The Strawberry Gin Mojito
Bill Driggs is serving up this special mojito this summer at his 2 Hopewell Bistro & Bar. He says using local ingredients for the Strawberry Gin Mojito is key in this drink's light, fruity flavor. "What makes this a great drink is the light and refreshing flavor profile and the use of seasonal, local ingredients! A perfect summer drink!"
2 oz Bar Hill Gin
1.5 oz of Strawberry Puree (it's the best when local Glastonbury Strawberries are in season)
1/2 oz of simple syrup
1 oz fresh lime juice
Fresh mint
Splash of Club Soda
Muddle lime juice, 3-4 leaves of mint and simple syrup in a shaker, add strawberry puree, and Bar Hill Gin and shake vigorously over ice. Pour into a mason jar with a splash of club soda - garnish with mint, a fresh strawberry and a lime wedge. Enjoy!
The “Ti-Texas”
Brian Costa, managing partner of Max Fish restaurant, credits the eatery's head bartender, Andres Soriano for developing this elegant summer drink, the Ti-Texas. It calls for two liquors you might not have on hand but you'll want to get. Velvet Falernum is a syrup liqueur from the Caribbean typically used for tropical drinks. It combines flavors of ginger, lime, almond, cloves and allspice. Curacao is a type of orange liquor, sort of a spicy take on triple sec.
3/4 ounce of Velvet Felernum
3/4 ounce of dry curacao
3/4 ounce of lemon juice
2 ounces of Tito’s vodka.
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice and shake. Strain into a Coupe glass and garnish with a dry orange wheel.
Watermelon Sugar Margarita
Probably nothing says summer like watermelon. And luckily, the drink specialists at Bricco's Trattoria have come up with a perfect summer margarita! Our thanks to Jonathan Gyles and his team for this refreshingly cool take on a summer standard.
2 oz. Fresh watermelon purée
1 1/2 oz Blanco tequila
1/2 oz Amber agave nectar
3/4 oz Fresh squeezed lime juice
Splash of Seltzer
Sugar rim on glass
Garnish with fresh watermelon wedge
To make the watermelon puree blend seedless watermelon cubes until liquified. Shake the puree, tequila, agave, and lime juice until the shaker becomes frosted. Dip the glass in lime juice then shimmy into some sugar. Add large ice cubes and pour the shaken cocktail over the ice. Add a spritz of your favorite soda water, and dunk in a wedge of watermelon. You can freeze any extra puree for later use or use it to make ice cubes to serve with the drink. Enjoy!
Forbidden Mojito
The folks at Cotton Hollow Kitchen have developed their own take on the mojito, this one a "forbidden" version that apparently takes that name from the use of Patron's Anejo tequila, which is aged for 12 months and has an alcohol content of 40 percent.
1 1/2 oz. Patron Añejo Tequila
6-8 Mint Leaves (depending on size)
0.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz. Real Kiwi Purée (Real is a brand available at Stop & Shop or
package stores)
Ripe Agave Mojito Blend (Ripe is a brand available at Whole Foods or
some package stores)
Add mint leaves to shaker, fill with ice, add tequila, lime juice and kiwi. Shake and double strain into a high ball glass filled with ice. Fill the rest of the highball glass with ripe agave Mojito. Garnish with mint and a lime wheel.