The Mambo!

Musical Mixology is back with a fun and festive Caribbean cocktail in honor of Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday (this Saturday, August 25, 2018)! A zesty twist on a classic rum punch, we crafted The Mambo's big flavors to match the bold rhythms and sassy kick of the "Mambo" from Lenny's West Side Story.

The sweetness of fresh tropical juices reside at the forefront of this cheery tribute, and they're perfectly balanced by the subtle heat of homemade ginger syrup and Puerto Rican spice. Whether you're looking for a little liquid courage (to help make your way to the dance floor!) or extra pep in your step, a couple quick shots are the perfect accompaniment to your favorite rendition of Bernstein's "Mambo."

THE MAMBO!

Yield: 1 full cocktail (or 3-4 small “shooters”)
 

Ingredients

• 2 oz Bacardi White Rum (or another Puerto Rican white rum)

• 1.5 oz orange juice

• 1.5 oz pineapple juice

• 0.5 oz lime juice

• 0.5 oz ginger syrup (see below)

• dash grenadine

• pinch adobo seasoning (Puerto Rican spice blend)
  

Instructions

Combine the liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into an ice-filled glass (or shot glasses, if making shooters!) and sprinkle with a pinch of adobo seasoning. A store-bought bottle of this Puerto Rican spice blend provides plenty of punch, but you can also easily whip up a homemade blend from equal parts of these common ingredients: black pepper, onion powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, and turmeric.
 

Ginger syrup recipe

Add 1/2 cup fresh ginger juice with 1 cup superfine sugar to a blender and blend until sugar is dissolved. Make fresh ginger juice with a juicer or by finely grating fresh ginger, wrapping it in a thin cotton towel or cheesecloth, and squeezing out the juice.

—

This is the perfect recipe for summer entertaining! It's a breeze to prepare in a big batch for parties and is also delicious as a family-friendly virgin cocktail. By simply replacing the rum with coconut water, you can craft a zippy juice cocktail that everyone can enjoy.

Bottoms up!

-Greg

Bellini's Legacy

My cocktail blog has suffered of late (mostly due to my indecision regarding the forthcoming "Rite of Spring" cocktail), but there's nothing like the romance of Valentine's Day to rekindle one's inspiration. Today, I present not one, not two, but THREE cocktail recipes, all inspired by the simple and magnificent "Bellini." 

A Bellini cocktail is the perfect combination of white peach puree and Prosecco. Most classical music aficionados instantly assume the cocktail is associated with Vincenzo Bellini, an Italian composer known for his impossibly gorgeous (and endless) melodic lines. (The drink, sadly, has nothing to do with the composer—it's inspired, rather, by a 15th century artist—but I still like to think that the two are indelibly linked.) As such, and after MUCH taste-testing, I propose three new cocktails inspired by early-nineteenth century bel canto opera:

Donezzeti

In theory it's a stretch, but in taste, it's perfect:

• 1 part pineapple purée (or juice, if you're in a hurry)
• 2 to 3 parts Prosecco (or sparkling wine)

Pour the pineapple purée into a chilled champagne flute, then gently (GEN-T-LY!) add the sparkling wine. If the "gentle" addition of sparkling wine results in a lava flow of froth, try adding the sparkling wine with a baster, inserted below the surface of purée. Drink flamboyantly while careening about your living room to the "Mad Scene" from Lucia di Lammermoor.

The Elixir of Love

Um. Yes. Since an "elixir" (especially the love variety) ought to be complicated to produce, this drink adds a fussy, but delicious step to the "Donizetti" recipe listed above:

• 2-4 sage leaves
• 1.5 ounces pineapple purée/juice
• 4 ounces Prosecco/sparkling wine

Lightly muddle the sage leaves with the pineapple purée/juice. (Vigorous muddling can make a bitter mess of sage leaves, so try to stay calm. Experimentation is key.) Remove the bruised leaves. Pour the infused pineapple mixture into a chilled champagne flute, then gently (GEN-T-LY!) add the sparkling wine. Share with a lover while listening/crying to "Una furtiva lagrime" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.

Rossini

I know, I know, for years (centuries, actually) the bubbly music of Rossini has been compared to champagne, but I'm going to go out on a limb with the following:

• 3/4 ounce limoncello
• 1.5 ounces vodka
• 4.5 ounces Pompelmo(a grapefruit-flavored variety of San Pellegrino)

Mix together in a collins glass with plenty of ice.

With the inclusion of limoncello (from Sorrento) and San Pellegrino (from northeast of Milan), the drink is undeniably Italian and "bubbly." BUT, there's something to this drink that's even perkier, more joyous, and less pretentious than even champagne. Opera's rom-com master, Rossini, now has a new drink to celebrate his glittering carouses of the stage. :-)

The Reynaldo Hahn

Inspired by the melodious, slightly spicy, and ever-joyous musical works of the French composer (and critic!) Reynaldo Hahn, I crafted this perky drink. Not familiar with Reynaldo Hahn? This quote of his says it all:

Look, the way to live is to bring all the enthusiasm you can muster to everything: studying, talking, eating, everything.

The Reynaldo Hahn

• 2 ounces of ginger-infused vodka (see recipe below)
• 1 ounce of lime juice
• Ginger Ale

Add the ginger-infused vodka and lime juice to a highball glass. Top with ginger ale and two cubes of ice. 

Ginger-infused vodka: Add eight ounces of crystilized ginger to a liter of vodka. Steep overnight.

The drink is similar to a Moscow Mule, but a bit sweeter. There isn't much science to the drink. Add more ginger to the infusion if you want more of the ginger kick. If you like things really strong, replace the ginger ale with ginger beer. The ginger-infused vodka goes great in other drinks as well -- try it in a cosmo!

While sipping, enjoy this bubbly movement from Hahn's piano concerto:

Auld Lang

With New Year's fast approaching (and possibly a new music video!), I thought I'd post my favorite champagne cocktail of all time: the Auld Lang. (I also happen to really love the song.) Make it to ring in the New Year or simply to celebrate an awesome night with friends. I found the recipe in the New York Times a few years back, instantly fell in love with it, and then promptly destroyed my budget. You'll note that I found a way to adapt: I also listed my revised economy version.

ingredients

• 3/4 ounce Aperol
• 3/4 ounce St. Germain
• 3/4 ounce lime juice
• 3/4 ounce rosemary-infused simple syrup (see below)
• 2 ounces dry sparkling wine
• Rosemary sprig for garnish

Shake the Aperol, St. Germain, lime juice, and rosemary-infused simple syrup with ice and strain into a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a sprig or rosemary. Awesomeness.

economy version ingredients ;-)

• 3/4 ounce Aperol (required!)
• 3/4 ounce lime juice
• 1 ounces (add a few drops more if you like things sweet) rosemary-infused Saft Fläder Elderflower Syrup from Ikea (see below)
• 2 ounces dry sparkling wine or club soda
• Rosemary sprig for garnish

Shake the Aperol, lime juice, and rosemary-infused Saft Fläder Elderflower Syrup with ice and strain into a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine or club soda and garnish with a sprig or rosemary. The Ikea syrup is an amazing substitute for St. Germain, though it is sweeter and not *quite* as sophisticated.

rosemary infused syrup recipes

To make the rosemary simple syrup: combine 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 10 sprigs of rosemary (chopped) to a small saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool, filter out the rosemary (and toss), and refridgerate the syrup.

To make the rosemary-infused Saft Fläder Elderflower Syrup: combine 1 cup of Saft Fläder Elderflower Syrup and 10 springs of rosemary (chopped) to a small saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool, filter out the rosemary (and toss), and refridgerate the syrup.

Note: Use fresh rosemary. Dried rosemary does not work well for this--it makes a bitter, nasty syrup!

The Sibelius Tapiola

For December I wanted to craft a drink inspired by evergreens (the scent of the season!) and the composer who adored them, Sibelius. Tapiola is a famous tone poem by Sibelius; the work depicts, with haunting majesty, the Finnish pine-forests that surrounded Sibelius' home and a spirit that resides within. Regarding the work, Sibelius wrote,

“Widespread they stand, the Northland’s dusky forests,
Ancient, mysterious, brooding savage dreams;
Within them dwells the Forest’s mighty God,
​And wood-sprites in the gloom weave magic secrets.”

There was no question in my mind: the drink would need some form of whisky as the base. Whisky, because of its woody flavor... and whisky, because Sibelius loved the stuff (perhaps a little too much). Yes, whisky is aged in oak barrels and not pine tree barrels, but it does the trick. The other ingredient of choice: rosemary. In my mind, rosemary is like an edible pine tree and makes almost everything taste better. 

The result, after a bit of trial and error, resembles a Manhattan and is like heaven in a cup. This is a seasonal drink, evocative of snow and pine trees, but it's also a serious drink meant for slow sipping (while listening to the music of Sibelius). It certainly isn't the festive drink one makes to accompany frosting-covered cookies! 

The Sibelius Tapiola

• 3 ounces of rye whisky
• .75 ounces rosemary simple syrup
• 3-4 shakes of Angosturas Bitters

Combine ingredients in a chilled glass. Add a single cube of ice and stir. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

To make the rosemary simple syrup: combine 1 cup of water, 3/4 cup of sugar, and 4-5 sprigs of rosemary (chopped) to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. When the sugar dissolves completely, remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Filter out the rosemary (and toss) and refrigerate the syrup.

Notes:

• Use fresh rosemary. Dried rosemary does not work well for this--it makes a bitter, nasty syrup!
• This recipe calls for less sugar than usual. I was trying to balance the sweetness of the syrup with the intensity of the rosemary flavor.
• Save the leftover rosemary simple syrup for the Auld Lang Syne in a few weeks--the most amazing champagne drink ever created!