“Work hard, play hard” – the phrase so many of us in New Orleans have lived by for years. COVID-19 has made the mantra a bit harder. Now, finding a place that offers drink specials and happy hours is few and far between. For others, staying at home is easier – kids are at home more and it’s not uncommon for folks to find themselves working from home. So, in this edition of “Drink Up, Nola,” we bring the bar to you and offer a few great cocktails you can make from the comfort of your own home.
This time of year signals a shift in our drinking palate, as it is officially the fall season. Summer may be over, but the weather is playing tricks on us. If you’re anything like my group of friends you’re looking to drink something cool, refreshing and fruity, but not too sweet.
So we recommend inviting friends over, safely of course, and whipping a large batch of what we call, “Fall Into Pimm’s.”
Fall Into Pimm’s
- 9 oz gin
- 2 oz dry sherry
- 3 oz st Germaine elderflower liqueur 6 oz pineapple juice
- 5 oz fresh lemon juice
- 4 sugar cubes
- 1 cup assorted berries
Stir in first six ingredients into a pitcher or large bowl. Stir everything together very well to dissolve sugar. Pour mixture over ice and garnish with cucumbers and berries.
Recently, more and more folks have been growing their own gardens. COVID made us do it, right? So why not take advantage of our overflowing herbs, fruit and berries? Everything, even our garden picks, are better with booze. We think a good gathering would love a Tom Collins infused with basil, from the garden of course.
Tom Collins Twisted
- 1 oz honey syrup
- 1.5 oz gin
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice Basil
- Club soda
Combine basil, honey syrup, gin and lemon juice in a shaker with ice and give it a good shake. Fill a glass with ice and pour the basil gin drink into the glass. Top it off with club sods and give it a gentle stir.
Y’all, these options are so delicious. I really hope you try them. If you have a favorite cocktail for us to try at home, let us know so we can share it with cocktail lovers everywhere.
Enjoy responsibly.
