Blackberry Gimlet

There is no more kidding ourselves, summer is over, fall is upon us.  But while I was walking home from the train station today the fruit stand had  blackberries on sale (granted they were from Guatemala, but hell they're still fresh berries).  So I decided to give summer one last shout out and make a Blackberry Gimlet.  I don't typically stock Rose's Lime Juice, so I mixed lime juice and powdered sugar as a substitute.  This also has the added benefit of allowing everyone to customize the drink to their personal tastes.  If you like it sweet add more sugar, if you like sour then more lime juice is for you.  So, here is a final toast to summer.

Blackberry Gimlet

• 2 oz. Gin
• 1.5 oz Lime Juice
• 2 teaspoons Powdered Sugar
• 5 - 8 fresh Blackberries

Muddle together the blackberries, sugar and lime juice in a cocktail shaker to dissolve the sugar.  Add ice and then pour gin over everything.  Shake well for 15 seconds and fine strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with a fresh blackberry.

The Clover Club Cocktail

Hey Yo,

This week's cocktail is not new, in fact it dates back to a men's club by the same name in Philadelphia from the 1880's thru 1920's.  It is however the 1st cocktail I have ever made using a raw egg white.  The egg white does not add any flavor but rather makes the drink creamy and gives it nice thick head of foam on top. I must say this drink is very tasty, with a good mixture of booziness and sweetness.  It does resemble a popular upset-stomach medicine, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this pre-Prohibition cocktail.  Also it is funny imagining a room filled with mustached men sitting around surrounded by many leather-bound books in a room smelling of deep mahogany while enjoying such a pretty pink and foamy beverage.

The Clover Club

• 2 oz. Gin
• .75 - 1 oz. Lime Juice
• 2 teaspoons Lemon-Vanilla Glaze* or .5 oz. Simple Syrup
• 1 barspoon Raspberry Preserves
• 1 Egg White

Dry-shake ingredients to emulsify the egg white and create the desired foaminess, vigorously shake all ingredients in cocktail shaker without ice for 5-7 seconds.  Add ice and shake again, this time 12-15 seconds, to dilute and chill the drink.

Strain into chilled glass.

Enjoy!

* I used a Lemon-Vanilla Glaze that was left over from a batch of Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins Kim made over the weekend.  Below is a recipe for the glaze.  This will obviously make more than 2 teaspoons worth of glaze, so store in an air-tight container for future drinks or even your own batch of Muffins.

Lemon-Vanilla Glaze

• 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1/8 teaspoon Vanilla Paste

Stir all ingredients together until well mixed and smooth.

"Big Apple" Pie Manhattan

On the 11th anniversary of 9/11, here is a version of the old standby, the Manhattan.  Enjoy this fall inspired Big Apple Pie Manhattan in remembrance of the victims and heroes.

"Big Apple" Pie Manhattan

• 2 oz. Bourbon
• 1 1/2 oz. Apfelwein or Alcoholic Apple Cider
• 1 tsp. Honey
• Dash Bitters
• Dusting of Pumpkin Pie Spice

Add honey, apple cider and bitters in an Old Fashion glass.  Stir until the honey dissolves. Add ice and top with bourbon, stir for about 15 seconds to properly chill.  Dust the top with the pumpkin pie spice.

Never Forget.