sparkling water - Girl & Tonic

Rub of the Green | An Unexpected St. Patrick’s Day Cocktail

by corrie.pennington / March 17, 2020

A “rub of the green” is a way to usher in good luck, particularly in sports, but I think we could all use some extra luck (or maybe common sense and courtesy) in these crazy times. I know everyone has been reading post after post about COVID-19/Coronavirus, so I won’t say much about it except to say it WAS my inspiration for this cocktail, in a way. But whether you normally like to go on out St. Patrick’s Day or not, chances are most people around the world will be staying in this year.

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 Rub of the Green is a nontraditional St. Patrick's Day cocktail made with matcha simple syrup.

To be honest, I’ve only really celebrated St. Patrick’s Day once. Unless wearing green on March 17th counts, I’ve never been a bit St. Patty’s celebrator. Don’t get me wrong– I think Saint Patrick himself was, well, a saint– but the thought of drinking dyed-green beer all day makes me want to turn green. I’m not a proponent of binge drinking and I feel that’s what St. Patrick’s Day has become, or has been. Hoards of drunk people being out and about? Ehh, no thanks. Then again, I’m not a fan of sober crowds either. Is my introverted side showing?

But while St. Patrick himself is still in this conversation, check out this short 2-minute history video:

Someone who willingly went back to his captors to tell them about the forgiveness and love afforded them in Jesus? Sounds like someone to be celebrated after all. Although I’m not sure downing beers beside a bright-green river would make him feel particularly honored. Perhaps we can just try to bestow a little more kindness and love to those who are different than us. I think he’d like that a little more. If you’re intrigued by St. Patrick, here’s a more detailed history.

As I mentioned earlier, COVID-19 served as a starting board for my St. Patty’s recipe. I wanted to make a green cocktail for this holiday but I was not about to brave the crazed aisles of my local grocery store again. So, I resorted to looking through my pantry for green things. Hm… limes… tonic… OH! MATCHA POWDER… honeydew milk tea powder… cardamom… Turns out mixing honeydew milk tea powder with vodka is not very good. Maybe I’ll take that challenge on another day. BUT I was really into the matcha idea.

And thus the matcha syrup was born. You can check out the full recipe here. It is delightful and I’m excited to see what else I can make with it. It’s earthy but obviously sweet, hence the “syrup”. I’ve half a mind to use it to sweeten my iced green tea for an extra boost.

If I could go to the store, I would get some lime sparkling water to use in place of the tonic water. Tonic is a bit overbearing for such a delicate flavor like matcha. But, it was still definitely tasty.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, y’all!

The Ingredients

1.5 oz vodka
3/4 – 1 oz matcha simple syrup
1/2 oz lime juice
2-3 dashes cardamom bitters (optional)
sparkling water or tonic

How to Make a Rub of the Green

Make your matcha simple syrup. Add matcha syrup, vodka, lime juice, and bitters to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake. Pour into a lowball glass filled with ice and top off with sparkling water or tonic. Garnish with mint.

tequila

Passionfruit Paloma w/ Beet Syrup

by corrie.pennington / February 7, 2020

– Easily make this cocktail a mocktail by skipping the tequila. –

Passionfruit Paloma made with tequila reposado, grapefruit juice, sparkling passionfruit water, and beet simple syrup.

I’ve never been a big fan of a Paloma but this Passionfruit Paloma may have redeemed them. I like tequila and I like grapefruit soda, but putting together in a cocktail leaves me… grossed out. The last time I had one was in a casino in Reno. I lived in The Biggest Little City for a span (absolutely loved it) and had been raving to my friend about being able to get free drinks in the casinos. She came in town & off we went with $40 in hand.

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!

Turns out, drinks aren’t free when you order them from the bar. I ordered us both a Paloma, because what was I thinking?, and they were awful. We hunkered down at the Blackjack table to drink our disgusting drinks because we paid for those dang things. But not all was lost. I mean that both figuratively & literally– we each hung on to twenty-five cents.

A traditional Paloma has tequila, grapefruit soda (like Fresca or Jarritos), and lime juice. I opted for grapefruit juice to bring that flavor upfront. I still needed to get that fizz from somewhere and I found it in the perfect form of unsweetened passionfruit sparkling water. The beet syrup brings a hint of earthy sweetness to the drink and imparts the stunning color.

Don’t be intimidated by the beet syrup. I got a huge bag of beet powder from Walmart for under $10. Beet powder is great for upping the antioxidant power of smoothies and for dying baked goods a range of pink shades. I recently used it to dye the icing of my daughter’s vanilla birthday cake. Only one party guest asked what the icing was flavored with, and he guessed cinnamon, so I’d say that it won’t make your recipes too beet-y. I’m not entirely health & wellness conscious but if I have the option to use something artificial or natural, I’m gonna opt for natural.

If you’re looking to make a *small* investment in your barware, consider buying a giant ice cube mold. A bigger ice cube is going to melt slower and make your drink a little colder. Plus they look cool & profesh.

The Ingredients for a Passionfruit Paloma

1 1/2 oz. tequila reposado (skip this & make a great mocktail)
1 oz. grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. beet simple syrup
unsweetened passionfruit sparkling water (Aldi’s PurAqua Belle Vie brand is fantastic)
slice of grapefruit of lemon to garnish

How to Make a Passionfruit Paloma

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, tequila, grapefruit juice, & beet syrup. Shake well to combine. Pour into a low-ball glass with ice. Top off with your passionfruit sparkling water. Alternatively, you can “float” the syrup for a more layered effect but honestly, the taste is more uniform if you shake it with the other ingredients.

Passionfruit Paloma with Beet Syrup

A unique twist on the Paloma, this Passionfruit Paloma uses passionfruit sparkling water in place of grapefruit soda and beet simple syrup to sweeten it up.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 mins

Course Drinks

Servings 1

Ingredients

1½ oz tequila (skip this to make a mocktail)
1 oz grapefruit juice
½ oz beet simple syrup (see note for recipe)
2+ oz passionfruit sparkling water (unsweetened)

Instructions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, tequila, grapefruit juice, & beet syrup.
Shake well to combine.
Pour into a lowball glass with ice.
Top off with your passionfruit sparkling water.

Notes

Check out the easy recipe for beet simple syrup here.

Keyword beet, grapefruit juice, paloma, sparkling water

vodka

Effortless Jam Cocktail & Mocktail | An Easy 3 Minute Drink Using Ingredients You Already Have on Hand

by corrie.pennington / January 28, 2020

Knowing how to make a jam cocktail or mocktail is a game-changer. It's easy to whip up in a moment's notice and feels very fancy.

Knowing how to make a jam cocktail is a game-changer. It’s easy to whip up in a moment’s notice and feels very fancy. The best part is, you’ll probably always have the ingredients on hand– who doesn’t have a jar or three of random jelly, jam, or preserves hiding in the back of the fridge? And if you actually do go out to grab a new jar, you’ll find soo many inspiring possibilities.

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!

Blueberry preserves, raspberry jalapeno jam, ORANGE MARMALADE, mango habanero, and of course the classic strawberry and grape. Did you know that there’s such a thing as mint jelly? Yeah. That rocked my world, too. Add a spoonful of jam into any mixed drink and you’ve upped the flavor complexity.

Jam cocktails are so customizable. Want something refreshing and light? Add sparkling water. Feeling like a strong drink? Skip it & pour everything into a coupe or martini glass. Don’t feel like imbibing? Forgo the alcohol and enjoy sipping on something besides water. Mocktails require no thought when you know the secret about jam + tonic. And all the pregnant ladies said BLESS.

Flavor Combinations to Try

Need some flavor inspo? Here are some ideas to get you started:

gin + blackberry jam + lemon juice + basil + tonic water
vodka + apricot preserves + lemon juice + mint + lemon sparkling water
tequila + orange marmalade + grapefruit juice + rosemary + club soda
white rum + blueberry jam + lime juice + mint + club soda

An Outline of Ingredients for a Jam Cocktail or Mocktail

1 1/2 – 2 oz vodka (or gin, whiskey, rum, or tequila… but vodka has the cleanest profile to work with, meaning it won’t compete with your other flavors)
3/4 oz lemon juice or lime juice – fresh is always best
spoonful of jam
a sprig of a fresh herb – mint & basil pair well with all fruit flavs
tonic water, club soda, or unsweetened flavored sparkling water
[optional- if you like extra sweet drinks] 1/2 oz simple syrup or honey simple syrup

How to Make a Jam Cocktail or Mocktail

In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, lemon juice, and the herb. Muddle the herb leaves with a muddler or use the back of a spoon to release the flavor. Add the spoonful of jam and several ice cubes. Shake. Strain into a lowball glass that’s filled with ice. Top off the glass with your tonic or sparkling water. Garnish with any leftover herbs.