Blood Orange Habanero Margarita

SURPRISE a recipe without gin! Some of you may find this hard to believe but i'm actually not the biggest tequila fan- however I do love myself a good margarita. Back when I lived in Wyoming, "spicy" margs were all the rage and for good reason (not to mention you're forced to drink water which helps avoid any hangover). Typically spicy margs are made with jalapenos, so I figured i'd try out something new and let me tell you- I am thoroughly impressed.

- Tequila

- Package of Fresh Blood Oranges
- 6 Limes
- Simple Syrup
- Habanero peppers

- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

- Coarse Salt

Instructions:

1. Start by juicing your blood oranges and then juice your limes. 

2. You're going to want to give the tequila some of that heat and flavor, so I suggest cutting up 1-2 habanero peppers and infusing it into the tequila, let the tequila marinate for a few hours or overnight. Strain out the peppers and seeds after infusing.   

3. Rub the rim of your glass with a lime and dip into a mixture of crushed red pepper flakes and salt. 

4. Add your ice to your glass and then begin by pouring the 1.5-2oz (depending on how strong you'd like it) of your spicy tequila. 
5. Then pour .5oz of lime juice followed by another .5oz of simple overtop.
6. Top off with 2oz of blood orange juice.

7. Garnish the margarita with a habanero pepper and serve!

Raspberry BOMB

When I was bartending this was easily one of my favorite drinks. I absolutely love raspberries, so this cocktail is nothing short of sweet and refreshing. If the raspberries are too tart for your liking, add a little more simple syrup to counteract it! Use bombay to accurately make it a raspberry BOMb :)

- Bombay Gin 

- Fresh Raspberries
- Lime Juice
- Simple Syrup
- Tonic Water

Instructions:

1. This recipe is for all my bartenders in training- NO shaker necessary! start by muddling raspberries at the bottom of your glass. 

2. Fill the glass up with ice and pour 1.5oz of Bombay Gin over top.
3. Add in .5oz of fresh lime juice, and .5oz of simple syrup (to reduce the sourness).
4. Mix all of it thoroughly in the glass, and top with tonic water!

5. Garnish with edible flowers!

Basil Chiller

My apologizes in advance before I flood this page with Gin cocktails. SOOOO often when I tell people about my love for Gin, I get very similar, disgusted responses. Gin may not be the best spirit for throwing back shots, but it is great for mixing! The trick to using Gin, is pairing it with different flavors that can balance out the bite. Whether you want to make the drink sweet, earthy or even spicy, Gin is one of the most versatile liquors you can test out.

- Gin 

- Pineapple Juice
- Lime Juice
- Fresh Basil Leaves
- Ginger Ale

Instructions:

1. Pour 1.5oz of gin into a shaker with 2oz of pineapple Juice and .5oz of lime juice, tear up fresh basil leaves and add into shaker as well.

2. Shake the mixture and pour over ice.
3. Top the mixture with ginger ale. 
4. Garnish with a cluster of fresh basil leave!

Grapefruit Rosemary Refresher

I think at this point it's nearly considered a sin that I haven't posted any cocktails- seeing as I'm a former bartender. While bartending I grew an understandable love for citrus. The acidity balances out drinks, especially when using earthy spirits like Gin. However I really liked using more uncommon fruits, like grapefruit for instance. The only issue I ran into when it came to using grapefruit, was the strong bitterness. Naturally I would always add simple syrup to counteract the bite. But still, something always seemed to just be missing. I've also always loved floral flavors, so this is where I started crafting floral syrups. After many different variations, I found that the rosemary complimented the grapefruit best. Now this recipe can be made with gin or vodka, but in my opinion- gin is ALWAYS the way to go.

- Gin or Vodka (I prefer Gin)

- Fresh Grapefruit Juice
- Fresh Rosemary Sprigs
- Sugar
- Soda Water
- Grapefruit (for garnish) 

Instructions:

1. First things first, you're going to want to make the rosemary simple syrup. For this its equal parts sugar and water (I usually do one cup of sugar and water). Bring this to a boil in a small saucepan, and make sure the sugar is completely dissolved in the water. Then add 4-5 rosemary sprigs and simmer for 3 minutes. Afterwards let the mixture completely cool, and store for up to two weeks!

2. Now that you have your syrup you can craft the cocktail. In a mixer pour, 1.5oz of gin or vodka, .5oz of the rosemary syrup, and 3 oz of grapefruit juice over ice and shake. 
3. Pour the mix into a glass of ice, and top the rest with sparkling water. 
4. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and a grapefruit slice, and relax!