e Beva!

Alright, I told y'all I had a little follow up for your sipping pleasure. Not surprisingly considering my roots, this one is Italian too. It's a happy comfort zone I pierce only when necessary. I don't think today's going to be that day! So here's a refreshing drink with just a bit of buzz to it. This has been a summer favorite for me and some of my girls - maybe it will be for you too!

Start with lemons, fresh mint and a bottle of Limoncello, well chilled. You can find it in the section with cordials and liqueurs. This southern-Italian classic originates near my family's former home, Naples, with roots extending all the way down the Amalfi Coast and out to islands like Ischia and Capri. It's a delightful consumed traditionally, on its own, as an after-dinner drink in tiny chilled glasses (or mixed up with some other things!). I think I may even try to make it sometime...but for now I'll keep it simple with the store-bought variety.


Put a few slices of lemon in the bottom of a glass and add a some mint leaves. Muddle them with a tiny bit of Limoncello (if you don't have a muddler, you can use the back of a spoon to smash them up and release their flavors and juices). Set aside. 


In a shaker, combine about one to one Limoncello and sparkling water or club soda and shake with ice, then pour over lemons and mint (if you don't have a shaker, just measure into the glass and stir). You can also add a few chips of ice, too, if you want.


Salute!

mixology

Bourbon is kind of a big deal around here. Not to say that there aren't plenty of other places that have caught on to our signature spirit but, you know, we kinda claim it. And study it. And drink it. And tour it. And read about it. And talk about it. 

I didn't always used to be such a fan, but if bourbon is an acquired taste, it's one rarely given up once gotten. 

A favorite variation on the bourbon drink has to be the bourbon and ginger ale. It's a rich, easy drink without too much sweetness. Plus it's great for every season - the bourbon and ginger are warm flavors, but it's always over ice. It's so very versatile. I'm ever-indebted to friends like Vitale, and Esther and Steven, not to mention my husband, for helping along in my acquisition. Now, could you help me out of it? Just kidding y'all. Just kidding.

*

But for a drink that features one of the most celebrated elements around these parts, the ginger ale it gets paired with is mostly ho-hum. Why not mix up a little batch on your own? It's not an ale, but a ginger syrup along with some soda or sparkling water makes for a fresh, wholesome drink bursting with complex, real flavor. Simple syrups are a key ingredient for many bars and kitchens and are a simple task to undertake (just two parts water, one part sugar), so for this one, I measured a bit of ginger in as well. Once the ginger, water and sugar are measured out, bring them to a low boil and cook for about an hour until you can start to see a slight thickening. Strain out the ginger, once through cheesecloth and drink on!

Now, there's been a lot of talk of bourbon in this post, but this syrup is equally delicious without bourbon in the mix, or with other ingredients altogether. Consider this little ditty I put together and plan to serve to all my besties who abstain:

3/4 c sparkling water or soda water

3 T peach nectar

3 T ginger simple syrup

lemon wedge, squeezed right in

Shake with ice and serve straight up, in a fun glass, of course. Or pour or over ice.

*The ginger was about 3 c when coarsely chopped. Finely chopped it's closer to 2 c.