Tag: rosemary

gin

The Green Bee | A Bee’s Knees Cocktail Made with Rosemary Honey Syrup

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The Green Bee is a variation of a Bee's Knees cocktail but with the extra addition of rosemary. If you love gin, honey, and herbal tones, you'll love this riff.

The Green Bee is a variation of a Bee’s Knees cocktail but with the extra addition of rosemary. If you love gin, honey, and herbal tones, you’ll love this riff.

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! 

I love a classic Bee’s Knees. It’s so easy to make (just 3 ingredients!) and really gives the gin a chance to shine. This fall, I’ve been on a big herbal kick. I’ve made my rosemary sage simple syrup three times now and have been using it in just about every cocktail recipe I think it could work in. There’s something so warming about use rich savory herbs like rosemary and sage in cocktails.

I knew that honey and rosemary worked together, so I made a honey rosemary simple syrup. And what better way to use a honey syrup than in a Bee’s Knees?

The Green Bee is a variation of a Bee's Knees cocktail but with the extra addition of rosemary. If you love gin, honey, and herbal tones, you'll love this riff.

To make the honey rosemary syrup, add 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 sprigs of rosemary to a small saucepan. Heat until the honey is dissolved and turn off the heat. Allow the rosemary to steep in the syrup until it cools. Remove the rosemary and pour into a small lidded container. Store in the fridge.

As I mentioned earlier, simple classic cocktails like the Bee’s Knees give gins a real chance to shine. The limited ingredients won’t overshadow the unique taste of whatever gin you’re using. Choosing a more herbal gin in The Green Bee is a great call because of the addition of the rosemary. But pick what you like. I actually used a botanical rum in place of gin in the drink shown in these pictures.

If you’re a fan of simple, straightforward, and herbal cocktails, this Green Bee recipe is for you.

The Green Bee is a variation of a Bee's Knees cocktail but with the extra addition of rosemary. If you love gin, honey, and herbal tones, you'll love this riff.

Ingredients for a Green Bee

  • 2 oz gin
  • 3/4 oz rosemary honey syrup*
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed

How to Make a Green Bee

Add gin, rosemary honey syrup*, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an additional rosemary sprig.

*To make the honey rosemary syrup, add 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 sprigs of rosemary to a small saucepan. Heat until the honey is dissolved and turn off the heat. Allow the rosemary to steep in the syrup until it cools. Remove the rosemary and pour into a small lidded container. Store in the fridge.

Green Bee

A Bee's Knees cocktail with rosemary honey syrup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz gin
  • ¾ oz rosemary honey syrup*
  • ¾ oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed

Instructions
 

  • Add gin, rosemary honey syrup*, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish with an additional rosemary sprig.

Notes

*To make the honey rosemary syrup, add 1/4 cup of honey, 1/4 cup of water, and 2 sprigs of rosemary to a small saucepan. Heat until the honey is dissolved and turn off the heat. Allow the rosemary to steep in the syrup until it cools. Remove the rosemary and pour into a small lidded container. Store in the fridge.
Keyword Bee’s Knees, black lemon, gin, honey, honey simple syrup, lemon juice, rosemary, rosemary honey syrup
The Green Bee is a variation of a Bee's Knees cocktail but with the extra addition of rosemary. If you love gin, honey, and herbal tones, you'll love this riff.
mocktail

Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer | An Excellent 5 Ingredient Non-Alcoholic Cocktail

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This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It's also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.

This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It’s also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.

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! 

I love cocktails (obvs) but every now and then, I ditch the alcohol and enjoy a good ol’ mocktail. Actually, I frequently drink mocktails during the day but those are typically super easy (fresh juice + sparkling water). But when I make a mocktail at night, I want it to ~feel~ like a cocktail. Just a non-alcoholic cocktail.

There’s actually a bit of a push these days in the beverage world to stop saying “mocktail” and use the term “alcohol-free cocktail” or “non-alcoholic cocktail” instead. People claim that the word mocktail has negative connotations, that it makes a drink sound inferior and even childish. I can see where they’re coming from. A non-alcoholic cocktail does sound a bit more upscale, I suppose. But regardless of which term you like to use, this Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is a dang one.

This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It's also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.

This booze-free beverage was actually inspired by my young daughter. You see… she loves sparkling water. I mean loves. Actually, obsessed may be a more fitting term. I can’t crack open a can of anything without her running from the other room to ask for some. Now, she’s totally content with just sparkling water. But I wanted to make it a little more fun for her. Then I remembered I had some Paloma mix that a company had sent me in the fridge.

I poured some sparkling water into my toddler’s glass and then added a splash of the Paloma mix, turning it a pretty pale pink color. She oohed and ahhed and had seriously chugged it by the time I had put the Paloma mix back into the fridge. She immediately asked for “more peas” (more please) so I poured in some more sparkling water. Well… That was met with a sharp “No” and an enthusiastic gesture towards the fridge. I pulled the Paloma mix back out and she squealed–squealed!— with glee. Oh boy.

If you’re familiar with my cocktails preferences or if you’ve read this post, you know I always say to use fresh citrus when you can. This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer does use fresh grapefruit juice; however, when making mocktails or non-alcoholic cocktails, it’s often a challenge to find ingredients to attribute to the overall volume of the drink. Mixers help fill up the glass and are a great way to introduce more flavor to a recipe.

This recipe is actually the perfect one to serve a crowd because it can easily be made into a cocktail by adding your liquor of choice. You could even display a few and let people choose which spirit they’d like to add to their Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer. It tastes amazing with tequila, vodka, rum, and gin! I’ve never tried it with whiskey, but that could be good, too.

And if rosemary’s not your thing, you could serve it with thyme or even mint or basil. It really is a versatile drink that’s sure to please just about anyone.

If you try the boozy version or the non-alcoholic cocktail version of this Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer, be sure to tag me on Instagram and let me know how you liked it in a comment below. Cheers!

Ingredients for a Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer

How to Make a Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer

Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, and rosemary to a cocktail shaker. Muddle the rosemary with a muddler to release the flavor of the herb. Then add the Paloma mixer, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice. Shake well. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top off the glass with the grapefruit sparkling water. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and a sprig of rosemary.

Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer

This Grapefruit Rosemary Spritzer is an easy non-alcoholic cocktail that can be served any time of year. It's also easily made into an alcoholic cocktail by simply adding your favorite spirit.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker
  • muddler

Ingredients
  

  • ¾ oz grapefruit juice
  • 2 oz Paloma mixer
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ½ oz rosemary simple syrup*
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2+ oz grapefruit sparkling water, unsweetened

Instructions
 

  • Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, and rosemary to a cocktail shaker.
  • Muddle the rosemary with a muddler to release the flavor of the herb.
  • Add the Paloma mixer, rosemary simple syrup*, and ice. Shake well.
  • Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Top off the glass with the grapefruit sparkling water.
  • Garnish with a grapefruit slice and a sprig of rosemary.

Notes

*To make the rosemary simple syrup (it’s SUPER easy & takes only 5ish minutes), follow the directions on this post but just leave out the sage. 
Keyword cherry limeade, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, grapefruit rosemary spritzer, grapefruit sparkling water, lime juice, Paloma mixer, rosemary, rosemary simple syrup
vodka

Autumn in Tuscany | A Fall-Inspired Lemon Drop with Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup

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Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It’s an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

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! 

It’s officially fall now and even though temperatures are alternating between pleasant and rather warm here in Texas, I’m embracing all the cozy things. Autumn-scented candles, chai tea, toasty blankets, apple cider, alllll the soup recipes. I learned long ago that if I wait to do all the fall things when it actually feels like fall outside, I’ll have about 3.25 days to enjoy it. Ah, the joys of living in a state that has 2 seasons.

Last week, I made an incredible rosemary sage simple syrup to go in the Cowboy Cure-All. I loved how autumnal the syrup tasted and was eager to play around with it. Anytime I make a new simple syrup, I try it out in a few classic cocktails. As I’ve said time and time again, the easiest way to revamp a drink recipe is to switch out the simple syrup flavor.

Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

I began to think about what would pair well with rosemary and sage. Lemon. Definitely lemon. It would keep the herbs from being too heavy. I ran down the list of classic cocktails that had lemon. Oooh… a Lemon Drop. Now that could be good. I was a little unsure about how the orange liqueur in it would interact with the sage and rosemary but DANG! It’s good!

I made an Autumn in Tuscany for the first time with my friend who is as equally into cocktails as I am. She’s also a fantastic cook so I respect her opinion when it comes to all things edible and drinkable. So when she says a drink is really good, I know it must be.

Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.

She’s also the one who gave me the idea for the name. She informed me that rosemary, sage, and citrus are all hallmark flavors in Tuscan cuisine. I’m not much of a cook but now I want to start researching Tuscan dishes to serve up with this Autumn in Tuscany.

If you make an Autumn in Tuscany, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@girlandtonic_)! I love sharing y’all’s re-shakes of the drinks I post.

Cheers to the thought of spending autumn in Tuscany.

Ingredients for an Autumn in Tuscany

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka
  • 1/2 oz orange liqueur or triple sec
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 3/4 oz rosemary sage simple syrup (add more or less depending on how sweet you like your drinks)

How to Make an Autumn in Tuscany

Add vodka, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass.

Autumn in Tuscany

A cozy fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz vodka
  • ½ oz orange liqueur
  • ¾ oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • ¾ oz rosemary sage simple syrup*

Instructions
 

  • Add vodka, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice to a cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a sage leaf.

Notes

*For the easy rosemary & sage simple syrup recipe, click here.
Keyword lemon, lemon drop, lemon juice, rosemary, rosemary sage simple syrup, sage, simple syrup, vodka
Autumn in Tuscany is an elegant yet simple cocktail with bright citrus and warm herbs. It's an unexpected fall twist on a classic Lemon Drop cocktail.
whiskey

Cowboy Cure-All | An Easy Fall Cocktail Recipe

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The Cowboy Cure-All is an easy fall cocktail recipe that's bright, warm, and slightly sweet. This recipe was made in collaboration with Death Valley Nails, my favorite nail polish company.

The Cowboy Cure-All is an easy fall cocktail recipe that’s bright, warm, and slightly sweet. This recipe was made in collaboration with Death Valley Nails, my favorite nail polish company.

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! 

If you follow me on Instagram or if you’ve read my Desert Elixir post, you know how much I love Death Valley Nails. Death Valley Nails is a vegan, cruelty-free, and non-toxic nail polish and candle company based out of Fort Worth. Before I say anything more, I’ve gotta let you know that this post is NOT sponsored. I simply love & believe in this company.

I have several bottles of nail polish from DVN and I love them all. They are all 10-free and non-toxic. The colors are also completely unique because DVN sources their own pigments, unlike other companies that use the same pigment sources as one another. This nail polish lasts for dayysss. Even without a topcoat.

The Cowboy Cure-All is an easy fall cocktail recipe that's bright, warm, and slightly sweet. This recipe was made in collaboration with Death Valley Nails, my favorite nail polish company.

Death Valley Nails is most well-known for their nail polishes, but they also sell candles and body glitter.

Their candles are made out of 100% soy wax and come in a hand-poured concrete vessel that can be repurposed once the candle’s been used up. You can check out their custom blended fragrances here. I’ve yet to purchase one of these myself but now that fall has arrived, I can’t think of many things I’d rather do besides sip on my Cowboy Cure-All while a cedar + cardamom candle burns warmly next to me.

Death Valley Nails also makes biodegradable glitter paste. I love how ethical and responsible DVN is. All of their products are responsibly made from ethically-sourced ingredients, and everyone who has a hand in the creation of their products is paid well. You gotta love that.

Are you a DVN fan yet? Now you can see why I’d never need to be sponsored by them– I’ll be singing their praises until my voice gives out. And when that happens I guess I’ll make some posters.

When Death Valley Nails approached me about making a cocktail recipe to put on their fall postcards, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I had previously partnered with them in creating their summer postcard cocktail recipe (you can check out the recipe and the postcard design here) and it was a lot of fun working with both Jenn from DVN and Sara Beth Baca.

This time around, I got to work with Krista Perry. She really brought the vibes of both Death Valley Nails and the Cowboy Cure-All to life in her illustration. I mean… just check it out:

The Cowboy Cure-All is an easy whiskey cocktail created specifically for Death Valley Nails. Artwork designed by Krista Perry.

Isn’t it gorgeous? Super Texan, too. Perfect since Jenn, the founder of DVN , and I are both native Texans. If you order anything from Death Valley Nails in autumn, you’ll receive a postcard with this graphic on the back. It’s perfect for displaying on your fridge, sticking in your recipe card box, or mailing it off to a friend.

The idea behind all the recipes I make for DVN is that they’re accessible for most people and would hopefully be palatable to most people. Feel free to use your favorite type of whiskey for this recipe. I used 100% corn whiskey but this would be great with bourbon or rye, too. You can also add more of the rosemary sage simple syrup if you prefer your drinks on the sweeter side.

The Cowboy Cure-All is an easy fall cocktail recipe that's bright, warm, and slightly sweet. This recipe was made in collaboration with Death Valley Nails, my favorite nail polish company. Baby Blue corn whisky is a great whiskey to use in this easy whiskey cocktail recipe.

Jenn is the one who came up with the name “Cowboy Cure-All” for this cocktail recipe. You can see from the nail polish names that she’s pretty good at naming stuff. Maybe I should ask her to come up with all of Girl & Tonic’s cocktail names. 🤔

Ingredients for the Cowboy Cure-All

How to Make a Cowboy Cure-All

Add lemon juice, sage, and rosemary to a cocktail shaker. Muddle gently with a muddler or wooden spoon. Add the whiskey, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice to the cocktail shaker. Shake for 10-20 seconds. Strain into a lowball glass filled with a large ice cube. Garnish with additional sage & rosemary.

Cowboy Cure-All

An easy whiskey-based cocktail made with rosemary sage simple syrup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz whiskey
  • ½ oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • ¼ oz rosemary sage simple syrup*
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 sage leaf

Instructions
 

  • Add lemon juice, sage, and rosemary to a cocktail shaker. Muddle gently with a muddler or wooden spoon.
  • Add the whiskey, rosemary sage simple syrup, and ice to the cocktail shaker. Shake for 10-20 seconds.
  • Strain into a lowball glass filled with a large ice cube.
  • Garnish with additional sage & rosemary.

Notes

*Learn how to make the rosemary sage simple syrup here. It’s easy. Promise.
Keyword beet simple syrup, lemon juice, rosemary, rosemary sage simple syrup, sage, whiskey, whisky
simple syrup

Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup

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This rosemary sage simple syrup recipe is an easy way to add some herbal warmth to your favorite cocktails. Simply use it in place of traditional simple syrup to put your own fall spin on a classic cocktail.

This rosemary sage simple syrup recipe is an easy way to add some herbal warmth to your favorite cocktails. Simply use it in place of traditional simple syrup to put your own fall spin on a classic cocktail.

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! 

I mentioned in my last post that one of the easiest ways to put your own twist on a cocktail recipe is to switch out the simple syrup.

Seriously, once you master making your own simple syrups, the sky’s the limit for your cocktail concoctions.

I created this rosemary sage simple syrup specifically to use in the Cowboy Cure-All, but I think it would bring some amazing autumnal warmth to classics like the Gimlet and the Lemon Drop.

When it comes to making simple syrups, I prefer to make it in smaller batches so that I’m able to use it all up before it goes bad. Most simple syrups last 2-4 weeks in the fridge but you can also add a splash of vodka to them to help them last a little longer.

I’ve always got several different simple syrups hanging out in the door of my refrigerator. Jars like these make it easy to store them all.

If you’re looking for some more simple syrup recipe ideas, check out these 6 recipes, ginger simple syrup, jalapeño basil simple syrup, & cherry pit simple syrup.

Ingredients for Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 5-7 sages leaves
  • 2-3 sprigs of rosemary

How to Make Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup

Add sugar and water to a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add the sage and rosemary. Allow the herbs to steep for 15-20 minutes. Once the syrup is cool, pour the syrup into a small, lidded container. You can remove the herbs from the syrup or leave them in for added flavor. The syrup should keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup

This rosemary sage simple syrup recipe is an easy way to add some herbal warmth to your favorite cocktails. Simply use it in place of traditional simple syrup to put your own fall spin on a classic cocktail.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 4 oz

Equipment

  • small saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 5-7 leaves sage
  • 2-3 sprigs rosemary

Instructions
 

  • Add sugar and water to a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
  • Add the sage and rosemary. Allow the herbs to steep for 15-20 minutes.
  • Once the syrup is cool, pour the syrup into a small, lidded container. You can remove the herbs from the syrup or leave them in for added flavor.

Notes

The syrup should keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Keyword rosemary, rosemary sage simple syrup, sage, simple syrup