Top 10 Best Summer Inspired Cocktails 2014

Summertime brings forth thoughts of hammocks, vacations and heat. Cold cocktails help to beat the temps and give backyard parties a little more pizzazz.

Once again I have invited experts in the world of spirits, wine and beer, including sommeliers, mixologists, restaurants, pubs, distillers and manufacturers to send their Summer-inspired cocktails. The responses were filled with heat-beating concoctions dedicated to the season of fun and sun. The list was compiled and narrowed down to the ones most in spirit with the theme and representing uniqueness, great taste and visual appeal.

I present to you the...

Top 10 Summer Inspired Cocktails 2014

(1)

Dirty Martini by the Sea

(see image above)

Who: Harbor View Hotel

Where: Martha's Vineyard

Website: Harbor-View.com

Twitter: @HarborViewMV

Inspiration: Evenings on the beach

Recipe: Housemade sour mix: Mix two cups of simple syrup to one cup of lemon juice, one cup of lime juice, and 1/2 cup of grapefruit juice, 1 2/3 oz. housemade seaweed vodka (see directions below), 2 tsp. vermouth, 1 Greek olive. Combine vodka and vermouth in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain liquid into a martini glass and garnish with olive. Housemade seaweed vodka (yields 8 cups): 14 oz. of washed, purple seaweed. 8 cups of vodka. Place seaweed and vodka into a sealed vacuum bag and cook sous vide at 125 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove and chill, then filter the mix through cheesecloth and bottle.

(2)

Eden's Garden

Who: Plat 99 ~ William Mohring (Lead Mixologist)

Where: Indianapolis

Website: TheAlexander.com

Twitter: @plat99indy @williammohring

Inspiration: What I especially love about summer is being able to plant a garden in my backyard. Sometimes it’s both vegetables and herbs; this year it was just herbs. I really enjoy the process of gardening from planting to cooking with fresh herbs from my backyard. There is just something so rewarding about the spoils of our toil. It’s also a similar enjoyment in creating cocktails. I have the chance to work with so many ingredients that once started in soil, and I pay homage to all the freshness that summer offers with the ingredients chosen for this drink.

Recipe: 1oz Death Door’s gin, .5oz Carpano Bianco, .75oz homemade cucumber-infused vodka, .75oz Lemon Juice, .75oz simple syrup, 2 dashes Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters, 3-4 basil leaves, club soda to fill. Muddle basil in a cocktail tin and all ingredients, except the club soda. Add ice to the tin, shake for a minimum of 10 seconds and double strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Add club soda to top, and swirl one rotation with a mixing spoon. Garnish with a large basil leaf and cucumber slice.

(3)
Door County Cherry Juice Margarita

Who: Fred and Fuzzy’s Waterfront Bar and Grill ~ Fuzzy Sunstrom
Where: Sister Bay, WI

Website: FredandFuzzys.com

Twitter: @FredandFuzzys

Inspiration: Summer sunsets

Recipe: Golden Tequila (preferred type of tequila for margaritas as it is mellowed with a hint of caramel flavoring), Door County Cherry Juice, margarita mix, lime: Rim a 16 oz glass with salt (optional), fill the glass with ice, add 2 oz of golden tequila, fill the rest of the glass with a 50/50 mix of Door County cherry juice and margarita mix. Stir until perfectly blended. Garnish with a slice of lime.

(4)

Rosso Peach Smash

Who: Venturi ~ Troy Pippenger

Where: Gosehn, IN

Website: EatVenturi.com

Twitter: @PizzaVenturi

Inspiration: Co-Owner, Justin Venturi, created a peach dessert that blew my mind. I created the drink by playing with the same flavors from the dessert in the form of a cocktail.

Recipe: 1.5 oz vodka, 1oz Grotta del Sole Lacryma Christi dei Vesuvio Rosso or similar red wine, 1 oz peach puree (we use Monin), 1 barspoon simple syrup, 1 lemon wedge (1/4 of a lemon), 2 sprigs mint. Muddle lemon, peach puree and leaves from one sprig of mint & simple syrup in cocktail shaker. Add wine & vodka. Shake well. Fine strain into rocks glass. Garnish with lemon slice & mint.

(5)

Rose' Piscine

Who: Shelburne Restaurant & Pub ~ Laurie Anderson
Where: Seaview, WA

Website: ShelburneRestaurant.com

Inspiration: All the rage in France in the summertime is a drink called Rosé Piscine, which means pool of rosé. It’s simply rosé wine poured over ice. We have enhanced this drink. 

Recipe: Plum syrup: 1 c sugar, 1 c water, bring to a boil and add: 1 lb unpitted plums. Simmer the plums in the simple syrup until they are thoroughly cooked down, about 20 to 30 minutes. strain through a fine mesh strainer to render the syrup. Refrigerate. Jumbo ice cubes: 1 c peeled and seeded cucumber cut in chunks, 1 c watermelon, seeded and without rind, cut into chunks, 2 tb freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 c plum syrup. Puree the above ingredients and pour into jumbo ice cube trays and freeze solid. Pour a good quality Rosé wine over one jumbo ice cube and enjoy.

(6)

Smoky Strega Smash

Who: Italian Village ~ Ryan Wichmann

Where: Chicago

Website: ItalianVillage-Chicago.com

Twitter: @ciaofromchicago

Inspiration: Our inspiration for this cocktail was not only the Italian Immigrant origins of Italian Village founder, Alfredo Capitanini, but also the Anish Kapoor sculpture Cloud Gate, commonly known as "The Bean", in Chicago's beautiful Millennium Park just a few blocks away. Kapoor, himself an immigrant, has said that in his art, "The experience of opposites allows for the expression of wholeness" and that is what I have tried to achieve with this cocktail. At first thought, the sweet, fragrant and herbaceous qualities of Strega seem an unlikely match for the burly and smoky/peaty nature of Islay Scotch, but it is exactly this duality that allows the qualities of one to complement and provide balance to the other so as to create a more complex and harmonious union. The same can be said for "The Bean" on clear, cloudless days, when sky and highly-polished metal appear to lose their seams and meld together in a singular vision of uniquely Chicagoan beauty.

Recipe: 2 oz Strega, 1/2 oz Laphroaig 10 year Islay Single Malt Scotch, 2 orange wedges, club soda, crushed ice. Combine Strega, Scotch and one orange wedge in a shaker filled halfway with crushed ice (it is ideal to squeze the orange wedge into the shaker beforehand) and shake. Dump the contents of the shaker into a large glass (do not strain). Fill the remainder of the glass with crushed ice and top with club soda. Garnish with the other orange slice and serve with a straw.

(7)

Summer Passion

Who: Camus Cognac

Website: Camus.fr/us

Twitter: @CamusCognacUS

Inspiration: This cocktail is sure to be a hit at this summer’s family BBQ.

Recipe: 8 oz. CAMUS VS Elegance Cognac, 4 oz. passion fruit liqueur, 4 oz. triple sec, 4 oz. sparkling water, 4 oz. sweetener, juice of 1 lemon, 1 c strawberries, 1 c ice. Add strawberries, lemon juice and sweetener into a blender and pulse slowly. Place mixture in a pitcher and add remaining liquid ingredients and ice. Pour into a margarita glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and serve.

(8)

Spring Peeper

Who: Cielo at Four Seasons ~ Jorie Taylor (Bar Manager)

Where: St. Louis

Website: CieloStLouis.com

Twitter: @FSStLouis

Inspiration: While living in Atlanta a former employer of mine who was (and is) a great lover of a good cocktail would often ask for a cocktail of my choice at the bar. His wife, however, always chose a glass of red wine. Atlanta can get awfully hot, so on one particularly hot day she wanted to sit on the patio and my boss delighted in the rare occasion to share with her the cooling effects of a well mixed cocktail. Inspired by the heat, he asked if I would mix her a proper julep. I mixed one, but he took it for himself and asked me to go ahead and create her something -- in his words, "Like a julep, but sexy." I thought first of some of the original juleps, made with brandy or cognac in the 1800's before phylloxera caused barmen to switch to corn based beverages. Nectarines (plump and juicy in summer) bring a round, nectar-like quality to the booze while freeze dried strawberries add an acidic fruity layer. Campari and lemon add just enough bite to keep the cocktail balanced, and the saffron (my herb/spice component in place of mint) imparts an indescribable exotic floral background. Like a julep, just sexy. The cocktail is named for the bullfrogs which croaked along the river banks outside the restaurant."

Recipe: Mix1/2 oz Campari, 2 oz Nectarine, freeze-dried strawberry infused Cognac, 3/4 oz fresh lemon, 1/2 oz saffron syrup, orange wheel garnish.

(9)

Strawberry Mojito Martini

Who: Brasabana ~ Mike Kiefer (Bar Manager)

Where: Lexington, KY

Website: Brasabana.com

Twitter: @Brasabana

Inspiration: Growning up we always had a strawberry patch growing in our backyard. As a result I have always loved strawberries and they always remind me of my summers growing up in Lexington. As a bartender I consider martinis one of my specialties and love creating new, interesting ones. Here at Brasabana our specialty is mojitos. This drinking is a represention of the best parts of Brasabana and summer with a little personal flair.

Recipe: 2 oz Bacardi Dragonberry Rum, 1 oz strawberry and mint infused simple syrup (Muddle 4-6 strawberries, 2 oz mint leaves, and 8 oz granulated sugar, add 8 oz of boiling water and stir thouroughly. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours then strain out muddled strawberries and mint.). Shake rum and simple syrup over ice then strain into a martini glass. Add a splash of club soda for a refreshing fizz. Rim the glass in raw sugar and added a stick of sugar cane for garnish

(10)

The Porch Swing

Who: Oliver Winery ~ Drew Kincuis

Where: Bloomington, IN

Twitter: @oliverwinery @oliver_downtown

Website: OliverWinery.com OliverWinery.com/downtown

Inspiration: “Summertime, and the drinkin’s easy”

Recipe: 4oz lemonade. 4oz Oliver Moscato, 2oz strawberry simple syrup, splash of club soda, fill Mason jar with ice, place lid on jar, shake, garnish with lemon wedge.

Images furnished by entries
Elizabeth J. Musgrave writes food and wine magazine columns ~ Destination Dining and White Linen & Corks, is a magazine and newspaper journalist and photographer covering travel, food, wine & spirits, luxury, hotels, spas, et al, as well as a restaurant and performing arts critic. Catch her as Fox 59 Morning News Show's Travel & Leisure expert. Find her also at GottaGo.us, BroadwayWorld.com and FoodDigital.com. Follow on Twitter @GottaGo,  LinkedIn and Facebook.

Chicago on a Budget

Millennium Park

Prioritizing while planning a trip helps in determining a budget. This list is even more relevant if the location you are going to has numerous options, like Chicago. Knowing what's most important helps decide where to trim spending in order to have money for deal breakers. If food is not the high priority, but a live theater performance is an absolute must, checking out the eatery menus online can determine where to eat for less in order to have the must-haves.

If shopping is your dream, then stay in a nearby hotel and walk to the shops. With the economic downturn, attractions, hotels and eateries are all offering more budget-friendly packages and discounts than ever before, so now truly is a great time to travel. Much like a favorite movie which never grows old, Chicago always presents unknown treasures upon every visit. This trip proved no different.

Lodging

The Palmer House Hotel

The Palmer House, built by Potter Palmer as a wedding gift to his wife, Bertha, is one of the few remaining grand hotels. Its opulent entry with Tiffany 24-Karat gold chandeliers has been named Chicago’s "Best lobby." Viewing the hotel’s architecture is worth a trip in itself. In its 135-year history, in addition to numerous U.S. presidents, the hotel has been visited by Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens and Prince Charles, just to mention a mere fraction of the list of who’s who. Entertainers, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong have graced the stage in the Golden Empire Room.
Old World atmosphere, authentic décor and furnishings, world-class service and a proud history make this historic landmark the backbone of Chicago.

Special packages, some including city passes, mean staying in the heart of shopping, theater and museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, is budget possible. Valet parking specials or parking at Millennium Park garage create more savings. Park and walk for a tighter budget or grab a taxi if the budget allows.

Eating Right
Chicago dining always proves pleasurable, perhaps even sinful at times. Being treated to four eateries meant
finding great food for every budget.
The Village, Chicago’s oldest restaurant, and one of three owned and housed by the Capitanini family, at the Italian Village building is fashioned after an Italian outdoor café. Located on the top floor, the menu offers familiar favorites. Stay on a fixed budget with sandwiches and pizza or take a small step up to the still reasonably-priced entrees, including the tender chicken Marsala. Make sure to ask for Mo, the waiter’s

Vivere'

captain, whose charisma and personalized service made me feel as if I was his only concern in the world.

Street-level Viveré serves upscale modern Italian cuisine when fine-food dining is top priority. For smaller budgets, stop in for lunch size portions. With Michael Taylor, wine director and Chef Robert Reynaud treating me to one gourmet food and wine course after another, it would be difficult to recommend only one. However, Reynaud’s pan-roasted duck breast with almond-plum pudding and spiced-Port reduction, coupled with Taylor’s choice of an ‘05 Chianti Classico, stood out as a combination which may be next to impossible to find elsewhere. Each food and wine combination showcased the knowledge, experience and pride accumulated over the years and shared with patrons of this award-worthy establishment.

The Grand Lux Café offers up more than 150 menu items personally selected by David Overton, who traveled throughout Europe finding the recipes. The Crispy Caramel Chicken entrée is generous enough for two, helping with the budget, but delicious enough that I wasn’t sharing. The spicy Thai sauce, red chilies

Grand Lux

 and ginger make this one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Other money savers are soups, salads, sandwiches and lunch specials for less than 10 bucks. If money allows, the must-not-miss items are the desserts, baked to order and delivered piping hot from the oven and large enough to share. The New Orleans Beignets, served with three dips, are heaven in a basket.

The breakfast buffet at Palmer House’s Lockwood restaurant is, quite simply, the most elegant and all-compassing breakfast buffet I have ever encountered. Well worth the higher price, staying on track is possible by eating enough at this luxurious buffet that only a light lunch, if any, would be required.

Little Extras

Architectural Tour

Tours are always a great way to see a town, and Chicago has them for every budget, including free. While in town, I caught the Untouchable tour of Chicago gangsters. From Capone to Dillinger, costumed guides shared the riveting details. For the minimal cost, it is worth checking into. I also found the 90-minute architectural boat tour worth the money. Complimentary neighborhood tours are offered by volunteers wanting to show visitors their great city.

In short, adjusting the budget to ensure your highest priorities are achievable by checking into all options before heading out the door. Get your money’s worth by utilizing tourism and business sites for discounts, and travel dollars will be maximized without sacrificing fun and adventure.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, music, restaurant and theater critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC and follow her on Twitter @ejmusgrave1 and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.