coupe glass.

Garnish:

Add a few fresh cherries or true maraschino cherries as garnish. You can also add edible flowers that are plentiful this time of year. Red Hibiscus would be especially lovely.

Cheers!



* Did you know that until 2006, Campari originally colored with carmine dye, derived from crushed cochineal insects - beetles!


Vine-groni

Vine-groni, photo courtesy of Nitecap and Bulldog Gin

Vine-groni Made by Natasha David, Nitecap

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Cucumber infused Bulldog Gin
• 1 oz Cinzano Bianco Vermouth
• 0.25 oz Campari
• 1 tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• 3 drops Salt Solution

Method:

Add to cocktail shaker; stir, strain

Garnish:

Quick pickled Persian cucumber slice, Tomolive & green pitted Castelveltrano olive on pick

Did you say Rum?

Our sun-filled days are numbered, so say goodbye to the summer with one last boozy hoorah by sipping on Ron Barceló’s Last Concho. Reedy and woody aromas of vanilla and toffee makes this refreshing taste not very unlike my orgeat infused Red Bliss... 

The drinks’ sunset coloring gives a nostalgic touch, while its combination of Ron Barceló Añejo, Triple sec, citrus pineapple mix, and grenadine gives it a sweet and sour zing for a symbolic finish.

Last Concho

Last Concho, photo courtesy Ron Barcelo

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Ron Barceló Añejo
• .5 oz Triple Sec
• 2 oz. Citrus Pineapple Mix

Method:

Combine all ingredients in shaker. Shake vigorously. Pour over crushed ice and top with a touch of grenadine. Pour into a small coupe glass

Garnish: 

Touch of Grenadine

New Exclusive Cocktails Featured at the Cove Lounge - and featured at their weekly Caribbean Thursday party.

Cove Rum Punch:  

Cove Rum Punch, courtesy of Cove Lounge

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz Wray & Nephew
• 1/2 oz Meyers Dark Rum
• 1 1/2oz Pineapple juice
• 1 oz Cranberry juice
• 1 oz Orange Juice

Method:

Add Wray & Nephew, Pineapple, orange and cranberry juice. Squeeze a lime in and add ice. Shake, pour all ingredients into highball. 

Garnish:

Top off with Meyers Dark Rum float and blue edible flower.


Sweet Ting Mojito

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Bacardi Banana
• 1 oz. Coco Lopez
• 3 strawberries (sliced into 3 or 4)
• 5-8 mint leaves (depending on size)
• 2 limes 
• 1/2 oz Simple syrup
• 1/2 oz Lime juice

Method:

Muddle the strawberries in lime juice and simple syrup in the highball, then add the lime and mint to muddle (not too much) Add the Bacardi Banana. Add the Coco Lopez. Add the ice, and top with club soda. stir all the ingredients to open it up.


Sweet & Spicy Margarita
Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 oz Herradura Silver 
• 1/2 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 2 slices of jalepano (1 for garnish)

Method:

Rim the glass with salt & cayenne pepper mixed and put to the side. Muddle a small piece of jalapeno (the bigger the piece, the spicier it will be) with simple syrup and lime juice.

Add Herradura Silver, Cointreau, pineapple juice and lemon juice. Add ice. Shake. Strain over ice in the glass.

Garnish:

 Rim the glass with salt and cayenne pepper; Garnish with a fresh jalapeno pepper or a few slices (seeds removed!) and a slice of lime.

Cove Lounge is located on Malcom X Boulevard (at West 126th St), NYC.

Fabulous Finishing Touches!