Sunrise/Sunset (Mezcal, Ginger and Grenadine Cocktail) + Giveaway

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Cocktail Artist. As always, the opinions expressed here are my own. 

When I think about bottled lemon or lime juice, I'm reminded of those little containers you get at the store filled with a liquid that mildly resembles citrus, but with a slight metallic flavor. I basically learned that bottled was not an option. Earlier this year, I heard about Cocktail Artist from my friend and Boston bartender, Tenzin Sambo... he started posting about his collaboration with them and I was immediately intrigued. I knew that he wouldn't put his name on something if it wasn't a stellar product. With that said, I remained skeptical. 

A box arrived with the lineup of Cocktail Artist products not too long ago and I immediately got started with quick, easy recipes, like a whiskey sour. I was surprised by how fresh the drinks tasted; lacking the artificial, cloyingly sweetness that comes with most bottled mixers. Now, when I'm in need of a cocktail, all it takes is a a few pours, a quick shake or stir, and I'm ready to go. 

Below I'm featuring a creation I made using the Cocktail Artist products. Of course, if you don't have a bottle of these products on hand, you can still make the drink. I went for my favorite spirit, mezcal, and utilized the great bottled citrus from their collection. I don't think I'd ever used grenadine before, but I wanted a bit more sweetness and so I poured a little on top. The color sort of reminded me of a Tequila Sunrise (it definitely does not taste like one, so don't worry)... hence the name. 

And fun news, everyone, but I'm hosting a giveaway of a set of Cocktail Artist products. One person is eligible to win bottles of the following: Simple Syrup, Lime Juice, Grenadine, Lemon Juice, Mint Syrup, Mule Mix, Manhattan Mix and Old-Fashioned Mix. Pretty much all you need to throw a really awesome party. 

Details: 
To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite cocktail is (what you like to order at a bar or mix at home).  Eligible to US residents only (sorry international friends)! Giveaway ends at 12PM EST on Friday, December 22, 2017. The winner will be notified via e-mail. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, another name will be drawn. (Note: Be sure to fill out the e-mail field in the comment form) 

Sunrise/Sunset
Yield: 1 drink
Tools: cocktail shaker, muddler, cocktail strainer
Glassware: Highball

Ingredients:
2 oz mezcal
1 oz lime juice
.5 oz lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
1" piece of ginger, peeled and cut into 3 slices
¼ oz grenadine
Mint, garnish
Crushed ice

Directions:
Add ginger, lime juice, and simple syrup to cocktail shaker. Muddle ginger. Add mezcal, along with 3-4 ice cubes and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into highball. Fill glass to the top with crushed ice. Top with grenadine and garnish with mint. Serve with a bar straw. 

Mezcal Paloma

The majority of the time, I'm the one who prepares dinner.  It makes sense. I'm home before Eric, I can often get to the store... plus, I enjoy doing it. It's not that he can't cook or that he's not good at it (he's actually very good), it's just become a task that I've taken over. But why not find some time to cook together? The idea has been lingering in my mind ever since I read Ashley's Date Night In, a cookbook featuring recipes and stories from the evenings she and her husband spend preparing dishes. I found the whole thing truly inspiring and at one point even suggested it... but over a year went by gone and we never followed through. A few weeks ago, however, after a particularly hectic week, Eric suggested that we spend our Saturday night at home. The lightbulb flickered on. "Hey, we have all of these cookbooks around. Why don't we make something from one of them?" We pulled out a recent addition to our collection that features authentic Chinese recipes, made a list, went to the store, and cooked up a storm. The food was incredible. Probably the best we've ever made. And we did it together (all while sipping on palomas). This past weekend we did it again, this time going in a more Mediterranean direction: braised octopus, roasted eggplant, whipped goat cheese, and homemade pita (that evening we went with martinis).

The paloma, featured here, is an easy, refreshing drink. Typically it includes tequila, but I like the slightly smoky notes the mezcal provides. A simpler version of the recipe can be made by using grapefruit soda instead of the fresh grapefruit juice, sugar and soda water, but if you have grapefruits on hand, I prefer this method. 

MEZCAL PALOMA

GLASSWARE
Highball or rocks glass

YIELD
1 drink

INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt
1 lime wedge
1/4 ounce lime juice
2 ounces grapefruit juice
2 ounces mezcal (or tequila)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 ounces soda water
1 grapefruit wedge, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. To rim the glass, pour salt onto a plate. Rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge and then dip the rim into the salt, spin slowly until rim is lightly coated in salt.

2. Pour lime juice, grapefruit juice, mezcal and sugar into a glass. Using a spoon, stir until sugar has dissolved. Fill glass with ice cubes and top with soda water. 

Oaxaca Old-Fashioned

We've been traveling a lot these last few months. Each time I tell someone that we're going away again, I get the same response: "Another trip? You're really doing it up this winter." Yes, this was the plan a while ago, to get out of Boston as much as possible. After last winter, it seemed absolutely necessary that we spend some time in a warmer climate during the month of February. And then we were asked by Eric's mom if we'd like to take a trip to Mexico with them. They'd be renting a house in San Miguel de Allende, a city in central Mexico that's full of artists, music and American expats. How could we pass that up?

So, that's where we are. Chances are we're sipping on some tequila. Just a guess. I didn't want to leave you all out, though, so here is something I've been anxious to share with you fine folks for a while. I came across this wonderful agave-based drink a few months ago on The New York Times website and knew it would be my kind of cocktail. It's smooth and a touch smokey (from the mezcal) and pretty wonderful to sip on by a roaring fire. But I do need to bring something up. I realize that I did not serve this on the rocks and, well, to be honest, this was an accident (though I consider it to be happy one). I wasn't paying attention and I got caught up in the glassware I was using and forgot that oh, hey! this is supposed to be served on ice. I found this to be perfect just stirred and strained into a cocktail glass. I'm not sure how you feel, but I like my drinks sans rocks during the winter months. I want a drink that will make me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside and that's exactly how I felt after just one of these. Of course, if you want the rocks, that'd be just fine and dandy.
 

Oaxaca Old-Fashioned

SourceThe New York Times

Yield 1 cocktail

Ingredients
1.5 ounces reposado tequila
.5 ounces mezcal
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 dash angostura bitters
Orange peel

Directions

1. Combine liquids in a cocktail shaker with a generous handful of ice. Stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

2. Hold a lighted match over drink in one hand and orange peel in other hand, with orange side facing flame and about an inch away. Carefully and quickly squeeze orange peel until oils spark. Put out match and drop peel into cocktail.