This post is also available as an article in the 5/30/2012 Williamsport Sun Gazette.
Last year, during our annual 4th of July barbecue with friends Laura and
Geoff, I played bartender for our taste test of potential signature
cocktails for their
wedding. I believe I insisted on mojitos as a
contender, which everyone liked, but just didn't fit. There was also the
Vodka Lola, a fruity little number spiked with elderflower liqueur.
Tasty, but we agreed it was potentially offensive to the masculine
dignity of some guests. After several misfires and false starts, magic
happened: the ginger peach peppermint julep.
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| Can you see the appeal? |
This take on a classic Southern mint julep is perfect for sipping on
shady porches during lazy summer afternoons - the kind ringing with the
drone of
honeybees and perfumed with the smell of freshly cut grass in the air.
As the
temperature begins to climb, ginger peach peppermint juleps are a great
way to beat the heat. Be careful, though, these also pack a subtle,
but surprising, punch. You may not taste it, but there's a fair amount
of booze in here.
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| Just peachy |
Sweetened with a hit of peach schnapps and studded with slices of fresh,
juicy peaches, familiar base notes of peppermint leaves and a judicious
amount of glowing, caramel bourbon take on new life. The ice and
peppermint help cool things down and the addition of ginger ale adds
crisp flavor and refreshing effervescence. The end result is fresh,
fruity, and sweet, but balanced enough to accommodate even the manliest
of men.
The great thing about cocktails is they're usually quick and easy to
make, while also being infinitely expandable. This recipe easily sizes
up to lubricate a crowd. If I were planning ahead, I'd marinate the
peaches and mint in the booze overnight, to really infuse the flavor.
There's also a subtle alchemy to tweaking ingredients and measurements,
disaster may result, but feel free to experiment.
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| Drink me |
Ginger peach peppermint juleps
Adapted from Dirty Gourmet
James Bond may prefer "shaken, not stirred" but since you're already
muddling peaches and peppermint to begin with, stir merrily away.
1/2 fresh ripe peach, sliced
10-14 fresh peppermint leaves
2 oz bourbon whiskey
1 oz peach schnapps
8 oz ginger ale (to fill, depending on your glass, you may have extra)
Ice
Toss the peaches and peppermint into a tall, chilled glass.
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| "Preferably with the morning dew still upon them" |
Pour in the bourbon and schnapps, then muddle together, bruising the
mint and pressing some juice from the peaches. As mentioned above, you
can also prepare this ahead.
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| Be prepared |
Fill the glass with ice, then top off with ginger ale. Stir.
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| Another reason to avoid shaking |
Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.
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| Cheers! |
2 comments:
Looks and tastes fabulous!
Thanks! I am, of course, an immense fan of these. A fancier ginger ale could probably make them even better.
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