Mig Royale

1 oz. Plymouth gin
3/4 oz. Cointreau
1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino
1/2 oz. Lemon juice
Dry champagne

Shake everything over ice.  Strain into a flute/coupe then top with champagne.
    

I had pretty high hopes for this drink.  Mainly because the picture in the book makes it look so delicious.  But in the end it was just okay.  The Maraschino is so powerful so it comes through quite a bit.  But it's easy to make so I went ahead and made two. :)

Cinnamon Girl

2 Orange wedges
2 oz. Siete Leguas Reposado
1/4 oz. Smith & Cross
3/4 oz. Lime juice
1/2 oz. Cinnamon bark syrup
1/4 oz. Cane sugar syrup
1 dash House orange bitters
1 Orange crescent

Cut two wedges from and orange and drop into a shaker.  Prep garnish - orange crescent.   Muddle the two orange wedges.  Add the remaining ingredients to the shaker.  Before adding ice and shaking, fill a double rocks glass with crushed ice.  Now shake.  Strain into the glass and garnish with the orange crescent.    

This drink is awesome.  Very refreshing.  There's a lot of steps to it so it takes some time to make, but worth it.  Not sure it works with a different rum, as the Smith & Cross is so strong and potent.  It doesn't take much.  On the list of regulars for sure.

Gin Fizz

2 oz. Beefeater
3/4 oz. Lemon juice
3/4 oz. Simple syrup
1 Egg white
Club soda

Dry shake all ingredients (except Club soda), then shake again with ice.  Double strain into a fizz glass and top with Club soda.  No garnish.

So this was a little rough and I may be to blame.  Everything started well.  I dry shook for like two minutes (which feels like forever) and shook with ice for probably another minute.  I took a first sip and was happy.  But then I got called away to change a diaper (the joys of parenting).  I think I did something else as well.  Anyway, I came back to finish and by the end of the drink I was getting a little bit of the 'wet dog' smell you can get from an egg white cocktail.  I've read a little bit about this.  You've gotta drink egg white cocktails quick.  Also, supposedly the little white fleshy part in the egg white is what makes it smell and you can remove it.  Maybe I'll try that next time.  Or just let the diaper wait.

Gin Rickey

2 oz. Beefeater
1 oz. Lime juice
1/2 oz. Simple syrup
Club soda
1 Lime wedge

Prep garnish - lime wedge.  Short shake all ingredients (except Club soda) with 3 ice cubes, then strain into a highball glass filled with ice cubes.  Top with Club soda.  Give a quick stir with a barspoon.  Add lime wedge.

A refreshing pull after working in the yard this past weekend.  I think giving the drink and quick stir after the Club soda helps make it a bit more consistent.  The first attempt I didn't stir so it felt like a slug of Club on top of lime,  sugar, and gin.  The second round tasted much better.