Alcohol is our Aesthetic

Saturn !

1.5 oz. gin

0.5 oz. lemon

0.5 oz. orgeat

0.25 oz. passion fruit

0.25 oz. falernum

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake hard for eight to 10 seconds. Strain off ice into a cocktail glass or coupe, and if you’re game for it, garnish with a maraschino cherry around which you’ve wrapped some form of citrus peel to make it look like Saturn and its rings!

Gatsby 7 !

Ingredients:

.5 oz lime .5 oz simple syrup 1.5 oz Organic Avenue apple juice .5 oz Lairds Apple brandy 1.5 oz Tanqueray gin

Instructions:

Combine in a shaker. Shake and pour into a Collins glass over ice, top with soda.

Courtesy The LCL, New York City.

Kingston Zing !

Ingredients:

Serving: 1

1/2 ounce grapefruit punch syrup (see Editor’s Note)

3/8 ounce strained lime juice (if 3/8 ounce breaks your brain, think of it as a light 1/2 ounce)

6 drops Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit bitters

5 drops salt solution (4:1, water to salt)

1 1/2 ounces Wray & Nephew overproof rum, chilled in the freezer

soda water, to top

Garnish: channeled lime twist (a thin ribbon peeled with a channel knife), grapefruit slice.

Directions:

Combine the first five ingredients in a shaker tin. Whisk with a milk frother (or stir briskly until combined) and set aside.

Fill a chilled 12-ounce highball glass with small ice cubes. Add the soda until the glass is three-quarters full.

Pour the contents of the shaker into the glass while holding the glass at a 45-degree angle. Top with soda until the glass is full.

Agitate the mixture with a single brisk dip of a bar spoon.

Garnish with the channeled lime twist and a grapefruit slice.

Editor’s Note:

Grapefruit Punch Syrup:

63 grams (2 1/4 ounces) grapefruit oleo saccharum (grapefruit peel and white sugar) 250 grams (8 3/4 ounces) strained grapefruit juice, preferably white 173 grams (about 6 ounces) white sugar 3 grams (about 1/2 teaspoon) citric acid

1. Make an oleo saccharum by placing 250 grams grapefruit peel (about 1 1/4 cups) and 250 grams white sugar (about 1 1/4 cups) in a resealable bag. Let the bag sit in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Once the sugar has dissolved completely, remove and discard the peels. Store in a resealable container and refrigerate. Will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator. Makes around 8 ounces.

2. Combine the juice and 63 grams (2 1/4 ounces) of the oleo saccharum in a blender and mix at a low speed. Slowly add the sugar, followed by the citric acid. Blend until the sugar is fully dissolved.

3. Bottle and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 2 weeks. Makes 12 ounces.

Courtesy: Garret Richard, New York City /Punch

Photo: Lizzie Munro

Strawberry Basil Pink Martini !

Ingredients:

2 oz Beefeater Pink Gin

1 oz London Dry Gin (any brand)

2 tbs Strawberry syrup

1 Large Basil Leaf

1 oz soda

Squeeze of lemon juice

Basil leaf or fresh strawberry for garnish

Strawberry Simple Syrup:

¾ cup water

1 cup sugar

1 pint chopped fresh strawberries

DIirections:

Add all ingredients except soda in a shaker with ice.

Shake for 30 seconds.

Add soda and shake gently once or twice to combine

Strain into martini glass

Squeeze a little lemon juice on top.

Garnish with a fresh strawberry or small basil leaf (or both)

Strawberry Simple Syrup

Combine ingredients and cook for 30 minutes on medium low/simmer. Strain into a jar. Let cool, then keep covered in fridge for up to 1 month.

Courtesy: Cook with Wine

Grapefruit, Thyme & Elderflower Cocktail !

Ingredients:

3 oz. vodka divided (gin works too) 2 ruby red grapefruits 2 tsp. elderflower cordial divided, syrup ice cubes sparkling water 1 small bunch thyme

Instructions:

Using two stemless wine glasses, pour 1.5 oz of vodka into each. Using a glass juicer or using your hands, squeeze juice from each grapefruit then pour evenly into each glass. Add 1 tsp. of elderflower cordial into each glass, along with a handful of ice cubes. Top with sparkling water and garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Courtesy: The Girl On Bloor

Photography: Taylor Stinson

Spiced Pear Martini