There is an old adage that demands you bring out the brown liquors, the bourbon, the whiskey, the dark rum, when the weather turns cold. with the winter we have had here in the Northeast, I say, let’s throw out the rules and do whatever we can to combat the epidemic of seasonal affective disorder symptoms. Bring out the lemons, limes, the vodkas and gins, and pretend we are in summer, sipping a Back-Porch Lemonade.
One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was a copy of the Art of the Bar by bartenders Jeff Hollinger and Rob Schwartz. a beautifully arranged and photographed book, it has been highly useful, this January, in getting through the blizzards which are occurring like clockwork, much like the thunderstorms in Tampa but with admittedly greater probabilities for school cancellations the next day.
The Art of the Bar has the usual classic cocktail recipes; your martinis, margaritas and Manhattans, and the space-wasting “How To Stock your Bar,” but the drinks that make a snow day a delight are the lesser-known cocktails. Experiment. Have fun. You’ll be surprised at how squeezing a fresh lemon will cheer you up. You’ll notice that it’s getting lighter later.
One of the first things necessary in working your way through the book is making syrups, both simple and flavored. begin with the Ginger Simple Syrup, from there you can go on to many weather-warding drinks like the Back-Porch Lemonade pictured below with a contrarian lime wedge:
Ginger Simple Syrup:
2 oz. ginger, thinly sliced 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 cup water 1 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
Combine the ginger, sugar, water and peppercorns in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the syrup smells very gingery. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Strain the syrup through a sieve, transfer to a bottle and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Makes about 1 1/2 cup.