Tag: ginger

sake

Aroi Mak Mak | A Delicious Lemongrass & Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail

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The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you’re needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

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! 

“Aroi mak mak” means “very, very delicious” in Thai; a fitting name for this lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail if I do say so myself. I worked at a Thai and sushi restaurant throughout high school and picked up a few phrases here and there. “Aroi mak” is one phrase almost guaranteed to be heard in a Thai restaurant.

I really enjoyed my time as a waitress. I’ve found that a lot of other people who’ve spent time in the restaurant industry detested it. But I loved it. I think a lot of the reason I had such a positive experience is that the restaurant was family-owned. And if you were employed there, you were part of the family. We had huge feasts anytime someone had a birthday. And no matter what, I always knew that my manager and the owners had my back.

Another reason I loved my years as a waitress at that restaurant is because of the FOOD. Every night I could order [almost] anything on the menu to eat there or take home. Sometimes the owners would even make special dishes that weren’t on the menu. Those were my favorite nights. I could also drink Thai iced tea whenever I wanted. Ughhh just inject that stuff into my veinnssss because I love it so much. One day I *will* make a boozy Thai tea cocktail. Mark my words.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

Working at the Thai restaurant made me develop a deep love for Southeast Asian cuisine. The flavors are so bright and fresh. Tangy lemongrass… creamy coconut milk, bright lime and cilantro… I could eat Thai food every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. I also love the taste of Thai chilis. Even though the “medium” spicy rating on a Thai dish is enough to melt a hole in the table, the flavor is SO DANG GOOD. Gimme Thai chilis over jalapeños any day. One day I’ll make a cocktail with those, too.

It may be September but here in TX, it’s still pretty hot. I was wanting to make a cocktail with a lower ABV that was bright and fresh. Sake immediately came to mind. Then I realized I’ve yet to post a cocktail recipe made with sake. I typically enjoy sake on its own– it’s got such a subtle complexity and richness that I love to savor. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to challenge myself to mix a drink with this delicate alcohol.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

What is sake, though? Sometimes spelled saké, it’s a fermented alcoholic beverage made from rice. It’s Japan’s signature alcohol and is sometimes referred to as rice wine. That’s a bit misleading, though; it’s more similar to beer than wine, due to the brewing process. It’s been around for centuries (think 8th century & maybe even earlier) and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Typically, the lower quality the sake is, the warmer you want to serve it. However, it comes down to personal preference. If I’m gonna enjoy it with a meal, I love drinking it warm. The heat awakens the aroma and highlights the savory notes. And yes, I do also love the little cup and pitcher they’re served in when you order it warm. Not gonna lie.

Sake’s flavor is pretty light and delicate. I wanted to make sure I didn’t mask it by adding competing flavors. This is what brought me to Southeast Asian cuisine. Those dishes really know how to balance softer flavors with bolder ones.

I’m pleased with how the Aroi Mak Mak recipe turned out. It’s light and bright and refreshing. And drinkable. Super drinkable. But since most of the alcohol in this cocktail recipe is sake, you don’t have to worry about what might happen if you drink it *too* fast.

The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.

While family-owned restaurants are fresh on my mind, be sure to support your local bars & restaurants in these COVID times. In fact, go ahead and order some green curry or pad kee mao from your local Thai restaurant. They’d both pair nicely with this cocktail.

Ingredients for an Aroi Mak Mak – Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz sake
  • 1/2 oz lemongrass-infused vodka*
  • 3/4 oz cucumber juice
  • 1/2 oz ginger-lemongrass simple syrup**
  • 1/2 oz full-fat coconut milk (canned will lend a richer taste but from a carton will work, too)
  • 2 inches of lemongrass, chopped into smaller pieces

*Add 2 oz of vodka to a small mason jar. Dice about 2 inches of lemongrass and add to the vodka. Allow the vodka to infuse for 24-72 hours. Once the vodka has reached the level of lemongrassiness that you want, remove the lemongrass. Store in an airtight container until ready for use. Should keep for months.

**To make the ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, follow the directions in the ginger simple syrup post and add 2 inches of chopped lemongrass in with the ginger.

How to Make an Aroi Mak Mak – Lemongrass and Coconut Milk Sake Cocktail

Add the vodka and fresh lemongrass pieces to a mixing glass. Muddle well with a muddler (I mean really smash the stuff). Add in the sake, cucumber juice, coconut milk, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, and ice. Stir well to combine. Strain into a lowball glass that’s been filled with ice. Garnish with additional cucumber or lemongrass.

Aroi Mak Mak

A cocktail inspired by the delicious flavors found in Thai cuisine. The delicate flavor of sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American, Japanese, Thai
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail mixing glass & strainer

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz sake
  • ½ oz lemongrass-infused vodka*
  • ¾ oz cucumber juice
  • ½ oz ginger-lemongrass simple syrup**
  • ½ oz full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 inches fresh lemongrass, roughly chopped

Instructions
 

  • Add the vodka and fresh lemongrass pieces to a mixing glass.
  • Muddle well with a muddler (really smash the stuff).
  • Add in the sake, cucumber juice, coconut milk, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, and ice.
  • Stir well to combine.
  • Strain into a lowball glass that's been filled with ice.
  • Garnish with additional cucumber or lemongrass.

Notes

*Add 2 oz of vodka to a small mason jar. Dice about 2 inches of lemongrass and add to the vodka. Allow the vodka to infuse for 24-72 hours. Once the vodka has reached the level of lemongrassiness that you want, remove the lemongrass. Store in an airtight container until ready for use. Should keep for months.
**To make the ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, follow the directions in the ginger simple syrup post and add 2 inches of chopped lemongrass in with the ginger.
Keyword coconut milk, cucumber, ginger, ginger-lemongrass simple syrup, lemongrass, lemongrass-infused vodka, sake
The Aroi Mak Mak is a Thai-inspired lemongrass and coconut milk sake cocktail that is light and refreshing. The delicate flavor of the sake is complemented by tangy lemongrass, spicy ginger, mellow cucumber, and creamy coconut milk. If you're needing an escape, the Aroi Mak Mak will take you there.
whiskey

Morgan Mends the Line | A Custom Cocktail with Orange Spice Tea-Infused Whiskey

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Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It’s a custom cocktail created especially for my Instagram friend Morgan.

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! 

A few weeks back, Girl & Tonic hit a milestone– I got 1,000 followers on Instagram. 🎉 As a mom, I’m a pro at celebrating evverrryy milestone. As my follower count inched towards 1K, I was already brainstorming ways to commerorate this occassion. A giveaway was my first thought– that’s kinda the norm on Instagram. Reach X amount of followers, run a giveaway. I wasn’t feeling the traditional route though.

After a lot of different ideas, I did end up settling on a giveaway– a custom cocktail giveaway. To be entered, all someone had to do was comment on the post as many times as you wanted. The winner would receive a custom cocktail named after them and also a printed recipe card. I was shocked by how well-received it was.

I used a random comment picker and an awesome gal named Morgan (@morganreidmiller) won! I was honestly surprised because one of my Instagram friend’s comments equated for 1/5 of all the entries. Probability and statistics, eh? 🤔

Morgan, the inspiration behind the custom cocktail Morgan Mends the Line
Morgan, the inspiration behind Morgan Mends the Line

The idea behind a customized cocktail is to create a recipe that personifies that individual. I’ve been IG friends with Morgan for several months now so I knew some about her already. To get to know her more, I sent her a questionnaire and my Custom Cocktail Word Board. I had SO much fun thinking up a custom cocktail recipe that reflected her. Here are the reasons behind the name and ingredient choices.

Morgan has a few interests that would be so fun to explore through a cocktail, but I decided to focus on her love for fly fishing. The name Morgan Mends the Line is not only a nod to the fly fishing term, but also to Morgan’s personality.

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.

To “mend the line” in fly fishing means to handle your fishing line and rod in a particular way to combat the currents of the water. This is done to keep the lure, or the “fly”, from drifting too far downstream. If a line is mended poorly, the lure will either move too slowly or too quickly to be perceived as a real fly. No fish will fall for it. Mending the line requires a steady hand and a perceptive eye that knows when to build up the slack and when to adjust.

You see, when I asked Morgan what she was most proud of, she said “my ability to work through tough situations with a level head and objectively”. Ahh. Now I can see why she’s both drawn to fly fishing and why she’s good at it. Fly fishing, and this cocktail, externalize Morgan’s inner strength–remaining at ease under tense situations.

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.

“Bold” is one of the adjectives that Morgan selected from the Custom Cocktail Word Board. I wanted to add some kind of spicy kick but also needed to keep it in check because “sweet” was a selected adjective as well. Ginger simple syrup is the perfect solution.

Morgan is also a very talented barista. The obvious choice would’ve been to use coffee liqueur in the drink. But two of the words she selected from the word board were “adventurous” and “creative”, so I knew I had to push the envelope a bit. I decided to infuse whiskey (one of her fav liquors) with orange spice tea. It’s got the boldness and the caffeine of coffee but a sweet flavor and aroma that really complements the whiskey. I also tried making it with vodka and it was good, too.

I served it up in a coupe glass because Morgan selected the word “intricate”. Many whiskey drinks are typically served in a lowball or Old Fashioned glass. By serving this one in a coupe glass, it gives the drink a more delicate, gentle persona. Like Morgan.

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.

There’s the story behind Morgan Mends the Line. Thank you to all of you who entered the giveaway! This definitely won’t be the last custom cocktail giveaway I do.

(Before any of you fly fishermen and fisherwomen out there come for me, I *know* the lure used as a garnish isn’t one used for fly-fishing. I used what I had on hand, okay? 😅 I’ve never fly-fished before but I would really love to. The only reason I was able to write this post is because of what I learned from Matthew Bernhardt’s article on Drift Hook.)

Ingredients for Morgan Mends the Line

How to Make a Morgan Mends the Line

To make the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, pour 5 oz of whiskey into a small jar and add one bag of orange spice tea. Let the whiskey and the tea infuse at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the teabag. Store the extra whiskey in an airtight container. It’ll keep for a long time.

Add ice, the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon (or a fishing lure but not really bc that’s dangerous, y’all).

Morgan Mends the Line

A bold and sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, citrus, and ginger simple syrup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz orange spice tea-infused whiskey*
  • ½ oz tangelo juice (can sub clementine, orange, or cara cara juice)
  • ¼ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz ginger simple syrup**

Instructions
 

  • Add ice, the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
     
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a slice of lemon (or a fishing lure but not really bc that's dangerous).

Notes

*To make the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, pour 5 oz of whiskey into a small jar and add one bag of orange spice tea. Let the whiskey and the tea infuse at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the teabag. Store the extra whiskey in an airtight container. It’ll keep for a long time. (You can also use vodka if you prefer. It will have a more mild flavor, which some may prefer.)
**Click here for an easy ginger simple syrup recipe.
Keyword ginger, ginger simple syrup, lemon, lemon juice, orange spice tea, simple syrup, tangelo, whiskey
Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.
simple syrup

Ginger Simple Syrup | A 3 Ingredient Syrup That’ll Add a Kick to any Classic Cocktail

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Ginger simple syrup is an easy way to introduce the boldness of ginger to a cocktail without making the drink too spicy. If you're wondering what to use this ginger simple syrup in, you can experiment subbing it in for regular simple syrup in your favorite classics like the Gimlet or a Whiskey Sour. It also makes a zingy substitution for cardamom simple syrup in my Golden Pothos recipe.

Ginger simple syrup is an easy way to introduce the boldness of ginger to a cocktail without making the drink too spicy. The kick is curbed by the sweetness and your tastebuds are left feeling perfectly buzzed.

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.

If you’re wondering what to use this ginger simple syrup in, you can experiment subbing it in for regular simple syrup in your favorite classics like the Gimlet or a Whiskey Sour. It also makes a zingy substitution for cardamom simple syrup in my Golden Pothos recipe.

This recipe calls for fresh ginger, but you can certainly use ginger paste. (I would not recommend using ginger powder in this recipe.) The general rule of thumb is to use 1 Tablespoon of ginger paste for every inch of fresh ginger that’s used in a recipe. So in this case, you’d use about 2.5 Tablespoons. Feel free to taste as you go to avoid adding too much. You’ll also need to strain the syrup with a fine mesh strainer prior to bottling.

You may know from my other simple syrup recipes that I prefer to make my simple syrups in small batches. That way I can use them up before they go bad. Feel free to double or triple the recipe for a larger quantity.

This ginger simple syrup should last for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Ingredients for Ginger Simple Syrup

  • 2 1/2 – 3 inches of fresh ginger
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup water

How to Make Ginger Simple Syrup

Peel 2 1/2 to 3 inches of fresh ginger. Cut in into smaller pieces. Add the ginger pieces, the water, and the sugar to a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer the syrup for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the ginger to sit in the syrup as it cools so it can further infuse. If you boil the syrup too long and at too high of a temperature, it’ll get too thick to pour. Remove the ginger pieces before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. The syrup should last for about 2 weeks.

Ginger Simple Syrup

The easiest way to add a kick of ginger to a cocktail without making it too spicy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 min
Cook Time 3 mins
Cool Time 20 mins
Total Time 23 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 3 oz

Equipment

  • small saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 2½-3 inches fresh ginger
  • ⅓ cup white sugar
  • ⅓ cup water

Instructions
 

  • Peel 2 1/2 to 3 inches of fresh ginger. Cut in into smaller pieces.
  • Add the ginger pieces, the water, and the sugar to a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to low.
  • Simmer* the syrup for 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow the ginger to sit in the syrup as it cools so it can further infuse.
  • Remove the ginger pieces before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. The syrup should last for about 2 weeks.

Notes

*If you boil the syrup too long and at too high of a temperature, it’ll get too thick to pour.
Keyword beet simple syrup, ginger ale, ginger simple syrup, sugar
gin

Down the Bunny Trail | A Spiced Honey French 75

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Down the Bunny Trail is the perfect Easter cocktail if you’re not in the mood for something too sweet. It’s essentially a spiced honey French 75. For some reason, when I think “Easter cocktail”, champagne comes to mind. Maybe because of the association of Easter brunch and mimosas, maybe because champagne feels bright and springy. Or maybe because of the association with celebration. And as a Christian, Easter is definitely a celebration of something more than candy-filled eggs.

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! 

Don’t get me wrong, though. I love me some candy and the nonreligious traditions of Easter. It was always one of my favorite holidays as a child. I remember anxiously waiting while my parents went and hid our Easter eggs and being stoked to FINALLY get to eat the Cadbury creme eggs I’d seen on the kitchen counter. I remember the distinct smell of egg-dyeing kits, and watching the egg teeter on the thin wire ladle as I dipped it down into the colored cups. Nowadays, egg dyeing is outta control. I’m glad my daughter is young and won’t be expecting anything extravagant this year. Because sheesh, with Pinterest these days, some holiday crafts are beyond me.

The color of Down the Bunny Trail comes from the combination of lemon juice and a pinch of deep magenta beet powder. Honestly, I was going for a pretty pink color for my Easter cocktail but I think the orangey coral result is gorgeous. It looks like Easter egg dye. I promise it doesn’t taste like that though. It tastes like spicy sparkling bliss.

Beet powder would also be a great way to naturally dye your Easter eggs. I use it to dye cakes and frostings. If you aren’t using too much of it, it really doesn’t affect the flavor of baked goods. You can also use it in smoothies for a boost of vitamins and minerals. Or make yourself a Passionfruit Paloma with beet syrup as the sweetener.

If you’re not a huge champagne fan or if you’re the only one in your house who’ll be drinking it, consider buying the mini bottles of sparkling wine. That way, you won’t be wasting an entire bottle of the good stuff.

Ingredients for a Spiced Honey French 75

  • 1 1/2 oz spiced gin (or regular gin)
  • 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz honey-ginger simple syrup**
  • pinch of beet powder-– mostly for color but it does add a slight earthy flavor that I dig
  • 1-3 oz champagne, depending on the size of your glass

How to Make A Spiced Honey French 75

Make your honey-ginger syrup first. To make this, I added a small amount of ginger paste (the size of my pinky nail) to my honey simple syrup recipe. If I had fresh ginger on hand, I would’ve used that instead. If you have fresh ginger root, simmer a 1/2-inch knob in the honey syrup for about 5 minutes.

Add your gin, lemon juice, honey-ginger syrup, and beet powder to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well to mix up the beet powder. Pour the now-coral elixir into either a champagne glass (the traditional way to serve a French 75) or into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top your Easter cocktail with champagne.

To make this feel more like an Easter cocktail, I garnished it with a bun-bun on a stick. I feel like that screams Easter, no? I got a pack of 4 at the Dollar Tree for–you guessed it–a dollar. I’m pretty obsessed with the little pom tail.

Looking for other springtime drinks? Check out the light & lemony Tom Collins, a tart Gimlet or Lemon Drop, or my current favorite, the Golden Pothos. All of these are super refreshing and perfect for porch-sippin’.