A Special DIY Treat: Two New Seed-to-Sip Summer Cocktails from our Farmstead
I made these two cocktails - a Caprese Gimlet & Agua de Verano (Summer Water) - for an upcoming feature in Hamptons Real Estate Showcase Magazine.
Your mouth deserves these luxe vibes, too.
Hamptons Real Estate Showcase is the foremost luxury home & lifestyle magazine celebrating the iconic Hamptons. Despite being raised dirt-floor poor and having never enjoyed a luxe moment in the Hamptons, I do have a well-heeled secret: about 12 years ago, when I was bartending alongside Southern legends at The Collins Bar, I was featured in GQ Magazine as one of the “World’s Most Imaginative Bartenders”, a distinction made by legendary gin distiller Bombay Sapphire. You can see me in this centerfold spread down in front, picking lavender during my long-hair-and-bangs era.
So, naturally, I was thrilled to dust off my cocktail invention skills, snip some fresh herbs and produce from the farmstead garden, and whip up two seed-to-sip cocktails when lifestyle writer Annie Sisk tapped me for an upcoming feature in Hamptons Real Estate Showcase. Earlier this year, I connected with Annie for a feature about potager garden design for homeowners with private chefs. I adore working with Annie for all things food and beverage-related so when this opportunity came up, I brought out my trusty shaker and got to work.
The result? Two distinctive summer cocktails that will bring a little luxe je ne sais quoi to anything from a garden party to solo-sipping while you pinch tomato suckers.
Enjoy, my thirsty friends!
Some pro tips, before you start
Muddling your garden ingredients with the sweetening element in your cocktail is the way to go. If your sweetener is thick, like honey or maple syrup, add the acid (lemon/lime juice) to the shaker prior to muddling - it helps blend the sweetener evenly into the rest of the cocktail, saving you the trouble of pre-making a 1:1 simple syrup and giving more flavor per ounce.
When designing your own seed-to-sip cocktails, don’t forget that some garden ingredients bring their own acid or sweetness to your recipe - adjust sweeteners or lemon/lime juice accordingly.
Presentation is key! Even when crafting cocktails just for yourself, a beautiful glass helps elevate the experience. Make sure cocktails fill at least ¾ - and preferably more - of whatever glass you choose so surface garnishes get their moment in the spotlight.
Cocktail 1: Caprese Gimlet
Special Ingredient Notes ( Read Before Mixing ! )
1. IMHO, using Barr Hill gin is essential - not optional. Its flavor profile - juniper-forward with notes of pine sap, honeycomb, wildflowers, and subtle herbal/pepper notes on the close - is a make-or-break element of this beverage.
2. Use the best balsamics you can afford. I used Vecchia Dispensa's Sweet 16 Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar and Sante Bertoni Agro Dolche White Balsamic Vinegar from the mail-order arm of Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, MI. These are little luxuries that I use very sparingly - like, for guests & special occasions only - because they're worth it. Invest in the best versions of balsamic vinegar and agro dolce that you can afford since the flavor and density will be better…but don't fret if that means store-brand picks.
3. Be quick with the balsamic. Once you drop the dark balsamic vinegar into the EVOO garnish, you have about 30-60 seconds before it disperses into the glass - best to add them absolutely last, and make a show of adding the drops in front of guests you want to impress!
The Story
The fragrant joy of fresh summer caprese appetizers on a sunlit terrace - now in cocktail form.
The Equipment
Cocktail shaker, jigger, muddler, knife, citrus juicer, coupe/stemless cocktail class (or similar), dropper
The Ingredients
2 cherry tomatoes + 1 for garnish
3-4 large basil leaves + 1 small basil leaf for garnish
¾ oz simple syrup
½ oz lemon juice
1.5 oz Barr Hill gin
¼ oz agro dolce (white balsamic vinegar)
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), for garnish
Balsamic vinegar, for garnish
Preparation
In a shaker, muddle 2 cherry tomatoes and the large basil leaves with the simple syrup and lemon juice.
Add the gin and agro dolce. Add ice, and shake hard until the shaker is frosty.
Double-strain (through both a Hawthorn strainer & fine mesh strainer) into a stemless cocktail glass or coupe.
Slice halfway through the last cherry tomato and seat it on the rim of the glass. Using a toothpick, poke a small hole in the top of the tomato and insert the stem of the small basil leaf.
Using a dropper, dot the surface of the cocktail with double-drops of EVOO.
Then, using the dropper, carefully dot the EVOO with single drops of balsamic vinegar.
Serve quickly for optimal aesthetics!
Cocktail 2: Agua de Verano (Summer Water)
The Story
This cocktail was inspired by a sublime summer experience: taking a dip in an ice-cold stock tank pool while sipping a fresh margarita at El Cosmico Marfa, just after crossing 500 miles of sun-soaked desert by motorcycle. On a hot day, it might give you the same feeling. For less potency and extra refreshment, you can increase the amount of soda water up to 2x.
The Equipment
Cocktail shaker, jigger, muddler, bar spoon (or fork), knife, citrus juicer, Collins glass (or similar)
The Ingredients
½ oz honey
¾ oz lime juice
1.5 oz white rum
1.5 oz blanco tequila
2-3 oz soda water
5 slices mini cucumber
Small handful fresh cilantro, plus 1 tall sprig for garnish
The Preparation
In a shaker, muddle 4 slices of the mini cucumber and the small handful of cilantro with the honey and lime juice.
Add the tequila & rum.
Add ice, and shake hard until the shaker is frosty.
Double-strain (through both a Hawthorn strainer & fine mesh strainer) into a Collins glass or stemless champagne flute half-filled with ice.
Top with soda water.
Gently stir by repeatedly lifting and dropping the ice with a bar spoon (or fork).
Garnish with a slice of mini cucumber and a tall spring of cilantro. Serve.
If you make these cocktails for yourself, I hope you’ll snap a photo, share it + tag me and link this article! Happy sipping, friends!
