May 2020 |

Sea Monster Cocktail | A Spiced Rum Drink with 4-Ingredients

by corrie.pennington / May 19, 2020

The Sea Monster cocktail is a refreshing sip with spiced rum, ginger beer, grapefruit juice, and grenadine. This 4 ingredient cocktail is perfect for beginners and those looking to make cocktails at home.

The Sea Monster was one of the first cocktails I ever made. It was in 2014 and my husband and I had just relocated to Reno for his job. I had recently started getting into making cocktails and spent a lot of extra time scrolling Pinterest and pinning any and every cocktail recipe I found. (Speaking of Pinterest, here’s a shameless plug for mine.)

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!

The first time I ever had a Sea Monster cocktail was with my cocktail/plant bestie (you might remember me talking about her in this post). We frequently got together to make cocktails and I’m pretty sure this was one of the first ones we tried. In fact, here are some Instagram photos from back in the day:

Aren’t those glasses gorgeous? They belong to my friend and they’re my favorite ever. I have glass envy. Is that a thing?

Once I accidentally called this drink a “Sea Monkey” and we’ve joked about it ever since. In fact, I still think of it as a Sea Monkey and have to remind myself that that’s not the real name of this drink. Or is it?… No, no it’s definitely a Sea Monster. But I do love Sea Monkies. I’ve bought a couple kits in my lifetime and wouldn’t mind having them again. I mean, teeny tiny freeze-dried shrimpies that come to life by adding water and require little-to-no care? Sign me up.

We made this drink several times together back then and on the rare occasion that I have grapefruit juice around, I’ll make one. It’s a fun nod back to my early cocktail-making days.

Looking for an easy 4 ingredient cocktail? The Sea Monster is a bright, spicy drink that anyone can make at home.

While we’re on the subject of grenadine, I’ll give a shout out to the one seen in the pictures. In the past, I had Rose’s grenadine. It’s alright if it’s what you can find, but I’m officially here for the Barsmith grenadine. Unlike Rose’s, it’s not too sweet and it actually tastes like pomegranate. It’s also colored with vegetable juice (yay for no red dye!), non-GMO, and has no high fructose corn syrup. If you ain’t about to make your own, this stuff is a superb option.

I would love to give credit to the original creator of the Sea Monster cocktail, but I can’t. I went back to the Pin that I saved all those years ago and that person said they got it from the “cute lil lady over at Sweet Toothed” but alas, Sweet Toothed.com no longer exists.

If you’re a fan of a Dark & Stormy, then you’ll probably love this Sea Monster cocktail. The base is spiced rum (Kraken is my favorite), then ginger beer, grapefruit juice, and grenadine. The ginger brings a spicy kick and the grapefruit and grenadine combo make it fruity without being too sweet.

Sea Monster Cocktail | Keeping canned grapefruit juice and ginger beer on hand means you can make one of these delicious drinks whenever the urge strikes.

If you’ve been around Girl & Tonic for a while, you know I always tell everyone to use fresh citrus juice. Bottled lemon juice and lime juice taste worlds different than their fresh counterparts. But I make an exception for grapefruit juice. Fresh is still definitely better, but I really don’t mind going pre-squeezed. I like buying these little grapefruit juice cans because I never go through a giganto bottle before it goes bad.

As always, let me know if you try this cocktail by tagging me on Instagram @girlandtonic_ and using the hashtag #girlandtonic.

Cheers to another easy 4-ingredient cocktail!

Ingredients for a Sea Monster Cocktail

1 1/2 oz spiced rum
2 oz grapefruit
2+ oz ginger beer
1/4 – 1/2 oz grenadine

How to Make a Sea Monster Cocktail

Pour the rum, grapefruit juice, and grenadine into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top off with the ginger beer. Stir to incorporate.

Sea Monster

A refreshing spiced rum, ginger beer, and grapefruit cocktail.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 min

Course Drinks

Servings 1

Ingredients

1 ½ oz spiced rum
2 oz grapefruit juice
2+ oz ginger beer
¼ – ½ oz grenadine

Instructions

Pour the rum, grapefruit juice, and grenadine into a lowball glass filled with ice.
Fill the rest of the glass with ginger beer.
Stir to incorporate.

Keyword Sea Monster, Sea Monster Cocktail

gin

South Side Cocktail| A Sophisticated Mint Cocktail with 4 Ingredients

by corrie.pennington / May 15, 2020

The South Side cocktail is a perfect summer cocktail. This mint cocktail is bright and refreshing and has been around since the Prohibition. Only 4 ingredients stand between you and minty lemony bliss.

I was so excited to stumble upon the recipe for the South Side cocktail. I saw it in a post about Prohibition-era cocktails and knew I needed to make it–tonight. I’ve been craving mint lately. Partly because it’s getting *rather* warm out here in Texas, and partly because I really want to use the mint I’ve got growing on my front porch.

I can’t tell you how many mint plants I’ve bought over the last 10 years. And I’ve killed them all in a matter of weeks. But this one… this one is thriving and I’m admittedly very proud. I love plants (you can take a peek at some of my plant collection in this post) but I’ve always struggled with herbs. As of today, my mint and basil are going nuts and I’ve got some chives, rosemary, and thyme sprouting. I’ve got my eye on this cute outdoor shelf to display all my herb pretties. It’ll be my motivation to keep everything happy & healthy.

In the past when I’ve bought herb plants, I was ironically hesitant to actually use them. I thought that if I kept cutting the stems and leaves off, they would stop growing. So I used them sparingly. The plants would either then die or “bolt”. When herbs bolt, it means they are directing all their energy towards producing flowers instead of leaves or healthier roots. These flowers will produce seeds so the plant has the hope of carrying on their little heritage. Bolting is like a plant’s Hail Mary. “Looks like everything’s gone to sh*t; here’s the last call in the playbook!”

When an herb bolts, it alters the taste. One way to keep your herbs from bolting is to harvest them frequently. Yeah… remember I said I used my herbs sparingly? Don’t be like me. If you harvest the leaves on the top of your herb plant, it actually encourages your plant to grow more. If you cut off (or pinch… who’s got time for scissors) the top few leaves, it encourages the plant to grow out horizontally and get bushier instead of growing upwards and turning spindly.

If you’re wanting to know more about this process and the science behind it, this post by Amanda of Herbs at Home goes into a lot more detail. Moral of the story: don’t let your herbs bolt.

So, now you can see why I’m eager to utilize mint in cocktails these days. On to the drink that’s going to help me regularly harvest my mint…

The South Side cocktail is 4 ingredient classic cocktail that's been around since the Prohibition era. The best Prairie gin is a perfect choice for this mint cocktail.

The South Side is crisp, refreshing, and clean. I love a good Mojito (who doesn’t?) and that’s been my go-to for years when I was craving something minty, but this cocktail has a very different feel. Serving it up in a coupe glass without bubbles adds a layer of sophistication.

The South Side is definitely vying for the number one spot as my favorite mint cocktail. Picking a winner’s gonna be hard. I’ve been crushing on The Campari To-Kill-Ya that I posted earlier this week, but this one’s really good, too. The two have totally different vibes though, so maybe I need to create subcategories in this Best Mint Cocktail Competition: Most Unique Mint Cocktail & Most Sophisticated Mint Cocktail. Mmk yeah, I like.

So, here is the winner for the Most Sophisticated Mint Cocktail: the South Side cocktail.

Ingredients for a South Side Cocktail

2 oz gin (I used Prairie, an organic gin)
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup (get the recipe here)
5-7 mint leaves

How to Make a South Side Cocktail

Gently muddle the mint leaves with the lemon juice in a shaker. You don’t need to obliterate the mint (that can actually make the mint taste bitter). Just bruise the leaves enough so they release their oils. Add the gin, simple syrup, and a generous amount of ice. Shake well, about 30 solid seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with mint and a lemon twist.

Interested in making another mint cocktail? Check out the Campari To-Kill-Ya. Want to sip on another gin drink? Check out the classic Gimlet.

tequila

Campari To-Kill-Ya | A Campari & Tequila Cocktail

by corrie.pennington / May 11, 2020

Campari To-Kill-Ya Cocktail | A Campari and Tequila Cocktail perfect for summer. | Bright, refreshing, and not too sweet.

I am so stoked to share this Campari To-Kill-Ya cocktail recipe today. If you’ve been following me for the last month or so, you’re aware of my mission to make myself love Campari. My feelings have gone from despise –> tolerate –> like –> really enjoy –> love. It’s been an experiment to see if one can acquire an acquired taste. I’m happy to report that you can.

In case you don’t know what Campari is, it’s a super bitter/funky red liqueur. Drinks with Campari usually take on its signature red hue, making them look deceptively sweet. But that’s typically far from the truth. I think this one of the reasons I wanted to like this liqueur. I’m usually not a fan of sweet cocktails so I was intrigued by this alcohol that seemed to be the antithesis of all things sweet & fruity.

Campari To-Kill-Ya Cocktail | A Campari and Tequila Cocktail perfect for summer. | Bright, refreshing, and not too sweet. | Summer cocktails

Trying Campari in a variety of cocktails is what helped me start to notice and appreciate its nuances. It’s been fun to see how it plays with other flavors, like pineapple juice, mint, & lime, and other liquors like gin, rum, and tequila.

The first Campari cocktail I made was a Negroni because it is THE classic Campari cocktail. I really didn’t like it. Then I made a Boulevardier and tolerated it. Not long after, I saw the recipe for a Gin Campari Sour and I really liked it. The simple syrup and egg white really helped smooth over the rough edges of the gin, Campari, & lemon juice. It was fun. Next, I made a [few] Americanos and truly enjoyed them. The cocktail that made me LOVE Campari??? Well, that recipe’s coming soon. Maybe this week, maybe next. It’s a little more complicated and I need to restock one of the ingredients but WOOF.

Now that I love Campari, I’m on a new mission: try as many Campari recipes at I can. I remembered I had saved a Campari and tequila cocktail on my Instagram a while back. Armed with my newly-enlightened tastebuds, I was ready to try this drink. I would NOT have thought that Campari and tequila could go together, but Julianna McIntosh’s recipe convinced me to give it a shot.

Julianna is the creative genius behind the cocktail recipes at Bringing It Home and she also has an Instagram account, Join Jules. You can find the original post for her recipe here. The photos alone are eye candy and she really seems to have a knack for creating original recipes. She’s also got a recipe for a Mezcal Negroni. Oh my garsh. Smoky mezcal… bitter Campari… bright orange… I think I’m salivating. I’m going to have to try that recipe soon.

If you love Campari already, I really think you’re going to enjoy this Campari To-Kill-Ya recipe. If you’re on the fence about it, try it out anyway. The bitterness of the Campari really ends up making the orange & lime juice taste grapefruit-y. It’s very enjoyable. Bright, refreshing, and a touch boozy.

Julianna’s original recipe calls for monk fruit simple syrup, which is made the same way regular simple syrup is made, just with monk fruit granulated sugar instead of white sugar. I don’t have monk fruit sugar so I just used regular and the recipe still came out divine.

Ingredients for a Campari To-Kill-Ya

1 1/2 oz tequila
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz fresh lime juice (fresh is always best–prove me wrong)
1/2 oz fresh orange juice (ditto above)
1/2 oz monk fruit simple syrup or regular simple syrup
6-10 mint leaves, + more for garnish
Sparkling water or club soda (I used club soda and the trace amount of salt really played up the flavors, IMO)

How To Make a Campari To-Kill-Ya

Add tequila, Campari, & mint leaves to a cocktail shaker and muddle until the leaves are bruised. Add ice, lime juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake well. Strain to a lowball glass filled with ice. Top off with the club soda.

mixology 101

17 Simple Cocktail Recipes for Beginners | The Easiest Cocktails to Get You Through Quarantine

by corrie.pennington / May 7, 2020

I’ve compiled all of the simple cocktail recipes on my blog to help you narrow down what to make while you’re sheltering in place during the COVID-19 quarantine. I guess you could call them “quarantine cocktails” because they’re all really, really easy to make with zero obscure ingredients. But truthfully, most of these recipes are classic cocktails. If a cocktail recipe has stood the test of time (some of these recipes are over 100 years old!), they’re good enough to get you through a pandemic.

I’ve grouped these recipes into categories: 2-3 ingredients or 4 ingredients. I mean, can it get any easier? I guess you could just take shots of vodka, but where’s the fun in that?

There are certainly more simple cocktail recipes out there, like a Gin & Tonic, a Negroni, an Aperol Spritz, rum & Coke… seriously, there are so many more out there. The simple cocktail recipes below are just the ones I already have on my blog that I think would be the perfect cocktail recipes for beginners to master during the quarantine.

To make it even easier, here’s a complete grocery list to get you going:

Liquor Store	Grocery Store
gin whiskey vodka spiced rum/dark rum white rum brandy champagne/sparkling wine coffee liqueur (or make it) orange liqueur/triple sec sweet vermouth Campari orange bitters	lemons limes ginger beer club soda/sparkling water blood orange Italian soda cream Coke egg (prob already have) sugar (prob already have) honey (prob already have) jam (prob already have)

With those lists, you’ll have EVERYTHING you need to make all 17 of these simple cocktail recipes. And since none of these ingredients are uncommon, it should be easy to get your hands on them even during the quarantine. For some of you, you can even buy the liquor and liqueur at the grocery store. (I’m looking at you, Nevada.)

But if that still seems a little intimidating, here’s a pared-down shopping list. If you already have an egg, sugar, honey, and a rando jar of jam, and you make your own coffee liqueur using the vodka, you’ll be able to make 12 of these cocktails:

Liquor Store	Grocery Store
gin whiskey vodka spiced rum/dark rum white rum orange liqueur/triple sec	lemons limes ginger beer club soda/sparkling water cream Coke

All of those are considered bar cart essentials to me and are incredibly useful to keep on hand. Seriously, if you keep gin, whiskey, vodka, rums, orange liqueur, limes, lemons, club soda, ginger beer, and simple syrup on deck, you can make soooo many simple cocktail recipes. So, if you’re aspiring to be a home mixologist, consider this list your starter kit.

Here’s to adding some pizazz to your quarantine days with these simple cocktail recipes. Cheers!

Simple Cocktail Recipes with 2 or 3 Ingredients

These 17 simple cocktail recipes will get you through these quarantine days. They're perfect for beginners and long-time cocktail lovers. These easy recipes range from sweet & tart to bitter & bold.

Blood Orange Tequila Fizz

fruity, slightly sweet

tequila + blood orange Italian soda

Dark & Stormy

spicy, sweet

spiced rum + ginger beer

Gimlet

tart, slightly sweet

gin + lime juice + simple syrup

Americano

bitter, low ABV

Campari + sweet vermouth + club soda

Sidecar

very tart, bright

brandy + triple sec + lemon juice

White Russian

sweet, decadent

vodka + coffee liqueur + cream

Moscow Mule

spicy, bright

vodka + ginger beer + lime

Irish Mule

spicy, bright

whiskey + ginger beer + lime

Daiquiri

tart, smooth

white rum + lime juice + simple syrup

Revolver

bold, sweet

whiskey + coffee liqueur + orange bitters

Simple Cocktail Recipes with 4 Ingredients

Lemon Drop

tart, sweet

vodka + orange liqueur + lemon juice + simple syrup

Colorado Bulldog

sweet, refreshing

vodka + coffee liqueur + Coke + cream

Tom Collins

light, a boozy & bubbly lemonade

gin + lemon juice + simple syrup + club soda

Whiskey Sour

tart, bold

whiskey + lemon juice + simple syrup + egg white

French 75

bubbly, bright

gin + champagne + lemon juice + simple syrup

Jam Cocktail

sweet, bubbly

vodka + jam + citrus juice + carbonated water

Pick 6

refreshing, spicy

whiskey + lemon juice + ginger beer + honey

What other cocktails do you think are essential for beginners? What’s been your go-to cocktail during quarantine? Leave a comment and recipe down below!

tequila

Cero Miedo | A Sweet & Spicy Cocktail

by corrie.pennington / May 4, 2020

The Cero Miedo is a spicy, sweet, and smoky cocktail. It's a Girl and Tonic original recipe named after the motto of AEW tag team Lucha Bros. It's made with tequila, mezcal, jalapeño basil simple syrup, guava nectar, lime, and chili powder. | A part of Girl and Tonic's AEW cocktail series.

I’ve had the idea for this Cero Miedo cocktail for months now. The moment I thought of the idea to create an AEW cocktail series, I knew I wanted to create this drink. In case you didn’t bear witness to my confession in my Orange Cassidy post, I am an unashamed professional wrestling fan.

I *freakin’* love All Elite Wrestling. If you want to know why or how I got into professional wrestling, go check out that Orange Cassidy recipe. A lot has changed in these last several weeks (6? 7??) of COVID quarantine but AEW is STILL putting out LIVE content every week. Granted, they have no live audience which changes the dynamics of the matches, but it’s something I’m able to look forward to every week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are wrestling nights at our house.

Now, about the name of this cocktail. Cero Miedo means “zero fear” in Spanish. This is the motto for the Lucha Bros, a tag team on the AEW roster. This tag team is made up of Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fenix and they *might* be my favorite tag team. I love Pentagon’s personality in the ring and Fenix is one of the most agile, athletic wrestlers in the league. They make a great tag team. Check out this highlight reel of their match against Private Party. The Lucha Bros are the ones in the masks. Watch for their signature “cero miedo” hand sign at the end of the clip:

Okay, now that I’ve told you about the drink name, it’s time to talk about the drink. I knew that for a drink based on the Lucha Bros, it needed to be spicy and a bit smoky. They are, after all, some of the “bad guys” in the league. And since they’re both from Mexico City, tequila and mezcal seemed a perfect base.

I’m sure you’re all familiar with tequila, but some of you might not know what mezcal is. Mezcal is a liquor that is distilled from any type of agave plant, while tequila is a liquor that’s distilled specifically from blue agave.

Another distinction between mezcal and tequila is the cooking and distillation process. Tequila is usually steamed and mezcal is usually cooked in lava-rock-lined pits with charcoal and wood. Tequila is distilled in copper pots and mezcal is usually distilled in clay pots. As you can imagine, these different methods heavily influence the final products. Mezcal typically has a distinctive smoky, earthy flavor (thanks to those clay pots and earthen pits).

Both tequila and mezcal can be produced and aged differently so even within those categories, there is a lot of room for diversity. I’m no expert when it comes to either, so if you’re intrigued, I encourage you to go learn some more & report back to me.

To summarize, all tequila falls under the mezcal category. But not all mezcal is tequila. It’s kinda like the whiskey/bourbon thing. Bourbon is a type of whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbons. Ya follow?

The Cero Miedo is a spicy, sweet, and smoky cocktail. It's a Girl and Tonic original recipe made with tequila, Monte Albar mezcal, jalapeño basil simple syrup, Mi HEB Tienda guava nectar, lime, and chili powder. | A part of Girl and Tonic's AEW cocktail series.

I’ve found that in my area, mezcal can be hard to come by. Often times, the only mezcal available is the one seen in my pictures. It’s pretty infamous because it has a little dried worm inside. This is NOT the best mezcal brand out there and if you can find a different bottle of mezcal, grab that one. It’s not that this one is bad, but it’s probably not the best showcase of what mezcal has to offer.

Can’t find mezcal? You can definitely sub in extra tequila. Or try using 1 ounce of tequila blanco and 1 ounce of tequila reposado. You’ll miss out on the smokiness but the end result will still be delicious.

And if you’re wondering where to find guava nectar or guava juice, try looking in the international food or drink aisle at your grocery store. I got this can of guava nectar from H-E-B, a Texas grocery store chain. Or you can always turn to the ever-reliable Amazon.

You can find the jalapeño basil simple syrup recipe here.

And just in case you’re wondering what type of animal skulls these are, they’re a coyote and a deer. My winding country road sees its fair share of roadkill and anytime something gets hit close to my house, I’m equal parts sad and excited. Sad, because I love animals. But excited because that means I’ll get to look at all the cool bones once nature’s decomposers do their work.

I really love this sweet, spicy, and smoky Cero Miedo cocktail. I hope you do, too! If you take a crack at it, be sure to tag me on social media! (Instagram: girlandtonic_ Twitter: @girlandtonic or on Facebook. )

The Cero Miedo is a spicy, sweet, and smoky cocktail. It's a Girl and Tonic original recipe made with tequila, mezcal, jalapeño basil simple syrup, guava nectar, lime, and chili powder. It's perfect for Cinco de Mayo and summer.

The Ingredients for a Cero Miedo

1 oz tequila blanco
1 oz mezcal
3/4 oz guava nectar
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 oz jalapeño basil simple syrup
2-3 pinches of chili powder (DON’T SKIP THIS! I used Kashmiri chili powder but any will do)
splash of club soda
optional– a few slices of jalapeño for muddling

How to Make a Cero Miedo

Add all of the ingredients, except the club soda, into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, 30-45 seconds. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Leave about an inch of room at the top so you can pour the club soda in. Guava nectar can be a little heavy so having the bubbles of the club soda lightens it a bit. Garnish with another dash of chili powder, a jalapeño slice, and a sprig of basil.

If you want your cocktail extra spicy, add a couple slices of jalapeño to the bottom of a cocktail shaker before anything else. Add the tequila and muddle with a muddler or a long spoon. Then add the remaining ingredients and follow the above instructions.

casual cocktails

Month: May 2020