Drink Tue Sep 02 2008

Market Fresh Mixology

I thoroughly enjoy a refreshing and balanced cocktail. The blend of liquors with mixers and other flavorings is a fine craft, and a craft that I've enjoyed partaking in at restaurants and bars. But the last few months, I've been experimenting with a few mixed cocktails at home. And I do actually follow these recipes and measure the ingredients, because I'm not comfortable with my ability to measure by eye. A little extra garlic isn't going to ruin a dish, but a little extra vermouth can ruin a cocktail.

Last week I was delighted to visit The Drawing Room for a book signing and cocktail sipping event to promote Market-Fresh Mixology by Bridget Albert and Mary Barranco.

There were three different cocktails to sample from the book and the two I had were delicious. Since then I've made a Fresh Tomato Bloody Mary (essentially a Bloody Martini) made from fresh muddled cherry tomatoes and fresh basil and oregano. Tonight I'm drinking a Cinnamon Fig Sidecar since I have a few figs left from researching the One Good Meal column this week. And I'm glad I had a leftover fig to try it out. The mix of fresh fig, fresh sour mix, orange curacao and cognac is a great blend. It's not quite as refreshing for a hot summer night as I may like, but it will be a great cocktail for this fall and the cooler, cuddly nights we have coming up.

And the best part of the recipes is that the authors include recipes for making your own sour mix, simple syrup, and a plethora of other infusions and mixers. They also break down all the bar tools that you may find at a store and tell you which ones you actually need and what they do. So whether you're likely to just make an occasional cocktail for yourself at home, or whether you envision tastefully decadent cocktail parties, this book will provide you with what you need to know and tell you which recipes you're likely to find at your local farmer's market (or grocery store). And if you blanch at the $18 price tag for the book, may I remind you that two martinis at almost any martini or cocktail bar will set you back at least that, or more, especially if you factor in the tips. Because of this book, I was able to grab a handful of cherry tomatoes off our tomato plant along with a few basil and oregano leaves to come up with a refreshing cocktail that made me crave brunch food at 11pm. Yum.

— Cinnamon Cooper / Comments (0)