RECIPE: THE HONEY B COCKTAIL (B STANDS FOR BOURBON)

This cocktail is perfect for almost any occasion and any season. It's simple enough for an impromptu get-together at home, a tailgate party or even elegant enough for a wedding. In fact, I made this cocktail for the wedding of my sweet friends Jenna and John way back in 2014. The couple gifted their guests with small bottles of John’s family’s prized honey as a wedding favor. The secret to this cocktail is the beautiful local honey. If you can't get exquisite local honey like this, any honey will work but may not yield the glorious rich taste or color.

THE HONEY B

Makes 2-3 cocktails

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon, room temperature

4 tablespoons local honey

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 cup unsweetened tea

Dash of orange bitters (find at most good grocery stores in the "adult beverage" aisle)

DIRECTIONS:

In a cocktail shaker or pitcher, add the bourbon and the honey, one tablespoon at a time. Stir or shake well to dissolve the honey before you add the next tablespoon so it all dissolves. If you do this with chilled liquid, the honey will seize up and make it difficult to dissolve.

You may also heat the lemon juice slightly and dissolve the honey in that before mixing everything together.

Add the remaining ingredients. Serve over ice. You may also add a bit more of the tea and serve this as a warm cocktail.

RECIPE: THE OAKS LILY COCKTAIL

The Kentucky Derby is more than one horse race and more than one signature cocktail. Everyone knows that Mint Juleps are served on Derby Day but you may not know that on Friday before the Derby, the fillies race in The Oaks Derby. Everything is fluffy and pink to match the blanket made from Stargazer lilies that is draped over the winner… including the signature cocktail, the Oaks Lily. It is similar to a Cosmopolitan but served over ice.

THE OAKS LILY COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS

3 ounces cranberry juice

1 1/2 ounces vodka

1 ounce sweet and sour mix

1/2 ounce Triple Sec

Blackberry

Lemon wedge

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to a glass and stir to combine. Pour over crushed ice and garnish with a blackberry and a lemon wedge.

SIGNATURE COCKTAIL: BLACKBERRY MOJITO RECIPE FOR 2 OR 100

We had a request for a signature cocktail in plum and green. Well, I could think of nothing prettier nor more delicious than a blackberry mojito. You can find blackberries and fresh mint in storesyear 'round. A mojito is typically made one or two at a time. If you are serving these in a large dispenser, you will have to strain the mixture so the berries and seeds do not clog the spigot.  You don't have to strain the cocktail if you are serving in a pitcher.

BLACKBERRY MOJITOS

For 2

INGREDIENTS

12 large blackberries

12 mint leaves

4 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

3 ounces light rum (you can substitute vodka if you like)

Ice

Club soda

Lime wedge, mint, and blackberries for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Chill two glasses. Put the mint and the berries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with the sugar. Use a wooden spoon to muddle (bruise) the mint and crush the berries. Add rum, lemon and lime juice. Fill with ice. Shake until well chilled. Put mint leaves in the bottom of the glass. Add ice. Strain the cocktail over the ice. Top with club soda for a little sparkle.

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BLACKBERRY MOJITOS FOR A CROWD

Serves 50 (approx 4 ounce servings)

INGREDIENTS

5-6 pints blackberries plus some for garnish

4 bunches mint leaves plus some for garnish

6 cups sugar

4 cups cold water

1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice

6-7 cups light rum (depending on how strong you want the drinks. This is based on 1 ounce per drink which is light. Add more if you like. You can also substitute vodka if you prefer)

Ice

2 bottles of chilled club soda (to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

Put the berries in the bottom of a container with the sugar. Use a wooden spoon to crush the fruit. Add the mint and gently muddle to release the essence of the mint. Add 4 cups of water and stir well to make sure the sugar is dissolved completely. Refrigerate and let sit for at least an hour. If you are using a dispenser with a spigot, you will need to strain off the mixture so the skin from the berries and the mint leaves do not clog the dispenser. Add the strained mixture to your dispenser. Add rum, lemon and lime juice. Fill with ice. Stir well. Top off with a bottle of club soda- to taste. Float mint leaves, lime wheels, or blackberries in the dispenser as garnish. Or thread berries onto a cocktail skewer and have those ready in glasses filled with ice. Then guests can help themselves to the beverage.

Martie's Tips: To make this easier, I usually just put the berries, sugar, and water in a large container. Then whir them together with my immersion blender. I strain off the seeds and any flesh remaining and am left with the juice.  

Often, I will chill or even freeze my drinks for a party so I need less ice and the beverages are not as diluted. For this one, you can freeze lime juice or lemon juice into ice cubes and use that in lieu of adding the juice to the recipe.

You can also substitute mint simple syrup instead of using sugar to make this process easier for such a large batch.