Imbibe Magazine asked top bartenders to devise a cocktail that embodies the essence of fruitcake. This recipe is one of the handful that they published in their 2015 holiday issue.

Who would have thought (well, I would have, actually) that fruitcake is much better to drink than to eat! Cinnamon syrup, ginger liquor, and pineapple juice successfully evoke fruitcake , with aged tequila bringing the warmth of a toasty fire.

If you like your drinks less sweet, I’d suggest pulling back a bit on the syrup and ginger liquor.

Enjoy!

Maria Inés Cocktail
(Craig Mrusek, Tender Bar + Kitchen, Pittsburgh)

2 oz. reposado tequila
1 oz. pineapple juice
.75 oz. ginger liqueur
.5 oz. cinnamon syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters

Garnish: maraschino cherries

Shake all ingredients with ice to chill then strain into a chilled glass and garnish.

For cinnamon syrup:

In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of water and 4 cinnamon sticks, broken into large pieces, to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 8—10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. Discard the cinnamon sticks, strain into a clean glass jar and cover. Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Rating: 4

Knowing my penchant for trying new cocktails, my dear friends James and Jackie Williams gave me a bottle of Creme de Violette for Christmas. Creme de Violette is a liquor made from – you guessed it – violets. It lends a subtle floral aroma and flavor to drinks, as well as an appealing (but not over-the-top) violet color.

A number of classic cocktails call for Creme de Violette, and I mixed one of them,  the Aviation Cocktail, tonight. I added a small amount of simple syrup to the classic recipe,  to counter the sourness of the lemon juice, and the result was a very well-balanced drink – one that I will definitely add to my regular rotation.

Enjoy!

Aviation Cocktail

2 oz London Dry gin
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
.25 oz maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)
.25 oz crème de violette (Rothman & Winter)
.25 oz simple syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a well-chilled cocktail glass.

Rating: 5

By overwhelming demand, here’s the recipe for the Chinese Five-Spice Syrup that I posted about the other day. As the saying goes:   ài wu jí wu (爱屋及乌)

Chinese Five-Spice Syrup

2 sticks cinnamon
7 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and roughly diced
3 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

Combine water and spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from heat. Strain out the solids, measure the liquid, and combine with an equal amount of sugar, whisking until sugar dissolves. Keep refrigerated.

I’ve tried a few cocktails that include Chinese Five Spice syrup as a key ingredient, but this one is my favorite so far. The syrup gives a nice shot of spiciness and heat to what might otherwise be too sweet, at least for my taste. The recipe, below, calls for blackberries, but since they aren’t in season I used blueberries instead. They mostly give the drink a nice color, but do also add a little fruitiness.

Buddha is happy. Very happy!

The Bedford Bramble
Specialty of Pete Gugni at The Bedford, Wicker Park, Chicago

1.5 ounces Pisco (Campo de Encanto Peruvian, or other)
0.75 ounce lemon juice
0.5 ounce Five Spice Simple Syrup
3 blackberries (or blueberries)
2 ounces ginger beer
Lemon wheel and blackberry, for garnish

Muddle blackberries (or blueberries) in a shaker. Add Pisco, lemon juice, and syrup. Shake with ice and strain into a tall glass filled with ice. Top off with ginger beer. Garnish with a lemon wheel and blackberry.

Rating: 5