I'm back from Hawai'i, full of a million stories, and have found myself right in the cherry, sunny days of the launch of summer here in the Bay Area. Now that summer is upon us and we are rapidly approaching the longest day of the year, it's ripe time for farmers markets and fresh produce based cocktails. Luckily for me, I not only have the fabulous Grand Lake Farmers Market around the corner from my pad, but I am now sharing my creations on Saturday afternoons at the New Easy, thanks to owners Kolin and Summer-Jane! I'm thrilled to be a part of their award-winning Farmers Market cocktail program, and looking forward to sunny Saturday afternoons full of fresh herbs and delicious fruit and vegetable cocktails.
I created this gem from market ingredients this past weekend; enjoy the complex herbal flavors dancing with sweet summer cherries.
Grand Lake Swizzle
2 oz Pineapple-Infused Oro Pisco Moscatel
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1/8 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
1 dropperful Bittermens 'Elemakule Tiki Bitters
1 dropperful Bittermens Orchard Street Celery Shrub
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz 2-1 simple syrup
3 Rainier cherries, pitted and halved
3 sprigs Lemon Thyme
Lightly muddle cherries and thyme in the bottom of a collins glass with the back of a bar spoon. Build all other ingredients and top with crushed ice. Swizzle until a frost forms on the glass, wrap in a napkin. Garnish with a cherry and lemon thyme sprig and serve with straws.
Come and see me on Saturdays from 2-8pm at the New Easy, 3255 Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland for fresh market cocktails all summer long.
I'll see YOU there!
--- Suzanne
