Cocktail Party | Saveur

Autumn Bellini

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:46:37 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Prosecco marries with richly spiced mulled cider and a splash of vodka in this seasonal take on the classic Bellini served at the now-closed Caffè Storico in New York City. While the original recipe called for a fig-flavored vodka such as Figenza, regular vodka works just as well in this fall cocktail.

Yield: 2 cocktails

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the mulled cider syrup:

1 cup apple cider
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
4 whole cloves
2 green cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole star anise

For the Bellini

1 oz. vodka
12 oz. chilled prosecco

Instructions

Make the mulled cider syrup: In a small pot, bring the cider to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cider is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Strain the syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate. (You should have about ½ cup of syrup.)
Make the cocktail: To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the vodka and 2½ ounces of the mulled cider syrup. Shake until chilled, then strain into two champagne glasses, top each with prosecco, and serve.

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Frozen Limeade Margarita

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:30:52 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

Canned frozen limeade intensifies the citrus flavor of this slushy libation, an easy drink for summer cocktail parties and cookouts. Pair it with any spicy dish—a frozen margarita is just the thing for taming the heat.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 5 minutes

1 cup silver tequila
¼ cup triple sec
1 Tbsp. agave nectar or simple syrup
½ tsp. kosher salt
One 12-oz. can frozen limeade
Lime wheels or wedges, for garnish

Instructions

To a blender, add the tequila, triple sec, agave nectar, salt, limeade, and 6 cups of crushed ice and pulse until smooth. Pour into a pitcher and serve in chilled glasses garnished with lime wheels.

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Cucumber Gin Cooler

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:20:39 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Tyna Hoang

This refreshing update on the classic gin and tonic is an easy sipper, thanks to summery cucumber slices and plenty of lime juice. You can use any gin you have on hand, but we’re partial to Hendrick’s, which has a slight cucumber flavor, for this cooler. A note on the cucumber slices: it may be tempting to nibble them out of your drink right away, but try to resist the urge. After several minutes’ contact with the lime juice, gin, and tonic water (about as long as it takes to finish the cocktail), they pickle ever so slightly, taking on a lovely crisp flavor.

Yield: Makes 4 cocktails

Time: 5 minutes

8 oz. gin
8 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (from about 4 limes)
½ cup thinly sliced Persian or Kirby cucumber, scrubbed but not peeled
Tonic water
Lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the gin, lime juice, and cucumber slices. Shake vigorously for 1–2 minutes, then strain into four ice-filled glasses, making sure the cucumber slices are evenly distributed. Top each glass with tonic water and garnish with a lime wedge.

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Seasonal Squash Tart

Alex Saggiomo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:21:32 +0000

Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Barrett Washburne • Prop Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart. Photo: Paola + Murray • Food Styling: Barrett Washburne • Prop Styling: Carla Gonzalez-Hart

By using seasonal squash, this light and tasty dish—developed by Denver, Colorado-based chef Alex Saggiomo—can be made year-round. Try it with zucchini and yellow squash in the summer, then use all butternut in the fall. Feel free to get creative with the topping for this tart, which will help stretch leftover squash and other vegetables—whichever adventure you choose, it will pair beautifully with the buttery pastry and tangy goat cheese topping.

Yield: 2–4

Time: 2 hours

One 10- by 15-in. sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed and rolled out slightly to soften
½ medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into large cubes
3 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
¼ cup heavy cream
½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp. fresh goat cheese, divided
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced into ¼-in. rounds
1 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-in. rounds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment, then place the puff pastry on it. Using a fork, create a border around the edges, poking holes throughout the dough of the sheet to prevent it from rising. Place another sheet of parchment over the top and place dried beans or pie weights over the surface. Bake until the edges rise slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. Turn the oven up to 400°F.
Line a second large baking sheet with foil, then arrange the butternut squash and garlic atop it in a single layer. Toss with oil and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. Turn the oven down to 375°F.
When the butternut squash has cooled, transfer to a food processor along with the cream, lemon zest, and half of the goat cheese, then process until smooth.
On the reserved pastry sheet, spread the butternut squash purée in an even layer, leaving a thin border along all four edges. Arrange the yellow squash and zucchini slices over the top, allowing each one to slightly overlap. Drizzle a little oil over the top, then dot with the remaining goat cheese. Bake until the squash is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Rossini

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:23 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Pearl Jones

A luscious take on the bellini, the Rossini swaps in strawberries for the latter drink’s white peaches, and prosecco for champagne. Serve this versatile cocktail in place of mimosas at brunch, as an aperitif, or with dessert.

Featured in the October 2012 issue.

Yield: Makes 4–6 cocktails

Time: 10 minutes

½ lb. fresh strawberries
One 750-ml bottle prosecco, chilled

Instructions

Set aside a few strawberries for garnish, then hull the rest. Transfer the hulled strawberries to a blender and process until smooth. (You should have about 1 cup of purée.)
To serve, add 2 tablespoons of the strawberry purée to a chilled champagne or coupe class. Top with the prosecco, stir to combine if desired, and garnish with a reserved strawberry. Repeat with the remaining purée, prosecco, and strawberries.

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Punch Romaine

Kellie Evans — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:27:02 +0000

Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Punch Romaine, a rum-spiked shaved-ice palate cleanser served to first-class passengers during the fateful last dinner aboard the Titanic on April 14, 1912, was based on a recipe from famed French chef Georges Auguste Escoffier, who championed alcoholic shaved ices during the early 20th century. The original recipe, essentially a granita, is updated here as a drinkable, citrusy cocktail poured over an iceberg of crushed ice.

Follow our easy instructions to make your own simple syrup. Use a channel knife to create thin strips of orange peel for the garnish.

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

1 egg white
1 oz. white rum
1 oz. white wine
1 oz. fresh orange juice
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
½ oz. simple syrup

2 oz. Champagne or sparkling wine

Orange zest, for garnish

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the egg white, rum, wine, orange and lemon juices, and simple syrup. Shake until well mixed and frothy, then strain into a large coupe glass mounded with crushed ice, being careful to pour the drink around the ice. Top with Champagne and garnish with orange zest.

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Hemingway Daiquiri

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:44:38 +0000

Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

At Havana, Cuba’s El Floridita bar, this special daiquiri was a usual order of author Ernest Hemingway. It was created by then-head bartender Constantino Ribalaigua Vert, who was known as “Constante” to regulars and “El Rey de los Cocteleros” (“The Cocktail King”) to locals. Legend has it that Hemingway requested a daiquiri with less sugar and more rum, and Vert obliged by doubling the rum, adding grapefruit juice to the customary lime, and swapping out the simple syrup for maraschino liqueur. And that’s how the Hemingway Daiquiri, or the Papa Doble (Papa was a nickname for Hemingway, and “doble” referred to the double jigger of rum), was born. While we prefer including simple syrup to balance out the tartness, feel free to omit if you want to stay true to Hemingway’s original version.

Featured in “Papa’s Favorite Poison” by Robert Simonson.

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

2 oz. agricole or white rum
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. fresh grapefruit juice
½ oz. maraschino liqueur
½ oz. simple syrup
Maraschino cherries or lime wheel, for garnish

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, and simple syrup. Shake until chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with cherries.

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Za’atar Dip

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:26:34 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

The Middle Eastern spice blend za’atar (which combines sumac, oregano, sesame, hyssop, and other spices) flavors this simple cilantro-and-garlic dip. It’s ideal served alongside roasted meats, or slathered on fresh-baked pita.

Featured in “Season of Rejoicing: Celebrating Sukkot in Crown Heights” by Katie Robbins.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 5 minutes

½ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. za’atar
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a food processor, blend together the oil, za’atar, garlic, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Hibiscus Rose Vesper

Alexis Kahn — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:44:32 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

This blush-colored riff on one of James Bond’s favorite drinks gets its lovely hue—and kicked-up flavor—from hibiscus rose bitters. The lightly sweet, subtly floral extract plays beautifully with the traditional ingredients featured in a classic Vesper Martini: gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc.

Featured in the March 2011 issue.

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

3 oz. dry gin
1 oz. vodka
¹⁄₂ oz. Lillet Blanc
3 dashes hibiscus rose bitters

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the gin, vodka, Lillet Blanc, and hibiscus rose bitters. Shake until chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.

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Water Lily Cocktail

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:09 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Crème de violette adds sweetness and an arresting purple color to a tart mix of gin, lemon juice, and triple sec in this cocktail recipe adapted from Please Don’t Tell (PDT), a speakeasy in New York City.

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

¾ oz. crème de violette
¾ oz. gin
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. triple sec
Strip of orange zest, for garnish

Instructions

To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the crème de violette, gin, lemon juice, and triple sec, and shake vigorously until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with the orange zest.

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Ginger Gold Rush

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:53 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

This is a twist on a whiskey sour variation called the Gold Rush, traditionally a simple concoction of bourbon, honey, and fresh lemon juice. Here, we retain the simple formula of three ingredients but replace the honey with a ginger liqueur called Domaine de Canton. This substitution does more than just increase the alcohol content; it also adds a bright, spicy note that plays well with the oaky bourbon. A brandied cherry ties the whole cocktail together (try making your own at home using our Brandied Cherries recipe).

Yield: Makes 1 cocktail

Time: 5 minutes

1 brandied cherry
1½ oz. ginger liqueur, such as Domaine de Canton
1 oz. bourbon
½ oz. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

To a coupe or martini glass, add the brandied cherry. To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the ginger liqueur, bourbon, and lemon juice, and shake vigorously until chilled. Strain over the cherry into the glass.

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