Recipes for a Refreshing Summer

Oh thank God. Now comes the time of year we casually sip fruity, silly drinks, sometimes adorned with swords, fruit skewers or umbrellas. And no one makes fun of us. Not even we ourselves. Scorn turns to careless abandon. Well, in regard to appearance. We can all agree those fruity babies better be damn good. And, let’s be honest – plastic swords trump umbrellas every time.

What: The Painkiller
This drink hails from the Caribbean. Ever been? Then you know what it is and what it can do to you. It’s so good. Luckily, Rhode Island’s history of seafaring trade means libations from warmer climates find nooks and crannies to hide here, waiting for your discovery. Imagine the delight when you walk around Newport, only to find a bit of southern seas in your glass.

Found Where: The Mooring Restaurant Seafood Kitchen & Bar

Go get:
1 1/2 oz Pusser’s Rum
1 oz Coco Lopez
1 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz orange juice
Nutmeg garnish

Make: Pour into a shaker full of ice. Shake shake shake. Strain into a chilled tumbler or rocks glass all iced up. Garnish with a scrape of fresh nutmeg. Mmmmm.

What: Oaxaca Old-Fashioned
If you find yourself driving through the East Bay this summer, stop in at Grapes & Grains to visit with Jared Kent. Go in with a purpose. Your purpose: cocktail recipes and the fixings. (Unless it’s wine, then say hi to Christin. But I digress). Jared’s a meticulous cocktail kind of person, which is why I asked him for a spot-on-summertime-but-no-effing-joke creation. His response: How about an old fashioned all year long? Bring it.

Found Where: Grapes & Grains

Go get:
1 tsp sugar
2 dashes orange bitters
2 dashes lime bitters0
1 1/2 oz mezcal
Lime peel garnish

Make:
Muddle sugar and bitters in old-fashioned glass until sugar is dissolved. Add one large ice cube and 1/2 ounce of mezcal. Stir for 15 to 30 seconds. Add an additional 1/2 ounce of mezcal. Stir for 15 to 30 seconds. Add final 1/2 ounce of mezcal. Stir one last time. Twist lime peel over drink and rub the rim of the glass before dropping it in as garnish.

What: Lazy Pompelmo

Okay, confession: I procrastinate. And sometimes I’m lazy. Like when I was asked to procure a cocktail popsicle. Most of the recipes I found were too labor intensive. Not that I won’t provide a good one in July. But alas, I was drinking, erm, playing around with the idea of grapefruit-y citrusy boozy goodness and came up with a spin on the granita. Ok, it was a near-accident, as many great drink/food worthy recipes are. Let’s be honest, granitas are gentrified slushies.

I’ve got nothing against granitas, mind you, but due to my procrastilazication, I can’t always remember to scrape a bowl of ice every 30 minutes. I mean, there are articles to write and drinks to be drunk, you know?

With this recipe, the boozy bits keep it just slushed enough that all you have to do before serving is run a large fork through it a few times. No more stopping every half hour to stick your head in the freezer. Unless that’s something you like doing. Then have at it.

Go Get:
1 cup water
3/4 cup Deep Eddy Grapefruit Vodka
1/4 cup mint lime simple syrup*
Mint leaves garnish
Salty sugar rim**

Make: Grab a casserole dish, brownie pan, or other rectangular (clean) cooking vessel.

Take ingredients and dump them in. Stir.

Put in the freezer.

Pour yourself an Oaxaca Old Fashioned or a Painkiller. Relax for three to five hours.

Go to the freezer, grab the vessel and scrape a bit with the fork. Then spoon into a cool little glass, rimmed with sugar salt** and a mint leaf.

*Mint Lime Simple Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Heat to a boil then turn off the heat and add:
3 sprigs of mint (rip up about 12 to 15 little leaves, use the stems too)
1/2 a lime (whole, just drop it in)

Let it sit ’til it cools – about 45mins to 1 hour

Strain it.

Keep in your fridge and use it in cocktails and other boozy creations.

** If you want to get all fancy to prove you’re not so lazy, take large grain sugar and sea salt and mix in a 50:50 ratio to use as a rim garnish. Salty-sweet goodness.