The Friday Tipple: Antioxidantail

We’re on a health kick, Boozers. The Good Booze HQ is crammed with fresh fruits and veggies from our local green grocer, inspiring our good intentions to create a tasty pick-me-up for cocktail hour. And why shouldn’t your happy hour drink of choice help boost your immune system at the same time it calms your nerves from another day navigating the rat race?

A selection of fresh mango and blueberries highlight our Antioxidantail; the mighty mango is rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids, while blueberries are high in manganese, vitamin K, and anthocyanins. Not only that, but they taste good, too, especially when combined with calcium-loaded dairy-free coconut milk, which has anti-bacterial properties that aid digestion. Add a splash of vodka — we liked Boyd & Blair potato vodka with this particular treat, since, after all, potatoes are also high in potassium, so the vodka must be nutritious, right? We predict you’ll soon start finding this on the menu of your fancy health club’s juice bar, a perfect way to cool down after that hot yoga class.

Antioxidantail

While we love the smoothness of mango combined with coconut milk, we tweaked the flavor a little with the addition of elderflower liqueur and celery bitters (The Bitter Truth makes excellent versions of both). The elderflower liqueur lends a lightly floral undertone when used in moderation while the celery bitters adds a slightly piquant vegetal note, bringing a subtle counterpoint to the sweetness of the fruit. Besides, celery is actually also chock-full of antioxidants. Who knew?

1 fresh mango, cut into chunks

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (there are several good varieties out there, including Silk and So Delicious)

1 teaspoon maple syrup (yep, you guessed it, an antioxidant-rich natural sweetener)

1.5 ounces vodka (we used Boyd & Blair here, but also highly recommend Square One or Nude)

1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur (St. Germain is usually readily available if you can’t find The Bitter Truth)

a few drops of celery bitters

Put first four ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add vodka, liqueur, and bitters and pulse a couple of times. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

The Friday Tipple: Global Warming Gin Fizz

It’s bloody hot, Boozers. And it’s only April, so we have decided that we may as well accept the inevitable and jump right into summer cocktails. What with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster last week and Earth Day looming this weekend, we sometimes feel like we are on a sinking ship, environmentally speaking, as polar bears sunbathe on renegade icebergs bobbing along the Gulf Stream.

The spring flowers have already spent their blooms by now and we find ourselves in premature possession of our favorite mid-summer treat: fresh local blueberries. So we shrugged our shoulders, saying “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” while reaching for a bottle of Campari. As Mother likes to say, “Dress for the weather, not for the season”, and we think this applies to happy hour as well. Why deny ourselves a refreshing libation simply because the calendar is not in compliance with the barometer? Stretch out on a deck chair with drink in hand — that’s what they did on the Titanic.

Global Warming Gin Fizz

In observance of Earth Day, we went as local and organic as we could in this tasty tipple, utilizing our favorite Catoctin Creek Organic Watershed Gin, early blueberries, and wild lavender honey. Forage in your own area this weekend by supporting local distillers and farmers when mixing up a celebratory cocktail or two.

2 ounces gin

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

2 teaspoons local honey (try something floral to deepen the flavor)

1/2 of a fresh orange

chilled club soda

1/2 ounce Campari

orange wedge for garnish

Crush the blueberries in the bottom of a glass, add the gin and honey, and mix well. Set aside for one hour.

After an hour, squeeze the fresh orange over the blueberry-gin mixture and stir. Add a few ice cubes, top with chilled club soda, then float Campari over the top. Garnish with an orange wedge and enjoy.

The Friday Tipple: The Finish Line

 

It’s the dog days of summer, a time when you often see runners out in the hot sun, slogging along the dusty streets in sweaty shorts with a glazed expression. Those who run marathons and half-marathons are generally forced to do their toughest training during the summer and winter months, as most races tend to take place in fall and spring. So today’s Tipple was inspired by those who are seriously in need of a hydration libation, something to look forward to at the end of a long hot run. Or a swim meet, dance class, surf session, or just a hellish day at the office. We call it The Finish Line.

Based on a classic Mexican agua fresca, this cocktail is instantly refreshing, with or without alcohol, but we like to add some crisp vodka as an end-of-workout reward. Key to its preparation are ice cubes made from coconut water, which pack a healthy punch of electrolytes and potassium. We threw some antioxident-rich blueberries into the ice cube tray with the coconut water; some brands include Vita Coco and  Naked, which you can find in the water or juice aisle at the supermarket — but make sure to get coconut water not coconut milk.

The Finish Line

1.5 cups fresh watermelon, cubed

juice of one lime

1 teaspoon light agave nectar

3 fresh mint leaves

chilled vodka

4 coconut water cubes (or regular ice cubes if you prefer)

slice of cucumber for garnish (optional)

Put first four ingredients in a blender and purée thoroughly to make an agua fresca. Pour agua fresca into a cocktail shaker with a handful of regular ice cubes and a generous measure of vodka. Shake vigorously. Put coconut water cubes into a glass and strain the agua fresca mixture over them. Garnish with cucumber, kick back, and rest your aching muscles.

 

The Friday Tipple: Arándano Mojito

It’s the end of July, which means that blueberries and mint are running rampant, so start off your weekend with a refreshing Arándano Mojito. Yes, “arándano” is Spanish for blueberry — throw on a little extra spray-tan and a cabana shirt to get yourself in the proper frame of mind.

If you read our previous post about muddlers, then get ready to muddle. This drink is fast and easy to assemble. We prefer a gold rum like Mount Gay — as we have a particular affinity for this Barbados gem which Mum used to give us (generously soaked in a cube of sugar) when we couldn’t sleep on a hot summer night — but Gosling’s Gold is fab, too. We used fresh mint from the garden, where it literally grows like a weed, and also added a couple of small Thai basil leaves to give it a little spicy tweak. For a sweetener, try a lavender honey if you can — the lavender gives a little extra herbaceous aroma that really heightens the summery freshness of this drink. Salud!

Arándano Mojito

Fresh mint leaves

Fresh Thai basil leaves (optional)

Fresh blueberries

Honey (lavender is lovely, but use what you have)

Club soda, preferably chilled

Gold Rum (we like Mount Gay or Gosling’s)

Ice cubes

Lime wedges

In the bottom of a highball glass, place about 4 mint leaves, 2 Thai basil leaves, about 6 whole blueberries, and a generous teaspoonful of honey. Gently macerate the herb leaves and blueberries with a muddler (the handle of a wooden spoon will work, too), pushing them into the honey to bruise the leaves and break the skins of the blueberries.

Pour a healthy measure of rum over the muddled leaves and berries and stir gently. Allow to marinate for a minute or two, then add several ice cubes (a mojito should be nice and cold — don’t skimp on the ice). Stir the rum mixture with the ice cubes briefly, then fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Add several whole blueberries, a wedge of lime, and stir, then garnish with additional fresh mint. Drink up!