"El Niño"

The mulled wine syrup in this margarita has the perfect amount of spice for the winter season.

 

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1092142/Recipe-Mulled-wine-cocktail-Christmas-spirit.html

Ingredients:

-        1 ½oz Hornitos Plata Tequila

-        ½oz Cointreau

-        ½oz Mulled Wine Syrup (see below)

-        ½oz Lemon

-        ½oz Lime Juice

-        Garnish: Salt & an Orange Peel

Mulled Wine Syrup:

-        1 Bottle of Red Wine

-        1 Cup Sugar

-        3-4 Orange Slices

-        1 Tablespoon Nutmeg

-        2 Cinnamon Sticks

-        2 Star Anise

-        1 Tablespoon Cloves

Directions:  Combine all of the ingredients for your mulled wine syrup in a medium sized pot and bring the ingredients to a boil.  Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the 30 minutes is up, transfer to a covered container and place it in the fridge for a few hours until cool or overnight – whichever is preferred.  To make your margarita, you’re going to want to take a chilled martini glass and rim the outside with salt (if salt is your thing).  Then, scoop a large heaping of ice into your shaker and add in your Hornitos, Cointreau, Mulled Wine Syrup, lemon juice and lime juice to the shaker and shake.  Strain the cocktail into your martini glass and garnish with an orange peel.

“O Tannenbaum”

There is nothing more “Maine” than pine trees so we decided to add some to this cocktail.

 Ingredients:

-        1oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon

-        1oz Pine Needle Syrup (see below)

-        ¼oz Sweet Vermouth

-        2 dashes Angostura Bitters

-        Garnish: Pine Twig

Pine Needle Syrup:

-        1 Cup Pine Needles (Spruce or Douglas Fir work the best)

-        ½ Cup Sugar

-        2 Cups Water

Directions: First, remove the pine needles off of their branches until you get about 1 cup of pine needles (try not to use ones that are too dry).  Then, place your pine needles into a food processor and add in a half cup of water.  Lightly process the needles until the mixture turns green and your needles are chopped.  Transfer this mixture to a small pot and add in the remaining water and ½ cup of sugar.  Place the pot over medium heat and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.  Hint – if you would like to add in more fragrance to your syrup while it cools, put one or two extra twigs into your pine syrup container and cover it.  To make your cocktail, you’re going to put aside one chilled martini glass and grab your shaker.  Scoop in a generous amount of ice and then add in the Maker’s Mark, Pine Syrup, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters.  Use your bar spoon to stir the cocktail for fifteen seconds and then strain the cocktail into your martini glass.  Garnish with a pine needle twig.

“Winter Wonderland”

Let’s just say that if Elsa from Frozen was old enough to drink, this would totally be her cocktail.

-        1oz Hendrick’s Gin

-        1oz Cranberry & Rosemary Syrup (see below)

-        ½oz Dry Vermouth

-        ½oz Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice

-        Garnish: Rosemary/Cranberry Twig (1 Sprig Rosemary, 3 Whole Cranberries)

Cranberry & Rosemary Syrup:

-        1 Cup (fresh, not dried) Cranberries

-        6 Rosemary Sprigs (fresh)

-        ½ Cup Sugar

-        2 Cups Water

Directions: Combine your cranberries, 6 of the 7 twigs of rosemary, sugar and water into a small pot and place over medium heat.  Once they are cooked enough, the cranberries will start to pop (usually after 5 minutes or so).  Cook the mixture for 30 minutes, occasionally stirring.  Again, let this syrup sit for a few hours after it’s finished to cool down or cool it down in the fridge overnight.  When your syrup is ready, go ahead and grab a chilled martini glass.  In a shaker with ice, pour in your Hendrick’s, Cranberry & Rosemary Syrup, Dry Vermouth, and grapefruit juice.  Shake vigorously and then strain into your martini glass.  For the garnish, take your leftover rosemary sprig and pick off the last bit of the needles off of one end.  Take 3 whole cranberries and stick them onto the end of the twig and then place it across your martini glass as your garnish.

There you have it, our three cocktail ideas for Sunday River’s Chef Summit!

Which one is your favorite?

Written By: Krysten Reilly - Food & Beverage Manager