Cocktails

Honey Rosemary Gin-Gin

| laurenandforeign

Wisconsin was recently hit with several weeks of subzero temperatures, so we were in desperate need of something to remind us of spring. We called on Waterloo Gin (made with juniper, coriander and anise, with flavors and aromas of pecans, lavender and grapefruit zest) to make a wonderful cocktail to lift our spirits, so to speak.

We combined the gin with a flavorful honey rosemary syrup, lemon juice, and ez ginger soda, an organic soda made with just five simple ingredients: water, Stevia, ginger, agave, and citrus.

While Lauren’s husband says this cocktail “tastes like plants,” we find it to be much more complex, with an elegant balance of citrus flavor, botanicals, and just the right amount of sweetness. We appreciate his honesty though, and we’ll let him stick to his beer. 😉

If you’re a cocktail lover and especially a gin drinker, we think you’ll love this one as much as we do. Cheers!

Honey Rosemary Syrup Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1 sprig of rosemary

Cocktail Ingredients:

To start, you’ll want to make your Honey Rosemary syrup. Heat water over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add honey and rosemary, stirring until honey is dissolved and mixture is fragrant. Remove the sprig of rosemary and set syrup aside to cool.

Once the syrup has cooled, it’s time to make the cocktail! First, fill a highball glass with ice. Then add the gin, syrup, and lemon juice. Top with ginger soda and stir. Garnish with a lemon wheel and sprig of rosemary. Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Gin Fizz with Rhubarb-Infused Gin

| laurenandforeign

Strawberry and rhubarb is probably one of the best early-summer duos we can imagine. In honor of World Gin Day (June 13), we created this delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Gin Fizz that will have you tasting summer no matter what time of year it is.

Unless you already have some rhubarb gin in your bar collection, this will take some time (potentially several weeks for the infusion), but if you stock up on rhubarb while it’s in season and infuse a big batch, you’ll be able to enjoy this tasty and refreshing beverage all year round.

You will need:

  • 3 1/2 cups of washed & chopped rhubarb stalks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 500 mL gin (about 2 cups) (we used Spring44 Distilling Gin)
  1. Cut rhubarb stalks into small (about 1 cm) pieces.
  2. Place into large jar and add sugar.
  3. Seal the jar and shake to combine. Leave overnight to allow time for the sugar to pull the juice out of the rhubarb.
  4. After 24 hours, add the gin and shake again.

We infused our gin for about 3 weeks, but depending on your preference you may want to let it infuse for a longer or shorter duration. Give the jar an occasional shake throughout the process and taste often! When it has reached your desired level of flavor, it’s done! We’ve heard of infusing as long as 4 weeks, and as short as 12 hours.

Our gin after about 2 weeks.

When you decide your gin is ready, it’s time mix up a delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Gin Fizz!

Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

  • 2-3 fresh (or frozen) strawberries
  • 1 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 1.5 oz rhubarb-infused gin
  • Klarbrunn Strawberry Guava sparkling water
  • Strawberries and/or lemon for garnish
  1. Muddle 2-3 strawberries with lemon juice in the bottom of a mason jar. If using frozen strawberries you may need to wait a few minutes for thawing. The lemon juice should help speed up the process.
  2. Add in rhubarb gin and stir.
  3. Fill the rest of the jar with ice and top with Strawberry Guava sparkling water.
  4. Garnish with fruit and enjoy!

We’d love to know if you try our infusion or cocktail recipe! Let us know how it goes in the comments! Cheers!

Orange Is The New Blackberry

| laurenandforeign

Somewhere in between an Old Fashioned and a Whiskey Smash, our Orange is the New Blackberry cocktail is the perfect drink to enjoy on International Whisk(e)y Day!

You’ll need everything pictured above, plus some honey! Our favorite is Gentle Breeze!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1.5 oz 45th Parallel Distillery New Richmond Rye Whiskey
  • 1.5 oz 45th Parallel Distillery Madison Avenue Orangecello
  • Klarbrunn Berry Blend sparkling water
  • 1 orange
  • 7-10 blackberries
  • drizzle of honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Muddle 5-7 blackberries and 1-2 orange slices with a generous drizzle of honey in a whiskey glass.
  2. Fill glass with ice and add New Richmond Rye and Orangecello.
  3. Stir well.
  4. Top with sparkling water.
  5. Garnish with an orange slice and remaining blackberries!
  6. Enjoy!

We hope everyone has a safe and healthy International Whiskey Day! Cheers!

St. Patrick’s Honey Apple Tea Party

| laurenandforeign

St. Patrick’s Day is going to be a little different this year, thanks to COVID-19 and social distancing. There may be less festivities this year, but that doesn’t mean there has be to be less St. Patrick’s Day drinks!

We just created a fun new cocktail for you to try with Stolen Whiskey, Doundrin’s Distilling Honey Liqueur (made with local Gentle Breeze Honey!), and Salada Asian Pear Matcha Green Tea.

Our favorite part about this cocktail is the honey garnish which not only adds a unique visual effect, but also adds a pleasant sweetness to compliment every sip!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1.5 oz Stolen Whiskey
  • 1.5 oz Doundrin’s Distilling Honey Liqueur
  • 1 packet Salada Asian Pear Matcha Green Tea
  • Splash of apple juice
  • 1 Granny Smith apple (for garnish)
  • Drizzle of Gentle Breeze honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. First, you will want to steep a cup of green tea. Set aside.
  2. Place used tea bag in cocktail shaker and fill with ice.
  3. Add whiskey, honey liqueur, a splash of green tea, and a splash of apple juice – tea and apple ratios can be made according to your own preferences, we just guessed!
  4. Shake and strain into glass filled with ice.
  5. Garnish with apple slice and a drizzle of honey around the rim of the glass. Enjoy!

We hope everyone has a safe and healthy St. Patty’s Day! Cheers!

Lauren & The Foreign’s Spiced Pear Mules Featured on WKOW’s Midday Madison

| laurenandforeign

We are so excited to share that we were recently featured on WKOW’s Midday Madison. Lauren got to talk about who we are and shared a delicious recipe for a fall cocktail: spiced pear mules!

Here’s what you need to make your own:

  • 2 oz Spring44 Distilling’s Honey Vodka or 2 oz State Line Distillery’s Vodka and a spoonful of honey
  • 1 oz pear liqueur
  • 1 oz lime juice
  • dash of cinnamon
  • ginger beer
  • sliced pear
  • cinnamon stick

Shake vodka, honey, pear liqueur, lime juice, and cinnamon with ice. Pour into Moscow Mule mug rimmed with lime juice. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with pear slices and a cinnamon stick.

While you enjoy your delicious mule, be sure to check out our feature on Midday Madison below!

Simple and delicious fall cocktail recipe

Ruby Red Royale

| laurenandforeign

We just created a new cocktail that is delicious and refreshing, no matter the season. With fresh fruit to remind you of summer, and champagne and liqueurs that add a touch of class, you’ll be serving this drink all year round, from holiday gatherings to pool parties!

Ingredients:

Start by filling a glass about 1/3 to 1/2 full with blueberries and pomegranate seeds.

Add vodka, liqueur, and simple syrup to glass and stir.

Top with champagne or prosecco.

Garnish with piece of pomegranate and enjoy!

Aquavit Hot Toddy

| laurenandforeign

We’re already getting lots of snow in Wisconsin so we were inspired to create this drink to help us stay warm and cozy!

To make two toddies you’ll need:

  • 1/2 tsp cardamom pods
  • 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 3 anise stars (one for the syrup and one to garnish each drink)
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 4 oz aquavit (we used the Celebration Aquavit from 45th Parallel Distillery!)

Instructions:

  1. Begin by heating the apple cider on the stove. While it is warming up, we’ll make a spiced honey simple syrup.
  2. Heat cardamom, peppercorns, and star anise in a dry sauce pan over medium heat, stirring and crushing them against the pan until fragrant.
  3. After about 2 minutes, add water and sugar, and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar.
  4. Let cool.
  5. Stir in the honey and add to the heated cider.
  6. Once the mixture is heated thoroughly, remove from heat and stir in aquavit.
  7. Serve immediately in mugs, and garnish with star anise.

Enjoy!

Dirty Shirleys (Adult Shirley Temples)

| laurenandforeign

We just received our monthly Lolly Box from Lollies By Leah and we got some Shirley Temple lollipops that put us in the mood for some Dirty Shirleys.

For this recipe, we reached for our Azeo Distillery Vodka distilled from apples, Pratt Standard True Grenadine Syrup (which is made with natural, real ingredients, and way less sickly sweet than the typical stuff you might be familiar with!), and some Lime Waterloo Sparkling Water (less sweet and more crisp and refreshing than a 7UP or ginger ale). For garnish, we obviously had to go with the Shirley Temple lollies, but of course maraschino cherries are the classic way to go.

Here’s our recipe so you can kick back and end your Monday with a tasty Dirty Shirley too.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Azeo Vodka
  • 1 oz Pratt Standard True Grenadine Syrup
  • 4 oz Lime Waterloo Sparkling Water
  • Shirley Temple lollipops or maraschino cherries for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Fill a glass with ice.
  2. Pour vodka over ice and top with sparkling water.
  3. Drizzle grenadine over the top, or slowly pour it into the drink along the side of the glass so that it sinks to the bottom.
  4. Garnish with a Shirley Temple lollipop or 1-2 maraschino cherries.
  5. Enjoy!

Peaches & Honey Summer Spritz

| laurenandforeign

Peach season in Wisconsin usually ends sometime in September so we’re soaking up every ounce of it while we can. With that in mind, this week we are sharing a delicious peaches & honey cocktail!

This recipe is a variation of one developed by Spring44 Distilling and features their fantastic honey vodka. Here’s what you’ll need!

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz Spring44 Distilling Honey Vodka
  • 1 oz peach liqueur
  • lemon or grapefruit sparkling water (we used Klarbrunn’s Citrus Blend!)
  • sliced peaches
  • mint leaves

Directions:

  1. Muddle the honey vodka and peach liqueur with peaches and mint leaves.
  2. Shake with ice and strain into highball glass.
  3. Top with sparkling water.
  4. Garnish with sliced peaches and a sprig of mint.
  5. Enjoy!

Let us know your thoughts in the comments if you try it out! What is your favorite peach recipe for the summer?