Blood Orange Delight

Still adjusting to dry January? Me too.

This one could be a patio pounder, but we are still in dry January. Even if we weren’t, you won’t miss the gin (too much) with this one, though. The bitters’ flavors offer the botanicals we love in gin, and the blood orange adds a tart, bright light. The lemon zest Pellegrino provides a satisfying, refreshing finish, leaving you wanting more. Eight days and counting…

Cheers! You’re almost there.

Blood Orange Delight

Ingredients

1/2 of one blood orange

1 oz of agave

4 oz of lemon Pellegrino sparkling water

3-6 dashes All the Bitter cardamon coriander blood orange non-alcoholic bitters

Method

In a mixing tin, muddle half of a blood orange, pressing out as much juice as possible. A room temperature rolled orange helps. Add agave and ice, then shake until the mixing tin is cold. If you prefer a pulp-filled drink, strain into a bucket glass; if not, double strain. To double strain, use a Hawthorne strainer with a fine mesh strainer. Add ice to your bucket glass and top with lemon Pellegrino.

Glass: Bucket Glass

Garnish: Thinly sliced blood orange circle. Brûlée the orange using sugar and a torch for a fancy touch.

Bar Chef Note: Double-check all bitters ingredients for allergens and interactions

Cheers!
Test video. Mixing tins and glasses take 2 and a gentle reminder for myself brush hair add lipstick before video?
I didn’t plan on making a video..

Where to buy the goods? Mixing tins, pint glasses, bitters.. Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront

*I may receive commissions for eligible purchases

Hello Jellie Mocktail

To reiterate what is currently circulating on social media – Dry January doesn’t have to be boring. Inspired by the Japanese coffee jelly drink (some add milk to make it a beverage), I created my own jelly cocktail and mocktail. This post will feature the mocktail, with the cocktail coming next month. Remember, this is Dry January, so I sat around thinking about how to make it more exciting. I wanted to use vanilla extract, Collins maraschino cherry juice, Sadaf pomegranate molasses, all infused with saffron. And thus, my Hello Jello Mocktail was born.

It’s easy to make and delicious. This is more than cubes of jello in a glass. Cheers! You’re almost there.

Hello Jellie Mocktail

4 cups of still water (one reserved for the the gelatin sheets)

2 cups of white granulated sugar

17 gold leaf gelatin sheets

2 Tablespoons of vanilla extract (make your own here)

2 teaspoons of Collins maraschino cherry juice

1/2 teaspoon of Sadof pomegranate molasses

1 teaspoon of Cultures for Health citric acid powder

1/4 teaspoon (ish) of saffron (I eyeballed this one)

Video! What a beauty.

Method

Using a bowl, add 1 cup of cool water to seventeen 220 bloom gold leaf gelatin sheets. It’s ok to break the sheets up a little bit. All sheets should be covered completely or at least much as possible with water. Let the sheets bloom for about 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a pot (I use an oval Le Creuset Dutch oven), bring 3 cups of water and sugar to a simmer until sugar dissolved. Remove gelatin sheets from blooming water bath squeezing any of the excess water along the way. Add gelatin to the simmering water. Add vanilla. Add citric acid and syrups. Roll saffron in your hand to break it up a bit and toss into the mixture. Stir to blend then remove from heat. Let steep and for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the saffron out or leave inside mixture.

Pour cooled mixture into silicone molds or container of choosing. Refrigerating overnight is best.

Remove from the molds once refrigerated and cut into desired shapes. I choose cubes. I love how the light reflects and the sharpness.

Glass: Bucket Glass

Garnish: None

Side note: If using silicone molds, spray with cooking spray or brush with a neutral oil and wipe with a paper towel. I used some silicone mold and my mixing glass. You can use a bowl or a pan. Any works as you will cut into cubes. Set aside.

Pro tip: to remove the jello, place silicone molds into warm water. The sides should release with a jiggle.

Some behind the scenes videos…

The end

Where to buy the goods? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront

A Good Goldie

Challenge accepted. Riff on a Negroni. Sort of. Here. It. Is.

You’re welcome. Wink. Wink.

Stir A Good Goldie

A Good Goldie

Ingredients

2 oz Bombay Sapphire gin

1 oz of Liquor 43

1/2 oz dry vermouth

1/2 oz Antica Carpano sweet vermouth

3 droppers of rye chocolate bitters

6 dashes of orange bitters

Method

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain over ice.

Garnish: orange peel or dehydrated tangelos

Glass: bucket glass

Please enjoy of the legal drinking age and drink responsibly

Where to buy the goods? You know dehydrated fruits because you can’t be bothered, or dehydrator because you can, or chocolate bitters because you can’t be bothered, or cocoa nibs and rye because you can, and glassware or other stuffs?

Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront , of course. Please know I may receive commissions from eligible purchases. Thank you!

Crémant

Crémant is sparkling wine from France. It’s typically made with more grapes than champagne. Champagne is made typically made using three or in some cases one grape varietals. The process, methode traditionelle, the same for both. The wine can only be called champagne if it’s from the Champagne region of France and crémant if it’s from one of its producing regions; Loire, Alsace, Bourgogne, and Limoux. Crémant was the name given in the 1980s because of law.

This one featured here is is Gratien & Meyer Cremant (Gra-shen My-er) De Loire Brut Rose. 100 % Cabernet Franc and has a price point range of $16-$20 USD per bottle. This wine is bright with berry fruit and dry. It’s excellent on its own or as a topper to many cocktails.

My Bend and Snap Cocktail

Last year I was asked to create a cocktail for the 20th anniversary of the Legally Blonde movie. There were a couple of must haves. It had to be pink and called The Bend and Snap. Why the Bend and Snap? It’s named after the movie’s famous how to secure a date scene featuring the “bend and snap » technique. The scene was written at the hotel bar called the Writer’s Bar and paying homage to the creators and technique, this is my 2021 Bend and Snap.

didn’t have any more purple flowers or this signifies a mocktail

This cocktail scheduled to be on the menu for one week. That was July 2021. It is still on the menu today. I am so proud of my little cocktail. I can’t promise it will secure you a date but sure is a tasty way to try.

Bend and Snap

2 oz Belvedere vodka

5-6 slides of watermelon

8 sprigs of fresh mint

1 slice of a jalapeño

3/4 oz fresh lime juice

3/4 oz agave syrup (add little water if too thick as this reduces the agave sweetness and adds more fluidity. This is a trick when using speed pour spouts at a bar)

Purple edible viola flowers

Method

1. Add 5-6 small slices of watermelon to a small mixing tin. Think watermelon cut for a breakfast fruit plate. Using a muddler, mash the watermelon to create a pulpy juice.

2. Add 8 sprigs of mint to the same tin. Gently press and twist the mint using a muddler.

3. Add one thin slice of jalapeño with the seeds. Turn once with the same muddler to extract the juices. Don’t over muddle. This drink isn’t a spicy drink. The heat and “snap” should be in the back of the throat a the finish of the sip.

4. Add agave, fresh lime juice, vodka and ice. Shake and double strain into a bucket glass over one large ice cube. Garnish with a purple or lavender viola flower.

Glass: Bucket glass

Garnish: purple or lavender edible viola flower

*** pro-tip if the jalapeño is too spicy or too green consider making or purchasing jalapeño bitters for consistancy

Side notes: I tested this cocktail with tequila and honey together and both with vodka. For this assignment, these ingredients work best.

Test drink walking

Tatooom’s Espresso Martini

« The Thing ».That’s it’s nickname for my Tatooom’s espresso martini. Or « The Thing ».

Tatooom’s Espresso Martini

Ingredients

2 oz of Kettle One Vodka

1 oz of Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur (cold brew coffee liqueur from Australia)

1-2oz of Umbria espresso depending on size of glass (Umbria is from Pacific Northwest of United States and espresso pods papers are made from recycled pineapple pulp)

1-2 bar spoons of simple syrup if your espresso is bitter or you prefer a sweeter drink as the simple softens the sometimes harsh espresso flavor

3 drops Chocolate bitters (add cocoa nibs to rye whiskey and let it sit in a closed jar at room temperature until chocolate desire chcokatebflavornisnacjieved. Longer is better if you ask me.

Coffee beans for the garnish

Method

Add all ingredients to a mixing tin. If your espresso is hot, add this to ice first and let it chill. Then add all ingredients and shake. Strain into a coupe glass.

Glass: Coupe Glass

Garnish: Coffee Beans

Where to buy stuffs related?

Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront

*** I may earn commissions from eligible purchases

feta stuffed black olives

Several months ago I was thinking about creative was to garnish my martinis. This, a way. Black pitted olives from a can stuffed with feta cheese. You will find yourself saying Spanish queen green pimento stuffed olives who?

Feta Stuffed Black Olives

Ingredients

1 can of pitted black olives

Feta cheese of choice

Method

Open the can and drain the olive juice. Reserve for a dirty martini or not. Slice or break feta cheese apart and stuff olives. Try not to eat them all before making the martini.

My Version, Manhattan

The Manhattan originated, you guessed it, in the Manhattan borough of New York City. A nightclub in the 1870s more specifically. Allegedly. No matter, it’s a classic. Whether you drink it with French or Italian vermouth, perfect, straight-up or on the rocks, this one will be a continued request for years to come.

Why rye and not bourbon? It’s not as sweet as bourbon for starters. It’s spicier. It’s bolder. With the sweet vermouth, a match made in heaven. Carpano Antica is my choice because it’s the best. That’s it. And it’s Italian, there that.

My Version, Manhattan

2 oz Rittenhouse Rye

1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth

3 droppers full of Angostura Bitters

Method

Using a mixing glass, combine all ingredient with ice. Stir. Strain into a glass of choice.

Glass: martini or bucket glass

Garnish: one Luxardo cherry

Pro tip: coat your mixing spoon with a little cherry syrup for the stirring

Dessert first? Not so fast..

Please Drink Responsibly

Where to buy a sexy martini glass or those Luxardo cherries? Blonde Behind the Bucket Storefront

**I may receive commissions from eligible purchases

Sapid Canary

My riff on the carajillo. What is a carajillo you ask? It is a coffee hard liquor drink. This one traditionally made using espresso and Licorice 43. I added some zing. Spicy ginger orange goodness creating an extra kick in a glass. It’s called the Sapid Canary.

Sapid Canary

Ingredients

3 Slices of Fresh Ginger

2 oz Umbria Espresso

2 oz of Luxor 43

1-3 Pinches of Cayenne Pepper (quantity depending on desired spiciness)

Method

Wash ginger. Scrape the skin using the edge of a spoon. Slice the ginger. Add ginger to the mixing tin. Muddle the ginger. Add all other ingredients. Then, add ice. Shake and pour over fresh ice.

Glass: bucket glass

Garnish: cayenne pepper and orange twist

Please drink responsibly

Where to buy? Blonde Behind the Bucket

**I may receive some commissions from eligible purchases

11/14 Smoothie

11/14 Smoothie

Ingredients

1 Cup of Vanilla Oat milk

1Cup of Frozen Strawberries

1/2 Frozen Banana

1 Pitaya Foods Dragon Fruit Frozen Packet

3 Tablespoons Hemp Seeds + some for the glass rim

Manuka honey for the glass

I Scoop of Agent Nateur & Dr. Will Cole Holi Mane CollagenPowder

I Scoop of Sprouts Living Epic Vanilla Lucuma Protein Powder

Method

Add some hemp seeds to a saucer. Using a pastry brush, the back of a spoon or your fingers rim the glass with Manuka Doctor multifloral 80+mgo honey. Dip the honey rimmed glass into the hemp seeds. Set aside. The honey tastes great and is an excellent adhesive for the seeds. Add all other ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into prepared glass

Glass: pretty coupe glass (the one photographed is from Crate & Barrel

Garnish: manuka honey with hemp seeds