Jupiter Drinks: Infusions

I'm probably too easy to impress. But, sometimes I look over a drink menu and the cocktail that stands out is the one that says something like "apple and cinnamon infused bourbon" or "blueberry infused vodka". Each and every time I'm hooked. It's like there's something in my head that says "oooooo, it's infyoooooosed," thus mandating my drink order.

It turns out that infusions aren't as fancy as they sound, and for the most part they're incredibly easy to do. A booze infusion is simply adding another element of flavor to a base alcohol by letting it steep in whatever flavor you are infusing, giving that flavor a more pronounced role in the party. Meaning, instead of just adding a bit of fruit juice, candy or spice to drink, the flavors marinate with the alcohol for anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

I started thinking about infusions recently when I realized blood oranges were in season. Blood oranges add great color to an infusion, have a flavor profile that goes well with a lot of drinks, and they seem to have that same "oooooo" factor that infusions have. So, I grabbed a few of those, bought some tequila and used some Four Roses Yellow Label I had on hand and infused them.

All that took was grabbing a couple of airtight containers, slicing up some blood oranges, grating in some zest and letting them sit in the containers for a few days. I just gave them a little swirl (just picking up the bottle and giving it a few spins) everyday, just to keep things milling around. After a few days, I strained the oranges and zest out and was left with a delicious blood orange infused tequila and bourbon. Now, what to do with them?

For the bourbon, I decided to do a play on the traditional negroni. A negroni is a classic cocktail consisting of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in equal parts (usually) and a hit of bitters. I figured the natural sweetness of the bourbon now infused with the citrus of the blood orange could easily replace the gin for an equally delicious drink. I also played with the proportions adding a little more bourbon and less Campari to let the bourbon shine through.

Blood Orange Infused Bourbon "Negroni":

35ml Blood Orange infused Four Roses Yellow Label

35ml sweet vermouth

25ml Campari

dash Angostura bitters

Just give all of that a good shake and pour over ice into a rocks glass.



Yum! And great color, too!

Now, for the tequila. I have to admit tequila confuses me, even before I open the bottle. Obviously, margaritas work, but other cocktails with tequila never quite seem to work out the way I want them to. So, I went a pretty traditional route with an on the rocks margarita. It may seem a little dainty when poured, but there's a good bit of booze in this, so a little dab will do you. Of course, depending on the day's requirements, a double could poured.

I was worried the addition of an orange liqueur and the sour mix might overwhelm the blood orange tequila, but it didn't. It seemed to draw the flavor out a little more, actually. Also, the color is pretty fantastic.

Blood Orange Margarita

1 oz Blood Orange infused silver tequila

1 oz orange liqueur

3/4 oz sour mix

1/2 oz fresh lime juice

Stir that together, then pour into a small rocks glass with ice.

Obviously, these are just two quick infusions that can be done with pretty minimal effort. One thing that's worth pointing out is that there is a tipping point with fruit infusions where the fruit will start to soak up so much of the alcohol the initial flavor and some of the alcohol content of the base will be lost. I usually strain out the fruit after no longer than two weeks.

Also, it often seems like a good idea to use the fruit in your infusion as a garnish for your drinks. But, give that a quick taste before serving it to guests. I've learned the hard way that the fruit can sometimes absorb so much of the alcohol that instead of boozy, tasty goodness, what's left is more like bits of tasteless, palette killing fire.

With spring just around the corner, loads more fresh fruits and herbs will be available and they're just waiting to give your first patio drinks a little boost. And, it's always satisfying as a host for your guests to get wide eyed and say "oooooo, it's infyoooosed!!".

Happy infusing! (And as always, drink and infuse responsibly. And leave the drinking for those over 21).

Jupiter Travels: Dylan's Candy Bar & Pop Rocks Martini

With the Academy Awards coming this Sunday, I started thinking about where I was last year when the annual gala was televised. It actually took me a few minutes to recall that I was in New York City. Having only been to New York City twice in my life, it seems that'd be the kind of thing I'd pretty quickly remember. But, true to my form, it wasn't the Oscars that I remembered, but what I was drinking. And that was something far more memorable.

I'd made a trip to New York with friends and part of our plan on Oscar Sunday was to pay a visit to Dylan's Candy Bar. Dylan's (owned by Ralph Lauren's daughter, who gives it her name) is a three floor candy emporium where every candy you've ever dreamed of is not only on display, but available for purchase. It's really a mulit-colored feast for all senses and is a "must visit" for any trip to New York.

Last year, what interested me most was the actual bar they'd just opened on the top floor serving all kinds of candy based cocktails. Gummi bear vodka? Yep. Strawberry Nerds mojito? Done. Sour Patch Kids margarita? Absolutely! Having found the perfect place to settle in and watch the ceremony, my friends and I grabbed a seat at a giant, circular table filled with gumballs and settled in to watch the red carpet.

With a quick thanks to mass transit, we got to work trying just about every drink on the menu (note it has grown a bit since we were there). Our overwhelming favorite drink was the Pop Rocks martini, a concoction featuring the infamous, explosive candy. Of course, it's syrupy sweet and that's part of the fun. It's a candy based cocktail, not something too high minded. It's also delicious and quite a show when it's served, with candy literally shooting out of the glass.

We didn't get any video of the bartender at Dylan's making it, but have a look at this video down below and my bestie and I will give you a demo of how to make them and how to get your Oscar party poppin'.

Jupiter Drinks: Big Blue Martini

Over the past year, Lexington has taken a decided turn towards beer. With the advent of The Beer Trappe, West Sixth and then a host of other breweries and beer-centric spots that are open or will be opening, it seems my hometown has devoted its collective attention towards the art of craft beer. For several reasons, these new businesses are a great thing for tourism, our local and state economy and as badges of honor for Lexington to show we support homegrown businesses.

However, the craft beer craze seems to have taken away from what I really prefer: the cocktail. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t turn my nose up at beer. As a lover of all potent potables, I’ve tasted the wares of our new craft breweries and can tell you that they are doing an excellent job. But, when on a Friday night, my friends are looking to go out, I don’t want a beer. I want a cocktail.

So, let this serve as the first in a series of posts that will be devoted to drinking my way across Lexington and finding where the really good cocktails are hiding. I know they’re out there.

Craft beer aside, Lexington’s first and true love is the Cats. So, it seems reasonable that one of the best cocktails in town is the Big Blue Martini at the bar that shares its name (though it adds an additional “g” to big). I’ll grant that it’s a hotel bar and not necessarily local, but you can’t beat it for people watching or for consistency. If there’s a convention in town or something going on at Rupp, grab a table at Bigg Blue and watch the chaos unfold. When weather allows, an outdoor table along Broadway is a must with its steady stream of street and sidewalk traffic that never disappoints.

The drink itself may not be exactly Wildcat Blue, but it’s a refreshing, citrus-y delight that’s colored blue from blue curacao (which is just triple sec that’s been colored).