The Craft of the Summer Cocktail

By Paul Sanguinetti, Ray’s & Stark Bar, The Patina Restaurant Group, Los Angeles

Photo by Janet Mootz photography, La Crescent, Minn.,styling by The Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern, La Crosse, Wis.

There is no doubt, cocktails and signature drinks are swiftly gaining in popularity and demand.  What started out in craft cocktail bars in cosmopolitan areas like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles is now sweeping the country.  With shows like Mad Men and movies like The Great Gatsby, the general public has become a lot more savvy, and it seems that just about everyone these days wants to have a specialty cocktail offered at their event or wedding.

Keeping it cool and in season

With summer in the air and temperatures rising, cocktails can provide a refreshing way to cool off.  An LA Eastside with Aviation Gin, Chareau Aloe Liqueur, cucumber, mint, and lime juice shaken and served on the rocks is a great way to beat the heat. Or maybe a Hemingway Daiquiri with Rhum JM, house-made grapefruit cordial, fresh lime juice, and maraschino liqueur pairs perfectly with the salty air of a beach wedding.  A grilled lemon margarita with Tequila Ocho Reposado, grilled lemon juice, and Combier Triple Sec might be a perfect pairing with an outdoor barbeque-themed wedding.

A welcoming garnish for added flair

There is something very welcoming about a cocktail, which is one of the reasons it has soared in popularity over the last few years.  It sets a tone for the evening.  With a theme like a garden wedding, you can make garden gimlets with herbs sourced from a local garden or farm.  The experience immediately transports guests into a particular frame of mind.

Signature cocktails are a very visual experience. Color schemes can be crafted in the cocktail to match a certain look or color theme of the event with garnishes adding to the experience. Fresh berries on a champagne cocktail works well for a summery party, while an elegant twist of lemon on a martini can class up a more elegant or sophisticated affair.

At the end of the day, signature drinks are ultimately fun, and summertime is about having fun.  When walking into a celebration, the atmosphere is important. Taking a glass of wine off of a tray from a stiff server isn’t quite the same as approaching a bar with smiling bartenders shaking tins and fixing a tipple by hand. Consider how the sips are presented, putting liquid chefs to work adds a bit of fun to any event.  Fresh herbs and produce light up the bar with their colors, perfuming the air.  Specialty hand-cut ice sitting like glaciers keep old fashioneds cold without over diluting them as guests get lost in conversation with old friends.  A delicious handcrafted cocktail can make a wedding or event that much more memorable for everyone. 

Recipes:

Hemingway Daiquiri

1.5 oz. Rhum JM Blanc

.5 oz. Fino Sherry

.25 oz. Luxardo Maraschino

.5 oz. housemade grapefruit cordial*

.5 fresh lime juice

grapefruit peel, garnish

*Grapefruit Cordial: Combine 2 peeled and deseeded grapefruits in a blender with 250gms sugar and 125mL water.  Add zest of 2 grapefruits and 2 limes. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes and strain. Combine ingredients in a shaker tin and shake with ice.  Double strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a grapefruit peel.

Grilled Lemon Margarita (above left)

2 oz. Olmeca Altos Reposado

1 oz. Combier Triple Sec

.75 oz. juice from grilled lemons

1 lemon wheel garnish

Combine ingredients in a shaker tin and shake with ice. Double strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass with a sugar rim. Garnish with a grilled lemon wheel.

LA Eastside  (above right)

1.5 oz. Aviation Gin

.5 oz. Chareau Aloe Liqueur

.5 oz. simple syrup

.75 oz. lime juice

1 mint sprig

1 cucumber slice

Combine ingredients in a shaker tin and shake with ice. Double strain into an old fashioned glass with ice.  

Garnish with fresh mint sprig and cucumber slice.