I've been on the east coast for a week now and oh baby, brrr! While the snow falls outside, friend and fellow spirits creator, Raul Zelaya of the popular cocktail blog, Death to Sour Mix and I got down to whipping up a couple winter warmers inside.
With easy to procure ingredients, Raul says, “Winter’s Sun is a smoky, low-note shaken cocktail any home bartender can master with prowess.” If sans booze, yet big flavor profile is what you're after, I took care of your sensibilities with Winter's Sunset- smoky, slightly sweet, a touch of bubbles and aromatics to warm you up.
Here's to putting the pink in your cheeks and staying warm!
Winter’s Sun
Yields 1 cocktail
1 1/2 oz fresh pineapple juice
2 oz Pedro Ximenez sherry
1 oz cranberry juice
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
2 dashes cedar cherry bitters
In a shaker pour the cranberry, lemon, sherry, bitters and simple. Shake vigorously. In a Collins glass, add cubes of ice and pour in pineapple juice. Strain contents from shaker on top of cocktail. Garnish with a dehydrated pineapple slice.
Winter's Sunset
Yields 1 drink
Part I
1 seared or toasted rosemary pineapple slice for garnish
2 oz fresh pressed pineapple juice
dash (up to 1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
ice
1 oz soda water (will be added to drink after shaking)
Part II
1 oz no sugar added cranberry juice
2 dashes cedar cherry bitters
1/4 tsp powdered cinnamon
little ice
Prepare ahead: For garnish, sear or dehydrate rosemary pineapple slices.
Part I: Combine all ingredients minus soda, shake well and pour over one square or round cube into a rocks glass. Add soda water.
Part II: Combine all ingredients, shake vigorously for 30 seconds and pour slowly on top of pineapple juice. Place garnish on top of cocktail.
Raul Zelaya is a Boston-based cocktail blogger & founder of Death to Sour Mix, a modern site specializing in craft spirits and techniques. He is a frequent contributor to The Boston Globe and winner of Saveur magazine's best cocktail blog 2014.
Christine Dionese is an integrative health specialist, medical journalist and food writer who loves stopping by Foodista to feature stories about where health and food culture intersect.
