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So this is a little bit different, but I wanted to share an incredible cocktail I made the other night for my own personal Bachelorette viewing party (and by that I mean party of one).
It's very simple, but quite delicious!
A few months ago, I was gifted this rose-flavored vodka from 1911, with beautiful packaging and a stunning flavor profile, but I have been stumped for a while on just how to use it...until now!
1911 is the liquor distillery of my local apple orchard (Beak and Skiff) back home. All of their liquor is distilled from fresh New York State apples. They have great hard ciders and seltzers as well, but where you can really get creative is in their flavored spirits, as they have a ton of fun combinations.
The rose vodka with it's slight pink hugh puzzled me for a bit. I don't drink vodka that often, and I also wanted to do this locally batched (70 proof!) liquor proud. It tastes pretty strong on the vodka front, with a subtle floral note at the finish, and therefore needed the perfect combination of mixers.
Then it hit me - WATERMELON!
I've been buying a quarter watermelon at Whole Foods pretty much every grocery trip I've made for the last couple months. I simply can't get enough!
It's satisfying, it's delicious, and it's in season. Sometimes it just really hits the spot for that perfect summer snack.
And for that perfect summer cocktail.
We've also had a lot of watermelon flavored drinks at the restaurant lately (my current side job), so it inspired me to give it my own spin at home.
When creating a good craft cocktail, all you need is:
1) a high quality spirit
2) some type of flavoring, juice, or sweetener
3) a citrus
4) a sparkling topper (optional)
That's it! If you understand these basics, you can craft any cocktail your heart desires. It's a really fun way to express your creativity (and it's also refreshing)!
Proportions of the above four ingredients can be adjusted to your specific taste levels and desired flavor profile, but I would start with equal parts and then go from there.
For my rose-colored, rose-flavored, rose ceremony cocktail, I combined the following:
4 oz. Rose 1911 Vodka
4 oz. Pureed fresh watermelon
Juice of half a lime
Shaken with ice
Garnished with a cube of watermelon
*This recipe creates a double (i.e. it's going to be very strong)! If you want a single, cut the whole recipe in half or just use less alcohol, but keep other proportions the same.
*Also for cocktails, always use fresh ingredients. There's no other way to go! Bottled lime juice tastes no where near as delicious as freshly squeezed lime juice, and it will really change the character of your drink.
Now if you like sweeter drinks, you could always add a touch of simple syrup in here as well. I think the fresh watermelon sweetens it up enough, but a little extra sugar can never hurt - especially for a sweet summery sipping drink.
Also optional is adding some sparkling water on top after you've shaken the first ingredients. You could add a lime or watermelon flavored seltzer, or just some plain sparkling water or club soda for a bit of bubbles (remember, club soda has added sodium).
And depending on which bubbly option you choose, adding this alone could sweeten it up perfectly to your liking.
If you still need more of a sugar bump, here's how you can can create your very own simple syrup (there's no reason to buy it ever):
1) combine one part sugar of your choice and one part water in a pot
*ex. 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water (this will make a lot of syrup fyi)
*you can use Truvia for a low caloire option with the same great sweetness
2) turn burner to medium and stir until all the sugar dissolves
3) let the syrup cool completely before adding to your beverage
4) store any extra syrup in a container in the fridge and use for future concoctions!
And there you have it. My own version of a pink drink!
It's delicious over ice, but you could also blend it with ice and drink frozen. You could also drink it up in a chilled martini glass. Whatever strikes your fancy!
The fun part about creating cocktails at home is that they get to be exactly to your liking. It's also a great way to experiment and a great way to save money ($20 city cocktails no more).
As we head out of this pandemic and into whatever lies ahead, I encourage you to find the things that bring you joy. They will keep you grounded and help you to feel like yourself - even when the (once again) changing tides try to sweep you up and knock you down.
Continue to let yourself see through, and drink from, rose-colored glass.
