Category: Cocktail

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Cocktail

The Merigold

merigold analytics oneandahalfslices cocktail recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

The Merigold

#yellow2023
merigold analytics oneandahalfslices cocktail recipe

Okay. Man. Wow. Had to get this one ready. Because big things are in motion. Big things, friends.

Invitations are (mostly) launched for #yellow2023

You all know Merigold Analytics needed a signature cocktail

At Slices HQ we are shoulder deep in #openflamecooking and cocktail experimentation (head nod to a very good friend taking the lead)

#morecreativethancorporate

And lots of SALT

Also, surprise! And you’re welcome. All my playlists are newly on Spotify.

Start with Boulder French Kiss

Follow. Enjoy. Dance.  

what you need

2 oz honey syrup (2 oz water + 4 tablespoons honey + 2 dashes cardamom bitters + microwave)

2 oz bourbon of choice

1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

Strongwater Golden Bitters

1 egg white

You want to talk cocktail bitters? Stay tuned. Coming soon.

how to make it

Make the honey syrup by combining the water, honey, and cardamom bitters (just a dash or two… cardamom is strong!) and microwaving for 20 seconds. Stir, let cool, and ensure it tastes sweet ✨

In a cocktail shaker, combine honey syrup, bourbon, lemon juice,  golden bitters, and egg white. NO ICE!  Yes, I realize Strongwater’s golden bitters may be a bit of a special ingredient, but they are worth it – bitters with turmeric, cardamom, and allspice. Give the mixture a good, solid dry shake. ~90 seconds.

Open the cocktail shaker, add a few ice cubes, and shake delicately a second time just to cool the mixture. Serve in a coupe glass and top with something interesting – a twist, a dehydrated hibiscus flower, an ultra thin strawberry slice 🍓 

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Felix Felicis

one and a half slices kir royale felix felicis liquid luck recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Felix Felicis

also known as The Kir Royale
one and a half slices kir royale felix felicis liquid luck recipe

I am jumping the gun a little bit here because technically this recipe is supposed to be featured as part of the upcoming French Dinner Series. But I wanted to start the year lucky. 

Where to start. 

Last year was a wizbang year professionally that culminated in the illustrious reimagination of Merigold. Last year was a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck. My first boss (yes, the same first boss responsible for my inelegant introduction to scotch) taught me many important things, one of which was to always begin elegant dinners with a champagne cocktail. His go-to was the Kir Royale. And it quickly became mine. 

So when I launched an analytic program very near and dear to my heart last year, naturally, in the spirit of my libation-inclined first boss, I named it Kir Royale. As I said, it was a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck. 

Since that time, the Kir Royale has brought luck in several locations (yes, one of them was Vegas…). It became symbolic to me for luck. In honor of the Harry Potter-themed open-world videogame finally launching this week titled Hogwarts Legacy (and to accompany my complete primary computer rebuild in preparation for the aforementioned), I dubbed the Kir Royale ‘The Felix Felicis’.

Felix Felicis, in Harry Potter world, is the potion colloquially called Liquid Luck, and it brings some subsequent period of inescapable luck to all who drink it. Professor Slughorn gives Harry a small vile of Felix Felicis in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince which Harry then uses (as a placebo) to give Ron confidence during Quidditch trials. Now I just have to figure out how to create a kumquat-inspired dessert and parlay it into dirigible plums…

Okay, enough lore. More cocktails. 

Bottom line, the Kir Royale was initially, to me, a symbol of elegance. Now, it is a symbol of elegance and luck. And it brought me snake shoes in 2023. It’s special. 

what you need

1/4 oz crème de cassis (French liquor made from the black currant; restaurants will sometimes substitute Chambord, made from raspberries, but this makes the drink quite a bit sweeter)

1 twist of lemon

champagne of choice 

how to make it

[pour] crème de cassis in a champagne glass

[top] with champagne

[twist] the lemon over the bubbles and garnish. 

[get fancy] with a blackberry
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one and a half slices oneandahalfslices cocktail recipe Instagram inspiration summer

Summer in Madrid

Loosely based somewhere afloat in the Atlantic between a French 75 and an Aperol Spritz, I bring you Deep Summer. (And yes, our Ginger really did spend a summer in Madrid…) ☀️

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May 17, 2024 No Comments
one and a half slices aperol spritz cocktail recipe

Aperol Spritz

I am interrupting your regularly-scheduled programming here on this Easter weekend to declare Spring officially arrived here in Northern Virginia. And what better way to welcome and celebrate it than with a quintessentially-summer cocktail? (I know, wishful thinking at it’s best). So in honor of my lovely niece-in-law and nephew, I give you the Aperol Spritz, which I am now fully convinced is only complete alongside homemade pizza. Still working on the pizza but, for now, enjoy the drink!

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April 16, 2022 4 Comments
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Cocktail

The Cranberry’s Gold

one and a half slices holiday cranberry bourbon cocktail
one and a half slices local simple recipes food

The Cranberry's Gold

one and a half slices holiday cranberry bourbon cocktail

Happy Holidays (or Merry Chrismahannusolstikwanzadan) from OneandahalfSlices!

❄️🥂❄️

Consider this your early Holiday present. It’s a good one. If Aperol Spritz set the tone for the summer and Paper Plane became the vibe of the fall, this drink says Holiday in my house. It is quite a bit smoother and more balanced than a Paper Plane. If you’re not a cranberry fan, not to worry – it is not over-cranberry-y. It is tart and smooth and very festive. Truth in advertising, I stole this one from a new food blog friend, The Yankee Cowboy.

☃️

what you need

**1 batch of cranberry simple syrup, ~2 hrs prep time

For syrup:

1 cup honey

1 cup filtered water

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

 

For cocktail:

2 oz bourbon of choice

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz cranberry simple syrup

how to make it

To make the cranberry simple: combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of honey in a saucepan over high heat. Heat until it comes to a rolling boil. Add the cranberries then remove from heat, cover, and let stand for two hours. After two hours, strain the liquid into a jar for storage and keep the cranberries for later. Note that the consistency will not be syrup-y but it will be thicker than water. 

To make the cocktail: Combine 1 oz lemon juice, 1 oz cranberry syrup, and 2 oz bourbon of choice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain over a large ice cube. 

To garnish: Roll the cranberries in cane sugar so they become little sweet gems. Stick them on a toothpick and use them as garnish!
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Blood and Sand

one and a half slices blood and sand classic cocktail recipe scotch whiskey
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Blood and Sand

one and a half slices blood and sand classic cocktail recipe scotch whiskey

Whether it is the last of the fall leaves or the #wintervibes, for whatever reason what I woke up craving today was a scotch-based beverage. Not bourbon. Scotch. And yes, when I say I woke up craving it, I mean to say I wanted scotch before coffee. Blood and Sand is a cocktail that’s been around since about 1930. I adjust it slightly to make it more to my liking – less sweet – and I also use a fairly smooth scotch (Scapa). Naturally, I garnished it with a caramelized blood orange slice. For studies in the blowtorch, see the Smoked Old Fashioned post.

what you need

1 3/4 oz scotch (I used Scapa)

1 3/4 oz fresh blood orange juice

3/4 oz sweet vermouth

1 tablespoon juice from your cocktail cherries of choice (I used Luxardo)

how to make it

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with ice. Serve in your glass of choice and garnish with an orange twist or, if you prefer, a caramelized blood orange sliver. 

🍊🍊🍊
Looking for a Scotch Recommendation?

Whiskey

Pretty soon, OneandahalfSlices is going to begin branching out into cocktails. One thing is for certain – there will be a lot of whiskey-based beverages. For that reason, I decided to kick off our foray into the vast and captivating world of libations with a What’s On My Whiskey Shelf post to familiarize you all with some of my favorites. So pick your favorite and get ready to whip up my signature drink – the Smoked Old Fashioned.

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May 14, 2021 4 Comments
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Autumn Sangria

one and a half slices sangria wine recipe cocktail
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Autumn Sangria

I am pretty sure we all think of Sangria as a summertime cocktail. Definitely something to be consumed, along with tisana, while wandering the Costa Brava during the summer months. But my food philosophy states that sangria can be consumed any time of the year. In fact, it can even be a bit Christmassy. All you need is to spice it up with a little seasonal flavor.

🍂🎄❄️

Traditional sangria is made by letting fruit marinate in light red wine and fortifying it with brandy. Those who have had this kind of sangria are left disappointed by the boxed red wine + lemon wedges + Sprite situation we so often find here in the United States.

I’ll be honest, when concocting my autumn sangria I may have riffed a little on the Blackberry Farm recipe. It was their idea to take sangria up a notch with… are you ready for it? Beetroot. *gasps*  I promise it isn’t as root-vegetably as it sounds, but it does give the sangria a distinctively earthy quality. For that reason, I believe it pairs exceptionally well with my winter root vegetable soup and simple croutons.

Happy Fall , happy Christmas, happy Saturday!

what you need

Recipe makes 1 pitcher. 

For the sangria: 

1 bottle pinot noir or red wine of choice

1/2 cup citrus juice (blood orange, orange, lemon, blend, all fair game)

1/2 cup brandy or cognac (I used Courvoisier)

1/4 cup citrus liquor such a Grand Marnier or Cointreau (I used Solerno)

1/2 apple sliced thinly

1/2 orange sliced thinly 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup beetroot simple syrup

 

For the simple syrup:

2 1/2-3 cups water

2-3 small-medium beets, peeled and halved

1 cup sugar

2 sprigs of thyme

two dashes of cardamom 

how to make it

For the simple syrup: Place the water over medium to high heat stovetop and add the beets, sugar, thyme, and cardamom. (Should you need some actual beats for this process, check here 🎶). Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mixture begins to bubble light brown and take on a thicker texture.

Remove the fresh thyme sprigs and discard. Remove the syrup from the heat and let stand in the pot for a few minutes while you deal with the beets. Place the beets in a high speed blender with a little bit of water and blend until very, very smooth. You may need to add more water to play with the consistency until the pureed beets are more or less pourable. Then add the pureed beets tablespoon by tablespoon back to the simple syrup, stirring well until you have a very thick, sticky liquid.

Pro tip: aside from the massive sugar content, I am pretty sure the pureed beets would make great baby food. I do not own a baby, so I would not know. Store the simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

The sangria itself is far from difficult but it is best if it sits for at least a couple hours before you serve it. In a serving pitcher or large vessel (candidly, I used a flower vase), place the sliced apples and oranges. Pour the citrus liquor, citrus juice, cognac, and beetroot simple syrup over the fruit. Stir well. Add the wine and the water, and let sit refrigerated for several hours. Garnish with fresh fruit and serve. 

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Bourbon and Blood

bourbon cocktail recipe One and a half Slices
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Bourbon and Blood Cocktail

In the spirit of getting more cocktail recipes on the blog, Halloween, and using up the Solerno Blood Orange Liquor that I have moved exactly six times without touching a drop, I decided to experiment with a trendy, spooky cocktail. Naturally, I added my own twist by pulling out the blow torch and smoking the crap out of half my kitchen. I also dimmed the original recipe slightly so it was less sweet because Solerno can be a syrup-y addition to any cocktail. What remains is a still-sweet, slightly smoky, herbaceous, auntumn cocktail.

🍊

what you need

1.5 oz bourbon or rye of choice (need some whisky recommendations? Check out my Whiskey post.)

1/2 oz Solerno Blood Orange Liquor

1/2 oz sweet vermouth

3 dashes bitters of choice (I used 1 dash Fee Brothers Black Walnut bitters and 2 dashes Reagan Orange Bitters)

Optional garnish: rosemary, thyme, tarragon, or a candied orange peel

how to make it

Start by smoking your glass. Don’t know how to smoke a cocktail? Check out the videos in the Smoked Old Fashioned post. I singed (not burned) a few rosemary sprigs several times under my cup and let it stand while I made the cocktail in a separate mason jar. My friend pointed out that the singed rosemary looks like a smoked a cockroach. I did not, in fact, smoke a cockroach…

In a separate vessel, mix all the ingredients together with large ice cubes and stir to combine. Upturn your smoky glass and immediately insert a large ice cube, spinning the ice cube a couple of times so the ice absorbs the smoke. Pour the cocktail over the top, garnish, and enjoy!
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one and a half slices paper plane cocktail recipe

Paper Plane

This cocktail has quickly become a favorite this summer after we ODed on Aperol Spritz’s early on thanks to my beautiful nephew and niece-in-law. The paper plane would be all too sweet if it weren’t for the bitterness added by, well, the bitters. As it stands, it’s a fresh, zesty, lemony, foamy, beautiful cocktail that will rival your summertime cosmo or G&T any day of the week. It is definitely here to stay. 

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August 27, 2022 2 Comments
one and a half slices fall sangria recipe

Spiced Sangria

Surprisingly, Sangria creates the perfect canvas for a fall cocktail. Its summer value is still very much appreciated, but if you ask me, I vote it should be enjoyed year round. This Sangria is spiced with fall spices and ready to welcome in chillier weather. And it was the perfect entree into our inaugural Saturday Supper this year.

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October 10, 2023 1 Comment
one and a half slices blood and sand classic cocktail recipe scotch whiskey

Blood and Sand

Blood and Sand Whether it is the last of the fall leaves or the #wintervibes, for whatever reason what I woke up craving today was a scotch-based beverage. Not bourbon. Scotch. And yes, when I say I woke up craving it, I mean to say I wanted scotch before coffee. Blood and Sand is a cocktail that’s been around since about 1930. I adjust it slightly to make it more to my liking – less

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November 20, 2022 No Comments

Sunshine Water

When the Winter begins to give way, I am overcome with gratitude for warm sun rays, vibrant cherry blossoms, and that lime-y green that we only see once a year for a few weeks when the natural world begins to emerge from its hibernation. That crisp, warming air calls for something fresh, something bright, something cleansing. That thing is Sunshine Water. During the pandemic, I got in the habit of making a pitcher of this stuff when I woke up in the mornings I worked from home, and sipping on it all day long. It is a great way to wake up the digestive system before coffee. I’ve always found that citrus has an energizing effect. So mix up a pitcher and enjoy on your next sunny day with the windows open! Also, check out the Windows Open playlist to accompany.

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April 9, 2021 No Comments
one and a half slices old fashioned cocktail recipe

Old Fashioned

For those of you who have tried my Smoked Old Fashioned, it occurred to me the other day that I hadn’t made it simple for everyone by just including a base Old Fashioned recipe. The Old Fashioned is one of the most quintessential cocktails, like the Manhattan or the Sazerac (my other two favorites). The Old Fashioned is the sweetest of the three and the most fruit-forward. It is also the least strong owing in part to the fact that it is served over a large ice cube. 

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March 27, 2022 4 Comments
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Paper Plane

one and a half slices paper plane cocktail recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Paper Plane Cocktail

This weekend I finally got my hands on a bottle of Amaro Nonino. My good friend and connoisseur of both Spanish wine and cocktails has been sending over cocktail recipes for upwards of a year all of which feature this magical ingredient which had not yet made its way to the mixer shelf. Amaro is an Italian bitter not unlike Campari, Aperol, or Fernet Branca. This cocktail has quickly become a favorite this summer after we ODed on Aperol Spritz’s early on thanks to my beautiful nephew and niece-in-law. The paper plane would be all too sweet if it weren’t for the bitterness added by, well, the bitters. As it stands, it’s a fresh, zesty, lemony, foamy, beautiful cocktail that will rival your summertime cosmo or G&T any day of the week. It is definitely here to stay. 

🍋

what you need

1 oz bourbon of choice

1 oz Amaro Nonino

1 oz Aperol

3/4-1 oz fresh lemon juice

how to make it

Shake all ingredients vigorously in a cocktail shaker with ice. Serve immediately in a chilled glass and garnish with a lemon twist. 

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Sprinkled Lemonade

oneandahalfslices sprinkles lemonade summer
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Sprinkled Lemonade!

and other announcements…

oneandahalfslices sprinkles lemonade summer

“if it costs you your peace, it’s too expensive”

paolo coehlo

what you need

4″ chunk of fresh, juicy watermelon

1-2 strawberries

1 oz lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

2 oz vodka

2 oz water

(optional) sprinkles

**but, really, when are sprinkles ever optional?

🍉🍓🍉

how to make it

Muddle the watermelon, strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar together in a cocktail shaker. 

Add the vodka and water. Shake vigorously with ice until frothy. 

Rim a coup or cocktail glass with lemon juice and dip into sprinkles of choice. Strain the cocktail into the glass and top with a paper thin strawberry slice. 

Tips! Use other fruit (like raspberries). Let the melon, berries, vodka, lemon juice, and sugar soak for 20 minutes before making the cocktail for stronger flavors. Make it frozen by blending frozen watermelon chunks with all ingredients and adding water and/or plant-based milk as desired.  

There are some big things “happening at OneandahalfSlices this year. I know, I know… I’ve been quiet. I’ve been absent. I’ve been exploring. More than just The Balkans, it turns out.

I’ve been going through a pink phase (well, it’s really more of a rose phase, but nevermind). I’ve been going through a sprinkle phase. And I’ve been trying to figure out how to love. my. day. Because in the space between a global pandemic and a PhD, I forgot how.

So I’m planning a transition. A transition out of my full time job, into good vibes – to make space, to get deliberate and slow, to be quiet, to travel, to require less, to live more, to love deeply, to discover without seeking, to find what is around me without looking forward, to relinquish progress to make room for natural energy, curiosity, and strength.

Merigold Analytics and OneandahalfSlices come together in a meaningful way around flavor, health, and authenticity. 

So stick with us friends, colleagues, vibe seekers, wanderlusts, gamers, thalassophiles, entrepreneurs, and our nation’s youth… we’re about to get vibey. 

🍉☀️🍉

oneandahalfslices sprinkles lemonade summer
oneandahalfslices lemons lemonade summer

wear sunscreen

eat color

recognize the beauty of your body

indulge without overindulging

allow things to come and go

get out of your comfort zone

stretch

hydrate

appreciate

LOVE YOUR DAY

eat food, not too much, mostly plants

introspect

adore

measure less, live more

no bull, all love

“in the kingdom of glass, everything is transparent and there is no place to hide a dark heart.”

#oneandahalfslices

🍉🍋🍉

Endless Summer

“summertime and the livin’s easy.”

– lana del rey

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Cucumber Mint Gimlet

one and a half slices cucumber mint cocktail recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Cucumber Mint Gimlet

one and a half slices cucumber mint cocktail recipe

With this cocktail, I officially declare it summer. This beautifully crisp invention came from a friend of mine after two bottles of Prosecco worth of Aperol Spritz and my vehement proclamation: “will you please do something with this cucumber?!” Little did I know the ‘something’ would become one of the highlights of the evening. The cucumber mint gimlet is crisp, vibrant, cool, and everything a summer cocktail should be. It also paired perfectly with our Mediterranean-themed meal which included homemade tzatziki sauce. 

what you need

2 inch slice of peeled cucumber, halved and sliced

handful of fresh mint

1 teaspoon of honey

juice of 1 lime

2oz gin (my preferred gin is The Botanist though Hendricks would also probably do well)

how to make it

Muddle cucumber, mint, honey, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker.

Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.

Strain into a glass over a large ice cube and garnish with a sprig of mint.

one and a half slices mint recipe cocktail gin
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Aperol Spritz

one and a half slices aperol spritz cocktail recipe
OneandahalfSlices food blog recipes One and a half Slices Virginia eat local

Classic Aperol Spritz

I am interrupting your regularly scheduled programming on this Easter weekend to declare Spring officially arrived here in Northern Virginia. And what better way to welcome and celebrate it than with a quintessentially summer cocktail? (I know, wishful thinking at it’s best.) So in honor of my lovely niece-in-law and nephew, I give you the Aperol Spritz, which I am now fully convinced is only complete alongside homemade pizza. Still working on the pizza but, for now, enjoy the drink! // Now, given that it is Easter weekend (🐇), I’ll urge all of you to channel your inner French gypsy and make my French Chocolate Cake this weekend for your festivities. Things you can look forward to from my Easter celebrations include baked chicken and authentic, versatile mole [moh-lay] sauce.

what you need

🍹 2 oz Aperol

🍊 1 oz blood orange or regular orange juice

🍾 Prosecco or sparkling of choice

🍊 (optional) 3 dashes citrus bitters like Reagan’s

how to make it

Pour Aperol, orange juice, and bitters into a large wine glass over ice. 

Top it off with sparkling of choice.

Stir, garnish with an orange slice, and serve up your own vibrant cup of summertime. 

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