Goodbye Vodka Soda

Variety is the spice of life.

When I first started trying new cocktails at bars and restaurants we visited, my husband Joe would always order a vodka soda with lemon or lime, or a margarita with no sweetener. After I started making drinks at home, he was exposed to a variety of ingredients and was more willing to explore new drinks. Here are three basic recipes that you can make with vodka, gin and bourbon that taste great and offer a little variety. All three are Joe approved.

Jam and Juice - Got fresh strawberries or other berries? Sprinkle a few berries with a bit of table sugar or a half bar spoon of agave nectar (if they are tart). Muddle sweetened berries in your shaker and add 2 oz of vodka, 3/4 ounce of elderflower liqueur (St. Germaine is best but cheaper ones are fine), 3/4 ounce of lemon or lime juice. Shake with ice and strain into a chilled martini style glass. Garnish with a berry on the rim or skewer.

Violet Gin Sour - This very simple cocktail (shown above) has a dramatic look for a basic simple sour recipe. 2 oz Empress gin, 1 oz lemon juice, 1 oz simple syrup. Combine in the shaker with one egg white with NO ice and shake for 15 seconds. Add ice, shake again and strain into your fancy coupe. Garnish with edible flowers and impress your friends!

PBJ Old Fashioned - Even those who never drink bourbon will love this dessert cocktail. Build the drink in a rocks glass over a single, 2x2 inch ice cube. Measure 1 ounce good bourbon (like Woodford Reserve) and 1 ounce Skrewball peanut butter whiskey (it’s cheap, super sweet and tastes great in a LOT of old fashioned variations) and pour over the cube. Add a tiny spoon of your favorite berry jam (homemade huckleberry is awesome if your PNW friends can send some) and a few dashes of orange or Angostura bitters. Stir a few times to distribute the jam. Sip slowly because it gets even better as the ice melts.