Mortal Coil Cocktail

The LCBO is stocking Death’s Door gin at the moment, and it is blood orange season. What else can I say?

2 oz blood orange juice, fine strained
1 1/2 oz Death’s Door gin
Generous splash of Peychaud’s bitters

Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Watch a really gory episode of Being Human or other macabre show of your choice.

Je me dépêche cocktail

Hurry up and make a peachy cocktail!

1 1/2 oz peach nectar
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
1 oz Old Tom gin

Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Cinnamon Heart cocktail

1 oz vodka
3/4 oz Goldschläger (can substitute other cinnamon schnapps but I like the gold flecks)
1/4 oz raspberry syrup
Splash of Peychauds bitters

Shake well over ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Note: Goldschläger will NOT make your skin fall off. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Mixology Monday: Elemakule Martiki

It’s Mixology Monday time again, and I love the theme this month: “That’s Not A Martini!” This is a phrase I admit to saying pretty much every time I go to a bar and see a list of “martinis” that makes no mention of gin.

The challenge this month, set by fellow Ontarian Dagreb of Nihil Utopia, is to “make a Martini that’s wearing a hat.” In his words:

A Telecaster’s not an Esquire. A Melody Maker’s not a Les Paul Jr. A Marauder ain’t a Crown Vic. A Blue Moon is no Martini… well, almost. Take away the dash to a quarter ounce of Creme Yvette and we’re left with gin (a must!), dry vermouth, and orange bitters. That’s a Martini! It’s at least one canonical Martini anyway. This month’s Mixology Monday theme is that which is almost, but not quite, a Martini. Perhaps there are dashes (or more) of a liqueur (or two) added to the basic structure. Perhaps a Fino Sherry (or other fortified/aromatized wine) is standing in for vermouth. Maybe there’s Oxygene instead of bitters? Gin, certainly! Use your imagination! Use your library! Make a Martini, that’s wearing a hat!

I am a week and two days early posting this but it was delicious and I wanted to make it the 4:00 DCT weekly cocktail. I got the Elemakule Tiki bitters at BYOB Cocktail Emporium in Toronto and I am loving them in so many drinks. They can be ordered online.

2 oz gin (go for something robust; I used our “house gin,” Tanqueray)
1/4 oz Lillet Blanc
Generous splodge of Bittermens “Elemakule Tiki” bitters

Stir with ice until shaker is frosty. Serve with a twist of lemon.

Here is Dagreb’s reCAPitulation (I see what he did there) of the behatted cocktails. Cheers!

Mixology Monday

Nihil Utopia

La Violette

1/4 oz Crème Yvette
1/4 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
Pour into a champagne flute and top up with champagne or prosecco.