Tag Archives: recipe

Celebrate Derby Day with Mint Juleps and Woodford Reserve

Derby Day is this weekend! Even up here in Rhode Island, we’re ready for the festivities and celebrations for Kentucky Derby fans. Bottles was lucky enough to receive a few bottles limited edition Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby Bourbon; stop by our store to get yours before they disappear! You can also visit our website to sign up for weekly email newsletters to hear about offers like these first.

Even if you missed getting your Woodford Derby bottles, you can still make some tasty mint juleps with Woodford Reserve and easy to make mint simple syrup. Follow this recipe by Woodford Reserve, below:

MINT JULEP RECIPE

Ingredients:
3oz. Woodford Reserve Bourbon
2 tablespoons mint syrup*
1 sprig of mint

Directions: 
Fill a glass with crushed ice. Add mint syrup, bourbon, and stir until the glass is frosted. Garnish with mint sprig.

*Mint Syrup Recipe
1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 13 springs of mint
Boil sugar and water in a saucepan for 5 minutes. Pour over mint sprigs. Gently crush mint with the back of a spoon. Chill for 8-10 hours, strain, and discard mint.

Cheers!

Italian Food & Wine Pairing: Emilia-Romagna & Pork Tenderloin

 
As part of our in-store wine display, we are featuring regions of Italy by pairing yummy recipes with matching wines. Keep reading to learn about the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and some wines that pair with the Wood-Grilled Pork Tenderloin dish. A big thank-you to Edible Rhody for providing Italian recipes from local chefs from around Rhode Island.
wine map emilia romagna
 
EMILIA ROMAGNA
Emilia-Romagna’s location in Italy allows for an enormous diversity and abundance of cuisine.  From the coastal areas that are famous for its eels and clams, to the interior that is known for its wild game and pork based foods like Prosciutto di Parma and Mortadella from Bologna.  This pork recipe includes traditional ingredients from Emilia-Romagna like Crimini mushrooms, and aged Balsamic Vinegar from Modena.
WINE RECOMMENDATIONS

2011 Tre Monti Albana Secco White

If you prefer white with pork, this is a perfect match!  Albana is a full-bodied white with mouthfilling flavors of ripe peach and plum. It has a delicious savory bitter almond element on the finish that balances out the intense, luxurious fruit.  A great match with charred flavors with the pork and the savory, earthy flavors of the crimini mushrooms.
2011 Tre Monti Campo di Mezzo Sangiovese Superiore
The elegant and straightforward style of this Sangiovese pairs well with the rich flavors of the grilled pork and won’t overpower the flavor of the fine olive oil and fresh cherry tomatoes. Look for aromas of crisp dark fruits and red flowers with flavors of richly flavored dark cherries and baking spices.

*Tre Monti wines were also featured on Anthony Bourdain’s ‘No Reservations.’

 

Photo by Edible Rhody


WOOD-GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

over Shaved Mushroom Crudo with Aceto Balsamico di Modena
Chef/Owner Brian Kingsford, Bacaro, Providence
After the long cold winter, the freshness of the raw mushrooms with their earthiness is gently kissed by the oil of sun-drenched olives—a perfect marriage for the first charcoal fire of the season.
3 pounds fresh pork tenderloin
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup virgin olive oil (Sclafani, Bertolli, Filippo Berio, etc.)
Kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper to taste
1 pound Crimini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
Estate-grown olive oil (Capezzana, Regaleali, Olio Verde, etc.) as needed
Mediterranean sea salt (small grind) as needed
Pinch of chopped fresh rosemary
Aged balsamic vinegar (Aceto Balsamico di Modena) as needed
Cherry tomatoes, sliced (optional)
Place the pork in a single layer in a deep, nonreactive baking dish. Mix the lemon juice with the ½ cup olive oil and a pinch to ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Pour the liquid over the pork and marinate for 2–3 hours.
Preheat a charcoal grill to medium-hot. Season the pork with kosher salt and pepper and place it on the grill, being cautious of flare-ups. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140°, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a rack suspended over a plate to collect drippings; cover loosely with foil and rest in a warm place for about 5 minutes. (For medium doneness, the internal temperature should reach 150° after resting.)
Meanwhile, drizzle the mushrooms with the estate-grown olive oil and a touch of sea salt. Slice the pork ¼ inch thick across the grain and fan the slices over the mushrooms. Pour the pork drippings over the meat and sprinkle on the rosemary and additional sea salt to taste. Drizzle with estate-grown olive oil and vinegar. Garnish with cherry tomatoes if desired. Serve with a salad of fresh organic mixed greens with a touch of lemon and olive oil.
Serves 4 to 6. 

Super Bowl Drink Ideas & Printable Cocktail Sign

Our beloved Pats haven’t reached the Super Bowl, but you and your friends can still gather to watch the game. Serving cocktails during the football game or any party doesn’t have to be stressful – a self serve bar is a great idea where guests make their own drinks. What’s better than a DIY bar for a party, complete with drink ideas? Learn how to set one up, and use these free printable cocktail recipe signs. This download has 6 easy cocktails; all you have to do is set them at the bar! This is a great way to entertain for not only the game, but for birthday parties, bachelor & bachelorette parties, graduation, summer bbq’s, family reunions, and almost any celebration.

super bowl cocktails how to set up a self serve bar
 

What to serve with your jalapeno poppers, buffalo wings and famous spinach dip? Beer of course, but cocktails are great too! You can serve cocktails and not miss any crucial moments of the game. Drink mixing should be limited to time-outs or commercials, so you need something quick, classic and with as few ingredients as possible.  Greet your guests with a cocktail, but also set up a self serve bar in your home arena so as not to lose a minute of action.

SELF SERVE BAR SET-UP
– Have an ice bucket with tongs, a cocktail shaker, bottle opener, bar spoon, and rocks glasses.
– For mixers, have Angostura bitters, simple syrup, ginger ale, club soda, tonic water, and ginger beer.
– Include handles of a few staple liquors like Bourbon, Vodka, and Rum.
– Pre-slice a bowl of limes. (Don’t forget the orange wedges for Old-Fashioned’s!)

It’s time to let your guests to play bartender! Everyone has variations on how they like their drink mixed. A self serve bar with helpful cocktail recipe signs lets them make the perfect drink to their own taste.

COCKTAIL RECIPE SIGNS
Offering simple drink recipes gives your guests ideas for what they can make. Follow the directions below to make each these 6 quick & colorful “Help Yourself!” signs. They each have an easy drink idea with a basic recipe to get them started.

Directions:
 1. Click the link above to download the PDF file.
 2. Print out both pages on your home printer.
 3. With scissors, cut out each of the 6 cocktail recipe signs.
 4. Fold each in half, so that it forms a standing sign with the recipe on both sides.
 5. Place at your bar!

You need a PDF reader to open this download, click HERE if you need to download a PDF reader.

Now that you have assembled the tools and given your guests a quick playbook, all there is left to do is enjoy the game!

Things to do during a time-out:

– Check your ice situation. Good cocktails are chilled cocktails.
– Take out the trash (or just tie the bag and throw it on the back porch to be properly disposed later)
– Make yourself a drink!

moscow mule cocktail recipe printable sign

Moscow Mule

Ingredients
1-2 parts Vodka
1 part Lime Juice
2-3 parts Ginger Beer

Directions
Moscow Mules were first popular in the 1950s, and are so easy to make, smooth, & refreshing, that there’s no way they aren’t making a comeback! Add 2 or 3 ice cubes to Prairie Vodka, fresh Lime Juice, and Gosling’s Ginger Beer, and then stir.

free printable download cocktail recipe signs

Old Fashioned

Ingredients
2 oz. Bourbon
Dash of Angostura Bitters
1 tsp. Simple Syrup
Orange Wedge

Directions
There are many variations on The Old Fashioned; here’s our easy version that’s simple enough for parties that uses Buffalo Trace Bourbon and Angostura Bitters. Add an ice cube or two and stir.

bourbon ginger ale cocktail idea recipe

Bourbon & Ginger Ale

Ingredients
1 part Bourbon
2 parts Ginger Ale

Directions
Bourbon and ginger ale go together like peas ‘n carrots! We are using Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey. Use your favorite ginger ale and serve this bubbly, refreshing drink over ice.

vodka tonic cocktail recipe idea

Vodka Tonic

Ingredients
1 part Vodka
2 parts Tonic Water
Lime Wedge

Directions
Almost everyone knows a Vodka Tonic. Combine Praire Vodka with Fentiman’s Tonic Water over ice, and add a lime wedge.

 
printable cocktail drink signs

 

Daiquiri

Ingredients
3 parts Rum
2 parts Lime Juice
1 part Simple Syrup

Directions
A rum-based cocktail, Daiquiris have many variations; this is a basic version. Fill a shaker with ice & all ingredients. Shake and strain into glass.

how to set up a self serve bar cocktails recipe


Dark and Stormy

Ingredients
1 part Gosling’s Rum
2 parts Gosling’s Ginger Beer
Lime Wedge
 
Directions
A type of highball, a Dark & Stormy is a popular cocktail in the Rhode Island area. Use Gosling’s Rum and Gosling’s Ginger Beer. Serve over ice.

 

What we recommend for liquors & mixers:

Prairie Vodka
The Kraken Black Spiced Rum
Gosling’s Rum
Buffalo Trace Bourbon
Fentiman’s Tonic Water
Angostura Bitters
Gosling’s Ginger Beer

*All available at Bottles Fine Wine in Providence. www.bottlesfinewine.com

CHEERS!

from the folks at Bottles

 

 

Re-Animator: A Bourbon Cocktail Idea

Re-Animator Bourbon Cocktails Ideas

Bourbon cocktail recipe: The Re-Animator: We found this recipe in the NY Times just before last Thanksgiving, and it has quickly become a staff favorite here at Bottles. It’s dangerously simple to make, and the kind of drink that goes down very well after a big meal. All of these ingredients are available at Bottles, a fine wine, craft beer and spirits store in Rhode Island. Contact Us

Simply put, it can be made as follows:

Ingredient List
* 1 Pt. Rye or Bourbon
* 1 Pt. Amaro
* Lemon or Orange Garnish

Stir well over ice, strain into cocktail glass, garnish with a twist. Or serve on the rocks.

bourbon whiskey cocktail recipe ingredients

Amaro is a bitter-sweet Italian herbal liqueur, designed as an after-dinner digestif. It tends to be a little thick, with amazing aromas of anise, citrus, & root beer. When blended with whiskey, the two parts add up to something much greater than the whole, with a swirling interplay of vanilla, citrus, licorice, cherry, chocolate & nutty flavors. I like to make mine with an orange twist, and sometimes a dash of orange bitters to highlight those citrus flavors.

A Re-Animator is also very versatile, as you can easily raise or lower the amount of Bourbon or Amaro to suit your taste, and always end up with a world-class, painfully easy to make cocktail.

Try our other Bourbon Cocktails:
Boulevardier Cocktail Recipe

Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.
 

Boulevardier: Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

Boulevardier Bourbon Cocktail Idea

Learn how to make a Boulevardier cocktail as part of the Bottles Bourbon feature happening in our Providence store. With only 3 ingredients (Bourbon, Campari and Vermouth), this is an easy drink ideas for holiday parties!  Contact Us

This cocktail with a goofy name is a variant on a Negroni, a classic cocktail made of equal parts gin, Campari, & sweet vermouth. In a Negroni, you are seeking balance in the components; bitter Campari tempered by sweet vermouth, with the gin adding punch and floral overtones to the whole.

With a Boulevardier, you replace the gin with bourbon, and raise the ratio of the bourbon a smidge. This results in a sweeter cocktail, and I find it helps to tame the bitterness of the Campari more so than just gin & sweet vermouth. It’s a brilliant drink to have before dinner, as the bitter-sweet flavor and slightly acerbic finish of the Campari will get your gland salivating and ready for the meal at hand.

how to make bourbon cocktail

To make a Boulevardier, try the following ratios:

Ingredient List
* 1.5 Pt. Bourbon
* 1 Pt. Campari
* 1 Pt. Sweet Vermouth
* Lemon Twist

Stir well over crushed ice & strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon.

As with any cocktail, the levels of Bourbon, vermouth, or Campari can be adjusted to make the finished drink more or less bitter or fruity, as suits your fancy. This is a great recipe to play around with, and something very easy (yet elegant) to put in front of guests.

Try our other Bourbon Cocktails:

Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.

Manhattan Cocktail Recipe for the Holidays

manhattan cocktail recipe ingredients "rhode island"
As part of the Bottles Bourbon feature, here is a simple but delicious Manhattan cocktail recipe made from our recommended Bourbons, Vermouths, and Bitters. All of the bourbons and drink ingredients in this blog post are available at our fine wine, beer and liquor store in Providence, Rhode Island. Contact Us

A classic cocktail, Manhattans are easy to make, easy to drink, and can be simply modified to suit one’s taste. The hallmark of a Manhattan is cold, cold Bourbon, whose toasty, oaky vanilla notes are being balanced by the vermouth’s sweet herbal flavor, with the bitters holding to sweetness in check & the cherry adding a touch of fruit.

In perhaps the simplest method, a Manhattan can be broken down as follows:

Ingredient List
* 2 Pts. Bourbon
* 1 Pt. Sweet Vermouth
* 1 Dash of Bitters
* Garnish with a Cherry

Stir over crushed ice & strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.

The particular Bourbon (or Rye!) is up to you, as is the brand of vermouth & bitters. I like to make my Manhattans with Eagle Rare (when I’m feeling fancy) or W.L. Weller Special Reserve, both from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky. Eagle Rare is a Bourbon that exhibits pronounced flavors of fruity cherry in the finish, and is therefore well suited to a Manhattan. W.L. Weller is a wheated whiskey, meaning that a portion of wheat has been added to the corn & grain before distillation. This softens the whiskey, and makes for a very light & refreshing cocktail.

easy best manhattan "how to make"

For Vermouth, I very much prefer Dolin Rouge. It’s less sugary sweet than many of its counterparts, with a delightfully full, herbal flavor. When mixed with bourbon & Peychaud’s Bitters (a true American original, lighter & more floral than Angostura bitters) you get a killer combination.

The great thing about cocktails like the Manhattan is that you can alter them to be stronger or weaker, more or less fruity, sweeter or drier, as your taste or the occasion dictates. They can also be made in advance, left in a pitcher in your fridge, and doled out as necessary – saving you lots of time mixing when company is over.

Try our other Bourbon Cocktails:

Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.

 

Phantasma: Halloween Cocktail Recipe

Halloween and Dia de los Muertos are just around the corner! Phantasma is a Halloween cocktail idea created by the folks here at Bottles, a fine wine, craft beer, and liquor store in Providence, Rhode Island. To help you celebrate for Halloween, here is an easy tequila cocktail recipe that uses only 3 ingredients: Kah Tequila Blanco, Cocchi Americano, and fresh lemon juice. Watch the Cocktail Video 

Phantasma

Ingredients
1.5 oz Kah Blanco Tequila
1.5 oz Cocchi Americano
3/4 oz lemon juice
Lemon garnish

Directions
Add ice to shaker. Add tequila, Cocchi Americano and lemon juice. Shake and then strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge or lemon zest. Enjoy!

The Kah Tequila Blanco skull bottle is hand painted to represent a traditional Calaveras, or sugar skull, which is used in Day of the Dead rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. The word “Kah” translated to life in the ancient Mayan language.

Kah’s distiller’s use 100% hand selected Blue Agave, and is both certified organic and Kosher. Kah Tequila Blanco has sweet notes of cooked agave with a spicy white pepper punch, and is silky, delicate and smokey. This tequila is great on the rocks or for mixing in cocktails.

Cocchi Americano is moscato d’asti, a sweet white wine fortified with a touch of brandy and flavored with gentian root, cinchona bark, along with orange peels and herbs. Cocchi Americano makes a delicious aperitif or great base for mixing. Read this article to learn more about Cocchi Apertivo Americano’s resurgence in craft-cocktail bars across America. The New York Times also has a great article on this Italian aperitif wine.

In the area? Bottles has all the bartending and cocktail supplies you’ll need. We are also happy to deliver or ship your order to you. For more information, visit our website at www.bottlesfinewine.com, call us at (401) 372-2030 or email us at info@blog.bottlesfinewine.com.

Cheers!


Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.

Bonal and Rye Whiskey Cocktail Recipe

Be your own bartender and learn how to make great cocktails with Joanna from Bottles. Bottles is a fine wine, beer and liquor store in Providence, RI. This instructional video shows you how to make Bonal & Rye, a type of rye whiskey cocktail created by San Francisco bartender Todd Smith. Bonal and Rye has only four ingredients, and is juicy, fun, and fresh drink to enjoy at home, with friends, or to impress party guests.

Bonal & Rye

Ingredients
2 oz. Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz. Cointreau
3 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
Orange twist, for garnish

Directions
Shake, strain, and serve with an orange twist garnish.

bonal rye whiskey ingredients list how to make

Bonal is a dark, delicious aperitif that is famous for stimulating the palate and self-proclaimed as “ouvre l’appetit,” or the key to appetite. An infusion of gentiane (a root) and herbs from the Grand Chartreuse Mountains, Bonal tastes a little like port, but not nearly as sweet. It has a bitter element from the gentiane root and chinchona (quinine).

bonal gentiane aperitif cocktail ideas

Use Bonal in place of sweet vermouth (it’s great in a rye Manhattan), or drink neat or on the rocks with a twist of orange.

You can find these ingredients at Bottles.

rye whiskey cocktail bonal orange bitters

Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.

How to Make a Rosé Sangria

Enjoy this refreshing Rosé Sangria recipe at home or with friends, created by Joanna, the Bottles cocktail expert. This sangria drink idea is easy to make and great for the summertime! Watch this video tutorial for instructions on making this crisp and light sangria that uses Frog’s Leap Rosé, Mathilde Pear Liqueur, Q Ginger Ale and local, seasonal fruits and berries.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups mixed fresh fruit
1 bottle of Frog’s Leap Rosé
4 oz. Mathilde Poire Liqueur
Top off with Q Ginger Ale

DIRECTIONS
Pour the rosé wine and pear liqueur into a pitcher. Add fruit. Let sit for two hours or more, and when serving, add a splash of ginger ale. Enjoy!

ingredients rose sangria recipe

The longer you let this sit, the more the fruit will absorb the flavors. Also, try to use fruits that are in season. For the freshest fruit, visit your local farmer’s market.

Frog’s Leap is a winery located in California that makes this wine is dry and light with aromas of watermelon and summer flowers. Mathilde Pear Liqueur is a great cocktail ingredient made from 100% hand picked fruits. Instead of using regular ginger ale, try out Q Ginger Ale. This tasty ginger ale is made of all natural ingredients like rose oil, orange peel and of course, real ginger.

rose sangria drink idea

If you are letting the fruit soak more than a few hours, add the Q ginger ale just before serving, to add a little fizz to your sangria.

easy rose sangria best recipe

Visit our store for the ingredients you need!

Find more videos and cocktail ideas on our YouTube channel and our Cocktail Recipe Page.