Subscribe to RSSNow a hallmark at leading mixology bars from coast to coast, the craft cocktail boom is in full swing leading into the holiday season. This winter Martin Miller’s Gin and celebrity chef and renowned mixologist, Kathy Casey, are offering easy recipes and tips to spice up your holiday party with these original craft cocktail recipes.
Martin Miller’s Gin Party Punch
Punches are great to serve for a large crowd. Make ahead and chill up to 3 – 4 days before your party. Present in a punch bowl over an ice mold studded with sliced mandarins and pomegranate seeds. Or serve up over Bitter Ice Balls (method follows) in pretty glasses. Check gourmet stores and online for fun and unique ice molds.
Makes about 16 – 20 servings.
3 cups water
3 Orange Pekoe Tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1 bottle (750 ml) Martin Miller’s Gin
1 cup pomegranate juice
3/4 cups fresh orange juice
3/4 cups pineapple juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Angostura or Peychaud’s bitters
Garnish: if in season – sliced mandarin or oranges and/or lemons
Bring water and tea bags to a boil. Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Remove
from heat, let steep 10 minutes, then strain and cool.
To the tea, add Martin Miller’s Gin, pomegranate, orange, pineapple and lemon juices,
and bitters. Stir together and chill until ready to serve. Add sliced mandarins
or oranges and pomegranate seeds to punch before serving if desired. Serve in ice-filled
glasses grated with fresh nutmeg.
Bitter Ice Balls
Makes about 20 Ice Balls.
10 cups water
2 Tbsp. Angostora or Peychaud’s bitters
In a pitcher, measure out water and stir in bitters. Place water evenly in ice ball
molds. (This will have to be done in batches depending on the size of your ice mold
containers.) Put ice molds to freezer. Check in 12 – 24 hours. Remove ice from molds,
and transfer to a container. Keep frozen until ready to use.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®.
Snow Drift
Housemade Cranberry Ginger Syrup adds holiday flair to this festive and frothy cocktail.
You can also mix the syrup with sparkling water and a squeeze of fresh lemon for
the holiday party designated driver.
This recipe easily doubles or you can pre-batch large amounts of this cocktail by
changing ounces to cups. Then blend 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of the pre-mix with 1/2 cup
of the ice.
Makes 4 cocktails.
4 ounces (1/2 cup) Martin Miller’s Gin
1 1/2 ounces (3 Tbsp.) fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 ounces (3 Tbsp.) Cranberry Ginger Syrup (recipe follows)
1 1/2 ounces (3 Tbsp.) pasteurized or organic egg white
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1 cup ice
Garnish: candied ginger and cranberry on a pick (optional)
Measure cocktail ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend on high until ice is totally
blended and drink is frothy. Pour into coup glasses. Garnish with candied ginger
and cranberry on a pick if desired.
Cranberry Ginger Syrup
Makes about 20 ounces or enough for 12 cocktails.
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
4 tsp. finely grated orange zest
4 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Place ingredients into a small sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
Simmer for 1 minute then turn off heat. Let steep for 30 minutes. Then strain through
a fine mesh strainer-pressing out the cranberries. Store in a pretty bottle refrigerated
for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®.
Ruby Spiced Martini
A sassy holiday gin-play on the Manhattan crafted with Martin Miller’s Gin, pomegranate liqueur, an easy to make spiced sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters. For some fun bling, dust the cherries with edible gold Luster Dust available online.
Makes 1 cocktail.
2 ounces (1/4 cup) Martin Miller’s Gin
1/2 ounce (2 Tbsp.) PAMA pomegranate liqueur
1/2 ounce (2 Tbsp.) Spiced Vermouth (recipe follows)
1 dash Angostura or your favorite bitters
Garnish: orange zest twist and an Amarena cherry
Measure the gin, liqueur and Spiced Vermouth into a mixing glass. Fill three-quarters full with ice and add bitters. Stir with a bar spoon until well chilled. Serve strained up in a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist and cherry.
Spiced Vermouth
The longer you let this sit, the more the flavors marry. This is also delicious in a Martin Miller’s Gin Negroni or Martinez cocktail.
Makes 16 ounces.
2 cups sweet, red vermouth
1/4 cup spiced rum
6 strips orange peel
8 pieces clove
4 pieces allspice
2 slices fresh ginger
1/3 cup fresh OR frozen cranberries
Combine all ingredients in a pretty bottle. Let infuse at least 24 hours. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Store refrigerated for up to one month.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®.
