Back Porch Beverages- Chocolate Mint Martini

Tracy came to visit us from Nashville. We created a drink for this week's back porch beverages. I am unsure of the measurements because we dumped all the ingredients in the blender. You will need:

chocolate mint (this ingredient was the inspiration for our beverage)

chocolate ice cream

agave nectar

vodka

We added the vodka and agave to the
mint when we muddled it.

Add ice, ice cream, chocolate mint 

syrup mixture, and more vodka  

Comments: It was a good dessert beverage. I don't know if anyone would want more than one.

Back Porch Beverages-Strawberry Basil Martini

This week we are making a yummy strawberry basil martini. The thing that I have enjoyed most about these beverages are the herbs. They give each drink an additional flavor that I am not expecting. Here is what you will need for this back porch beverage done family style.

3 strawberries, plus one for garnish

3 basil leaves

1/2 agave nectar

 Ice

1 ounce Gin

1 ounce Vodka

1/2 fresh lime juice

chop and squeeze people

My brother, sister in law and Will

I think Kim is about to start dancing because
her beverage is so good.

Comments: This drink was sweet but not too sweet for my taste. I think the basil kept the drink from tasting too much like a daiquiri.  

Back Porch Beverages-Rosemary Tonic

Mikey and Lindsay are always making something homemade. This time it is soda so we decided to use it as our base for a back porch beverage. Here is their recipe for the soda. We added citrus vodka to give it a summer beverage kick.

Homemade soda

1/2 c lemon juice (strained)

1/2 c lime juice (strained)

Steep Rosemary in 1 c simmering water for 15 mins (then strain)

1/4 c sugar mixed that hot water

2 Liters sparkling water

Honestly can't remember what we are doing.

Comments: The soda is very light in taste and the rosemary adds a nice flare for refreshment. Mikey said he doesn't use the amount of lemon and lime juice that the recipe calls for so keep that in mind if you are wanting to make soda. The citrus vodka was a nice compliment to the rosemary. Light and crisp would be the adjectives I use for this drink.

Back Porch Beverages-Blackberry Herb Cocktail

Here is what you will need:

2 cups of fresh blueberries
1/4 cup of sugar
2/3 cup of water
1 1/2 tbsp of finely chopped rosemary
1 bottle of Prosecco (Italian sparking white wine)

Simmer blackberries, sugar, water, and rosemary in a saucepan.
Stirring occasionally until thick then reduce heat for
20 minutes.

Pour into sieve and then let sit for 5 minutes.

It was so good warm we decide to add
it to some leftover lemon sorbet.

Here is Claire modeling the beverage.

Comments: I took the economical way out and bought sparkling white wine instead of Prosecco. Claire made the comment that Prosecco is sweeter and would have probably gone with the blackberry mix better. The blackberry and rosemary was an interesting combination. Not interesting bad, but interesting like the rosemary was hanging out with the wrong crowd. I am used to rosemary being in a certain neighborhood with my chicken, but instead it decided to venture over to the drink neighborhood. The light taste of the rosemary gave the drink an extra refreshing tone.

Back Porch Beverages-Cucumber Margaritas

It has been a little while since we have invited the cucumbers to the back porch party.  This drink offers a lighter twist to the original margarita. You will need:

• 1/4 cucumber, peeled, sliced, seeded, and diced
• 1 lime, juiced, plus a wedge or slice, for garnish
• 2 ounces tequila reposado
• 1-ounce simple syrup or agave nectar
• 1-ounce sweet and sour mix
• Pinch of cayenne pepper powder

Lots of Limes

De-seed and peel cucumbers. Muddle
cucumbers, lime, tequila, agave, sweet
and sour mix, and a pinch of cayenne.

Salt chilled glasses and pour.

Parker and Leigh Ann joined us on the back porch.

Will's photography skills at work.

Comments: I would puree the cucumber instead of muddle it. The cucumber wasn't as strong as I would have liked. One of the drinks turned out perfect as far as the amount of cucumber, but the other three lacked that great cucumber flavor.

Back Porch Beverages-Eucalyptus Martini

This drink stirred my curiosity. I wanted to see how eucalyptus tastes since it has a such refreshing smell. Here is what you will need:

50ml Tanqueray

25ml homemade eucalyptus syrup (since I didn't have any laying around I will show you how to make it)

12.5ml lime juice

3 drops of egg white

Bring water and sugar to a boil. Add
the eucalyptus leaves and let simmer
for a minute.

Strain leaves. Put eucalyptus syrup, lime
juice, Gin, and 3 drops egg white into
shaker. And shake it.

Add eucalyptus leaf for garnish.

Karen and Ben joined us on the Back Porch.

Comment: I would use less lime. It over powered the eucalyptus a little bit. This drink was very refreshing and light.

Back Porch Beverages-????

This probably the prettiest drink so far. The problem is we don't have a name. I got the recipe from a magazine and changed some of the ingredients and decided to give it a new name. Here are the possibilities we came up with Limoo (lemon in Farsi), Cosmopol-ain't, or Cosmopol-i-mint. Help us choose.

You will need the following ingredients.

Citrus Vodka (1 1/4 oz), lemon juice(1oz), simple syrup(1/2oz),
 pomegranate juice, and Sprite.

Muddle your mint and then add vodka, lemon juice,
and simple syrup and shake. Pour into glass and
add a splash of Sprite and pomegranate juice

Walah! Isn't it pretty?

Stacy and Nima joined us on the Back Porch.

Is the self-timer obvious?

Maybe a little.

Comments: We all thought it needed a little less lemon because it over powered the mint a little. I put more than a splash of pomegranate in all the drinks except for Stacy's drink. We all decided hers was the best. Take it from me all you need is a slight tilt of the wrist. Have a great weekend!

Watermelon Situation

This week's drink is called a watermelon situation.You will need the following ingredients:

• 8 cups diced watermelon (about 1/2 of a small watermelon), plus slices for garnish
• 8 ounces lemon vodka, chilled
• 7 ounces simple syrup
• 1 (17.5-ounce) can coconut juice
• 1 lemon

Blend watermelon until smooth. Add vodka,
simple syrup, coconut juice, and one lemon.
Serve in a chilled glass with a lemon wheel.

Jamie and Clark joined us for drinks.

Here's Jaime.

Comments: This drink is really good. It is a tad sweet for me so I wasn't able to drink more than one. It is a colorful and fun drink to serve if you are having a summer bbq. The recipe makes plenty.

Back Porch Beverages-Blueberries Gone Wild

This week's cocktail is berry delicious. {hehe} Here are the ingredients that you will need:

12 blueberries, 4 skewered on a pick

1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/4 ounce agave nectar
Ice cubes, plus crushed ice
1-1/2 ounces gin
1/4 ounce all-natural grenadine (we used Minute Maid Pomegranate juice)
1 lemon wheel

Muddle blueberries, lemon juice, and
agave nectar. Add ice, pomegranate juice,
and gin. Shake well.

I was raptured.

Comments: There wasn't anything that I would change. It was a great drink- sweet, but not too sweet.

Back Porch Beverages-Cucumber Martini

This week we went with something light and refreshing. We are making Cucumber Martini's. You will need the following ingredients:


2 English Cucumbers (or use regular ones just peel and seed them)
crushed ice
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 tsp of granulated sugar
3 tbsp of fresh lime juice
4oz vodka
1oz triple sec

Peel and deseed the cucumbers.

Puree them in a food processor and strain the solid parts. In the shaker muddle the mint, add sugar, a handful of crushed ice, lime, cucumber puree, vodka and triple sec. Shake and serve. This recipe makes enough for two. If you like them strong you may want to increase the amount of vodka.

Serve and enjoy!

Claire joined us on the back porch.