COCKTAIL SPOTLIGHT — THE GILDED BELLINI

THE GILDED BELLINI

A BRUNCH, LIFESTYLE & ENTERTAINING DESTINATION WITH ON-AIR CORRESPONDENT BRIELLE GALEKOVIC

A Los Angeles-based brunch and cocktail blog by Brielle Galekovic.

Filtering by Tag: Tequila

Happy National Margarita Day | Tantalizing Margarita Recipes

Aye aye aye! National Margarita Day is here, February 22nd! As a total tequila-loving gal, this is one of my favorite days of the year. There are so many different ways to put a spin on the traditional margarita. Sweet, sour or spicy, I love them all and the possibilities are truly endless. 

For this very special holiday, Patrón Tequila, Casamigos Tequila by George Clooney and Rande Gerber, El Jimador, and Gilt City all have created festive, tantalizing margarita recipes, all unique and leave you craving more. Here are some of my favorites! Which one do you want to try?!

English Garden Margarita

Created by Sophie Brett of London, England

English Garden Margarita Patrón Tequila

Ingredients:

1.5 oz / 50 ml Patrón Silver
.5 oz / 15 ml Patrón Citrónge Orange

.75 oz / 20 ml Fresh lemon juice

.5 oz / 15 ml Apricot liqueur
.5 oz / 15 ml Earl Grey tea syrup*
+ 3 Drops orange flower water
+ 2 Sugar snap peas, one for garnish
+ 2 Sprigs mint, one for garnish
+ Pumpkin oil and smoked salt rim

*Earl Grey tea syrup:

Combine simple syrup with hot water and 5 tea bags.

Directions:

1. In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle 1 sugar snap pea and 1 mint sprig with Earl Grey tea syrup.*

2. Add liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker, along with 1 cracked sugar snap pea and 1 sprig of mint.

3. Fill cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously.

4. Use a fine strainer to strain into glass rimmed with pumpkin oil and smoked salt.

4. Garnish with mint sprig and sugar snap pea.

 

GILT City of Angels Margarita

GILT City of Angels Margarita

Gilt City has teamed up with LA's Greenbar Distillery to create an exclusive margarita recipe.

Known for its organic, hand-crafted spirits, Greenbar Distillery and Gilt City developed the Gilt City of Angels margarita, a floral and fruity concoction made with organic ingredients developed by the distillery.

You can also enjoy the cocktail during a one-day National Margarita Day Class on 2/22, where they will dive deep into everything margarita, from common tequila terms to tidbits every marg-lover should know. After a demo, they’ll shake up two of their own cocktails and receive a cocktail kit to take home! 

This National Margarita Day Class is available exclusively on GiltCity.com for only 

$40 (an $80 value), here: https://www.gilt.com/city/los-angeles/offer/greenbardistilerylafeb17

Gilt City is also offering additional cocktail classes and private tours at the distillery.

Ingredients:

1.25-oz. IXA silver tequila

0.5-oz. FRUITLAB orange liqueur

0.25-oz. FRUITLAB hibiscus liqueur

1-oz. simple syrup

1-oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice

4 dashes of BAR KEEP lavender bitters

 

Directions:

1. Rim a glass with lavender-infused salt; add ice.

2. Combine ingredients with ice in shaker and shake.

3. Strain over ice and enjoy.

 

Spicy Cucumber Margarita

Spicy Cucumber Margarita Casamigos Tequila

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Casamigos Blanco Tequila

1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice  

.25 oz. Fresh Orange Juice

.5 oz. Agave Nectar

.5 oz. Orange Liqueur

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients to iced mixing glass. Shake vigorously for 10 count. Pour all contents into a rocks glass with or without salted rim. Garnish with a lime.  

 

Black Raspberry Margarita

Black Raspberry Margarita

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz el Jimador Tequila

½ oz Triple Sec

3 oz Sour Mix

½ oz Chambord Liquor

Directions:


In a shaker filled with ice, add ingredients and shake to mix. Pour into margarita glass rimmed with salt (optional). Garnish with a lime or blackberry.

 

Tiki Rita

Created by Mindy Kucan of Portland, Oregon

TikiRita with Patrón Tequila

Ingredients:

2 oz Patrón Reposado
.5 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange
.5 oz Fresh lime juice
.5 oz Fresh grapefruit juice
.25 oz Vanilla syrup
+ Splash Allspice dram

+ Grated nutmeg for garnish
+ Lime wheel and cloves for garnish
+ Hawaiian sea salt rim

 

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. 
2. Strain onto fresh ice in a Tiki glass that has been rimmed with Hawaiian sea salt. 
3. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg and a lime wheel pierced with three cloves and grated nutmeg.

Tis the Season for Boozy Holiday Cocktails

It's the most wonderful time of the year in the cocktail world. Why? Because all cocktails get a little frostier, a little more festive, and a whole lot boozier. It's the holidays, and as we get older a lot of times the magic of the season seems to disappear. With holiday cocktails, that magical feeling is reignited within us. The flavors of the season may be a little more naughty than usual, but the tippling spirits will make you feel soHo-Ho-Ho nice.

Here are my favorite recipes to get you into the Christmas spirit. 

Candy Cane Cava-Tail

Candy Cane Cava-Tail with Freixnet

Fill 1/3 of a flute with White Crème de Cocoa and the rest with chilled Sweet Cuvée Cava. Garnish with a whole candy cane.

Salt & Char Yule Nog

Yule Nog from Salt & Char

Created by Emily McKenna of Salt & Char in Saratoga Springs, NY

Salt & Char Yule Nog
Yields 12 glasses

Ingredients:

6 eggs, separated 

1 cup milk 

1 cup cream 

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons white sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Pinch cinnamon 

Pinch kosher salt

6 oz cognac 

1 oz jagertee

Orange and nutmeg to garnish 

Directions:

Mix egg yolks and brown sugar. Slowly add in milk and cream. Add vanilla, salt, white sugar, cinnamon, cognac and jagertee. Whip egg whites then fold into liquid mixture. Serve in chilled glass. Top with orange zest and nutmeg.

Fireside Delight

Fireside Delight on The Gilded Bellini

Created by Enzo Cangemi

Ingredients:

1 oz Campari

1 oz Frangelico

1 oz Espolon Tequila Reposado

2 dashes Chocolate Bitters

Directions: 

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Belvedere Toddy

Belvedere Toddy

Ingredients:

1 oz. Belvedere Vodka

1.5 oz. Hot Water

1 oz. Lillet Blanc

.5 oz Lemon

.5 oz Honey Stick

1 Cinnamon Stick

Fresh Grated Nutmeg

Orange Wedge

Cloves

Directions:

Add hot water to heat glass mug, then honey to melt. Add remaining liquid to ingredients. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and orange wedge and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Option to pierce orange wedges with 3 cloves.

 

Cava Wonderland

Cava Wonderland with Freixnet

Prepare rims by combining 1/4 c coconut flakes, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and one scraped vanilla bean. Coat the rim of a glass with lemon juice to make the sugar mixture stick. Pour 2 oz coconut juice blend or coconut puréed nectar into bottom of glass. Fill with Extra Dry Cava and stir to mix.

La Navidad

La Navidad with Santera Reposado

Created by Karl Bernholtz, Bluebird (NYC)

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Santera Reposado

0.25 oz. Dark Rum

1/3 oz. Walnut Liqueur

1 oz. Blood Orange/Star Anise/Vanilla Cordial

0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 barspoon Allspice

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until cold. Strain into a coupe and garnish with grated nutmeg

(Optional) Garnish with fresh stick of pine or blood orange wheel

Cordial Recipe:

16 oz. White Sugar

2 oz. Brown Sugar

16 oz. Orange Juice

1 Blood Orange, peeled and diced

1 Lemon, peeled and chopped

0.5 or 0.75 oz. Star Anise, toasted

Half cap of Vanilla Extract

Tommy Bahama Eggnog Coconut Martini

Tommy Bahama Eggnog Coconut Martini

Ingredients:

1 part Jim Beam®

1 part Cruzan® Coconut Rum

2 ½ parts coconut eggnog (recipe below)

Shake all ingredients well with ice, strain into a martini glass and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Ingredients:

Coconut eggnog:

5 egg yolks

¾ cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups coconut milk

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

½  tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Whisk egg yolks with sugar until creamy and the sugar begins to dissolve.  Add cream and coconut milk. Stir in vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Chill well.

A Rosso December

A Rosso December on The Gilded Bellini

Created by Fabio Raffaello

Ingredients:

 2 oz Campari

  1/2 oz Mezcal

1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

  1/4 oz Simple Syrup

 4 oz San Pellegrino Aranciata Amara

Float of Cynar

Directions:

Shake all the ingredients except the San Pellegrino, and strain over fresh ice into a collins glass. Add the San Pellegrino and a float of Cynar. Garnish with a sprig of mint and an orange slice.