Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook - Bobby Flay [4]
Serves 1
Ice cubes
1½ ounces Eagle Rare or other good-quality bourbon
1 ounce Cinnamon Syrup
2 big dashes of Angostura bitters
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 cinnamon stick
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add the bourbon, cinnamon syrup, bitters, and lime juice. Garnish with the cinnamon stick.
SIMPLE SYRUP
Simple syrup, or sugar syrup, is very easy to make and is used to sweeten many cocktails as well as iced tea, iced coffee, and even sorbets. The standard ratio is equal parts sugar and water. These recipes can be halved, doubled, or tripled and stored in the refrigerator in a well-sealed container for up to 1 month.
Makes 1 cup (8 ounces)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and cook until the sugar is completely melted, a minute or so. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
VARIATIONS
CINNAMON SYRUP
Bring the sugar, water, and 4 cinnamon sticks to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and cook until the sugar is completely melted, a minute or so. Remove from the heat. Strain, transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
MINT SYRUP
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and cook until the sugar is completely melted, a minute or so. Remove from the heat. Add 20 fresh mint leaves and let steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain, transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
Barbecue Cocktail
BARBECUE COCKTAIL
Given my love of grilling and barbecue, this drink was inevitable. Smoky paprika, savory tomato juice, and vodka with a spicy kick meet dry vermouth and tangy lime juice in this cocktail that’s perfect with burgers, steaks, fish tacos, and, well, almost anything barbecued.
Serves 1
Ice cubes
2 ounces jalapeño vodka
¼ ounce dry vermouth
1 ounce tomato juice
½ ounce fresh lime juice, plus ¼ teaspoon for rimming the glass
Pinch of kosher salt, plus ¼ teaspoon for rimming the glass
Pinch of smoked sweet Spanish paprika, plus ¼ teaspoon for rimming the glass
¼ teaspoon sugar, for rimming the glass
Lime twist, for garnish
1. Fill a mixing glass with ice and add the vodka, vermouth, tomato juice, lime juice, salt, and paprika. Stir vigorously until the outside of the glass is beaded with sweat and frosty.
2. Combine the ¼ teaspoon salt, the ¼ teaspoon paprika, and the sugar on a small plate. Wet the rim of a chilled martini glass with the ¼ teaspoon lime juice and dip the rim in the salt mixture. Tap off any excess.
3. Strain the drink into the chilled martini glass and garnish with the lime twist.
B AND TEA
When I am in Kentucky, there are two things that I drink a lot of: sweet tea and bourbon. So, when we were creating our cocktail menu for brunch, it only made sense that I would pair my two favorite southern specialties in one glass.
Serves 1
1½ ounces Jim Beam Black or other good-quality bourbon
1½ ounces strong brewed City Harvest Black or other good-quality black tea, chilled
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
½ ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces Mint Syrup
Orange twist, for garnish
Ice cubes
Fresh mint sprig, for garnish
1. Combine the bourbon, tea, lemon juice, lime juice, and mint syrup in a cocktail shaker and shake for 5 seconds.
2. Rub the orange twist around the inside of a highball glass and then fill the glass with ice. Pour the drink over the ice and garnish with the orange twist and mint sprig.
SANGRITA
Sangrita is actually a spicy cocktail mixer meant to be sipped alternately with shots of tequila. However, it can also make a perfect nonalcoholic option to serve at brunch or as an aperitif. Fresh citrus juice adds a bright note, while the guajillo chile and smoked paprika add earthiness