Cocktails of the Week: New Ways to Do Margaritas and Rum Punches

Now that warm weather has arrived, it’s time to sample some summer-proof cocktails. Here are two libations that show you new ways to do the margarita and rum punch The first drink, You Matcha Matcha, was created by mixologist Kevin Denton, mixologist for Pernod Ricard. The second drink, Pineapple Punch, is from Amanda Streibel who heads up the beverage team at Spyglass Rooftop Bar, a popular watering hole atop the Archer hotel.

YOU MATCHA MATCH

1.5 parts Olmeca Altos Plata

1 part fresh pineapple

.75 parts lime

.25 parts agave nectar

¼ barspoon matcha

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail coupe with a cilantro salt rim* (cilantro salt: Blend 1 cup cilantro with 1 cup kosher salt on “high” until incorporated).

The idea behind this cocktail was to create something that combined fresh and trendy ingredients like pineapple and Matcha. “Creating the You Matcha Match cocktail was a great way to showcase how you can really dress up a margarita,” says Kevin Denton, national mixologist for Pernod Ricard based in New York “With the combination of fresh pineapple, lime, agave nectar and Matcha powder, I’ve set out to highlight the range of flavors in the tequila- earth, citrus, tropics and sunshine. The cilantro salt and bright green color makes this one a big green eye-popper!”

PINEAPPLE PUNCH

Ingredients:

2 oz Pineapple Planation Rum 

1 oz Pineapple Juice

.5oz Lime Juice

.5 oz Cinnamon Syrup (recipe below)*

3-5 dashes Vanilla Extract

1 Pineapple Segment to Garnish

Glass: Large Rocks

Garnish:  Pineapple Segment

Method: Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake well. Strain over fresh ice into a highball glass and garnish with a fresh pineapple segment.

*Cinnamon Syrup

5 Cinnamon Sticks
5 Black Cardamom pods, broken in pieces or smashed
1 TB Ground Cinnamon
2 Quarts Water
4 Cups Sugar

Add all ingredients to a saucepan and heat on medium-high heat. Stir to ensure no sugar settles on the bottom of the pot. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid has reduced by a third. Allow to cool slightly and strain twice through a sieve to remove cardamom and cinnamon. Cool completely before use.

In developing the drink Streibel said it was “important to do something different than a standard rum punch. The addition of the cinnamon/cardamom syrup (house recipe) sets the drink apart and adds an additional layer of flavor making.

As for what else to drink for spring/summer 2017, Streibel says she’s focused on re-inventing classics. “I want to have a cocktail list that honors and pays homage to the beloved drinks of generations past across all spirits. Great Tiki drinks, prohibition-era cocktails from New York, Sazeracs from New Orleans, and gin(based libations) from our friends across the pond. I think people are tired of too much mixer or sweetness and are ready for “a little more booze in their booze.”