Then I spied my basket of citrus and had a brainstorm:

The Meyer Lemon Margarita~

I pride myself with making an excellent margarita, always with fresh juice- no bottled “mix” stuff.  So I made a batch of half meyer lemon juice and half lime juice (both freshly squeezed).  Into the shaker that went with some tequila, triple sec and ice.

A note on the Triple Sec/Cointreau/Grand Marnier  debate:  I always have triple sec in the house.  I don’t always have Cointreau or Grand Marnier.  That’s often the deciding factor for me.  Now if you’re making a fancy dessert by all means get yourself some GM.  And if you’re having a taco party (Taco Party!!) and want to make your guests feel special, pick up a bottle of Cointreau.  It does have a more complex orange flavor than triple sec.      But in a pinch triple sec is fine.

Now back to the marg.  Shake that baby up, strain into a glass and choose your garnish.  I like my margaritas rocks/partial salt, so you can get a little hit of it if you choose without coming away with a mouthful on each sip.  Balance in all things.

I used the following proportions, but feel free to adjust your sweet/tart levels:

2 shots tequila

2 shots mixed meyer/lime juice (must be fresh)

1 to 1 1/2 shots triple sec

dash of orange bitters to finish and lime peel to garnish

Do note that the meyer is a sweeter lemon, so you won’t need as much of the triple sec to balance it as you would with regular lemon.  And I did briefly consider making it will all meyer juice (no lime), but lime is such an integral component of a margarita that it just didn’t feel right.

I took a sip and actually said “wow!”.  Aloud.  This is one delicious twist on the classic margarita.  It is somehow fresher, with the sweetness of the meyer coming through nicely.  I’ll be making these again, at least as long as the meyers hold out.

Cheers!

Spiced Citrus Champagne

Basically a simmered simple syrup of honey, lemon zest and whole spices including cinnamon sticks and star anise.  A bit of the spiced simple syrup concoction, a splash of fresh orange  juice (I used Meyer lemons for both the juice and the zest), topped with your favorite sparkler (Prosecco here).

A more sophisticated flavor profile than your traditional mimosa, but still an excellent brunch beverage.  The spices are subtle but don’t get lost in the juice.  I first used Meyer lemons in place of both the regular lemon (zest) and orange juice, as I prefer a tarter drink.  I did a sample with the orange juice, too (just for comparison).   I actually like it both ways, but they are two very different drinks.  The Meyer Spiced Citrus is tarter, and I think you get the hit of the spices in a slightly more pronounced way.  The OJ Spiced Citrus really brings out the honey notes from the simple syrup.  Both are well worth tasting and completely delicious.

I love this drink.  Thanks to the folks at The Kitchn for introducing me to what may be my new favorite brunch beverage!

And for those of you who are not nursing the after effects of over imbibing, I bring you a twist on the cocktail I created to wind down the end of each fabulous day spent in Paris last spring:

The Rue St. Roch

Named after the street where our apartment was located and made on the fly with local ingredients in our makeshift kitchen bar (two tumblers served as a cocktail shaker), this makes a light and sophisticated nightcap.

2 shots vodka (here I used Tito’s)

1 shot orange muscat dessert wine (I found a similar option to the bottle that was in every Parisian liquor store)

1 shot Lilet Blanc

Shake over ice, strain into glass and top with a generous splash of San Pellegrino Limonata.  A slice of lemon rind finishes the drink.

Delicious and subtle, Shaker One gives this cocktail 4 3/4 olives.

This is one of the loveliest bubblies I’ve tasted.  It has a slightly floral nose, almost as if it’s been sprinkled with a bit of St. Germain and rosewater.  Though it’s a bit on the sweeter side, the sweetness is a fruity one not a sugary one.  We went through this happily, wishing we had another bottle.  I will be thanking my friend not just for the lovely gift of the bottle, but more for introducing me to what will surely be a favorite celebratory beverage.

I just hope The Candy Store carries this.

Peppermint ice cream, eggnog, panattone, pumpkin this and gingerbread that… such deep, spicy, rich flavors that come out. It is like a beautiful holiday parade of flavors that, I think, is unmatched at any other time of the year.

Now, I know we focus on martinis and other festive drinks here at The Red Shaker.. and I am not adverse to extolling the virtues of hot toddies, mulled ciders and wines, wassail and eggnog spiked with all sorts of tasty liquors, but today, I am going to take over The Shaker and share one of my favorite Christmas morning breakfasts – and one I had neglected for a few years (BAD me!)

Eggnog French Toast.

Oh yes, that glorious, creamy, rich beverage is not just for sipping anymore. Mix that stuff with a couple eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, pinch-o-nutmeg and soak some cinnamon raising bread in it and you have yourself and amazingly decadent version of the classic. I top with a touch of real maple syrup and a side of sausage and it’s a Christmas miracle on a plate, my dears.

The other rendition I have is with another holiday product – panattone.

If you have not tried this lovely Italian sweet bread, you are missing out. You can find it in Italian markets and even your regular grocery stores packed in a box. You can try to make it, but it is a lengthy process that will test your patience (it has to rise for almost a day) but so worth it. You can only imagine, in addition to the traditional ways it is served – that this lovely, slightly sweet bread, would make ROCKIN’ French toast. (I don’t use the eggnog for this one, that would be overkill – which is good in a shaker, but not on a plate.)

As we take a bit of time to wish everyone a very merry, happy and glorious holiday season, enjoy the moments with family and friends.

And keep shaking it up while we get ready to ring in 2012!

I could not quite identify the liquor they were soaked in. There was a bite along with the sweet cherry – but nothing too insanely rough to the mouth. She pulled out a jar and showed me the label. I had had my first moonshine cherry.

She had finished mixing up the drink and plopped a couple into the beverage and I took a sip. Lovely. This was her own concoction of a pomegranate martini that was really lovely.Pom liqueur, lime juice, vodka, orange juice and moonshine cherries. Being that we are both silly, as a nod to moonshine’s southern roots, she adorned the glass with a giant plastic insect.

We sat at her table and as we enjoyed our drinks, she told me about a friend of hers that she had given a jar of the cherries. Turns out, her friend hid them from her husband because she liked them so much she wanted them to herself. One night, my friend was visiting their home and the woman kept sneaking moonshine cherries. Needless to say, she got a wee bit buzzed and went to the cupboard where she told her husband that he had to try these cherries. He asked “What cherries?” and the cat was out of the bag. He then asked my friend if she would let him know if more cherries were given. When he asked his wife why she had hidden them, she said “I just love them so much.”

If you can find these babies, I say try them out.

Oh, and if Santa didn’t bring you what you hoped for why don’t you try leaving him this next year instead of cookies and milk:

Santa’s Little Helper

3 shots  Pennsylvania Dutch Eggnog Liquor

1 shot Vanilla Vodka

1 shot Chambord

1/2 shot heavy cream or heaping spoonful of fresh whipped cream

Shake all of the above with ice, strain, pour, garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg if you prefer.

A couple of these and Santa will leave you whatever you want.  Creamy, luscious, not overly sweet- a delightful holiday martini.  You get a subtle hint of the Chambord with just a bite of the rum/whiskey/brandy notes in the eggnog liquor.  I made it with just plain heavy cream, but think it would be a knockout with a scoop of freshly whipped cream instead.

This one is skating perilously close to 5 olives.  Now we know why Rudolph’s nose was really red.

Ho Ho Ho indeed.

Frosty’s Revenge.

Equal parts(1 oz each):

-hot cocoa (I used Shaker Two’s Snowman Soup mix, cooled)

-vanilla vodka

-amaretto

-golden rum

-Bailey’s

-and cinnamon infused heavy cream

Shake all over ice and garnish with a dash of cinnamon if desired.

Everyone who has tried this has given rave reviews.  A thick, sultry, dessert-y tini, these will last about as long as a snowman on a summer day.  The perfect nightcap on Christmas Eve, leave one of these for Santa and you’ll stay off the naughty list for sure.

Don’t be a stranger Frosty.

Spiced Cran-tini

3 ozs Spiced Cranberry Cider

2 ozs Golden Rum

1 oz Vodka

1/2 oz triple sec

1/2 oz lemon juice

Muddle some fresh peeled ginger in the bottom of a shaker.  Add the remaining ingredients and shake with ice.  Strain, pour and garnish with a strip of orange zest and a dash or two of orange bitters.  Fee Brothers makes a nice one.  The cider is also nice on it’s own for your non- imbibing guests.

Happy Shaking!

The Pear Cide-car

This is my take on the classic side car.  To complement the spiced pear cider I subbed in brandy for the more traditional cognac.

1 oz Brandy

1 oz Triple Sec or Cointreau

2 oz Trader Joe’s Pear Cinnamon Cider

1 oz freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice

Shake all the above over ice, strain and garnish with a bit of the lemon rind.  If you can’t get your hands on meyer lemons you could use regular ones.  But please search for the meyers…..they are a lovely addition to the pear.

I can also see this delicious as a warmed beverage, served in a mug with a stick of cinnamon garnish.

Grab some of the TJ’s Pear Cider.  It’s a seasonal item, so don’t wait.

Cheers!