Cocktails of the Week: Celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Kentucky Derby Day

If you like cocktails the next three days should provide plenty of excuses/reasons to have one. Tomorrow, May 5th, is Cinco de Mayo; Saturday, May 6th, is Kentucky Derby Day; and to finish the weekend with a bang, Sunday is National Cosmpolitan Day.  Here are three new delicious cocktails to try now .

FOR CINCO DE MAYO

The Swamp Fire, created by Garret Richard for Slowly Shirley

3/4 oz St. George Green Chili vodka

1/4 oz jalapeño infused tequila

1/2 oz Cabeza tequila

1/2 oz lime

1/2 oz lime cordial

1/4 oz demerara syrup

1 oz pineapple

1/4 oz Green Chartreuse

1/4 oz Cilantro tincture

Glass: Rocks

Ice: Kold Draft

Garnish: Banana leaf wrapped around glass, pineapple, cilantro sprig, and orchid

Method: Shake with 3 cubes

Vampiro, created by Alex Valencia of La Contenta, New York

This traditional Mexican drink incorporates a riff on the classic sangrita, but instead of the tequila and mix served side by side, it’s blended together and topped off with grapefruit soda. 

1.5 parts Tres Agaves Tequila Reposado

5 parts Sangrita*

.5 parts Lime juice

Balance with grapefruit soda (squirt or Jarritos)

Method: Build the drink by first putting the tequila in the glass, then add the sangrita mix and top off with grapefruit soda; stir ingredients together in highball glass and garnish with grapefruit wheel.

*How to Make the Sangrita

Blend together the following ingredients:

– Pinch of salt

– hot sauce

– Orange juice (from 1 orange)

– Lime juice (4 limes)

– Grapefruit juice (2 grapefruits)

– A touch of ground black pepper

FOR KENTUCKY DERBY DAY

The Pineapple Julep, created by Jim Kearns of Slowly Shirley 

2-1/4 oz pineapple-infused Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon*

1/4 oz Cruzan Blackstrap Rum

1/4 oz brown sugar syrup**

7 mint sprigs

Glass: Rocks

Ice: Crushed

Garnish: Lavishly with mint

Method: Combine brown sugar syrup, the leaves of two mint sprigs and pineapple infused Bourbon in a large shaker tin. Muddle. Strain into a chilled julep glass. Top with a generous amount of crushed ice and Blackstrap rum.

*Brown sugar syrup

Combine 2 lbs brown sugar and 1 lb water. Stir over low heat, until sugar is dissolved.

**Pineapple-infused Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon

Cut the skin and leaves off a pineapple. Cut it into cubes, approximately 1″ wide. Combine the pineapple cubes with 1 750ml bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon in a 1-gallon container. Infuse for at least 24 hours.