2023 August

Winter Melon Soup (Cantonese)

A part of cantonese culture is soup, we love making soup that according to the season. My wife recently made a winter melon soup with pork bone, mushrooms, goji berries, and winter melon for the late summer to reduce the heaty in our body. And it inspires me to make a cocktail that present the culture of this season.

It doesn't turn very well with the clarified version. Instead of using the clarified mixture, I add the miso premix straight to the cocktail with lemon and infused whiskey.

Miso Premix
1 parts Miso Paste
0.2 parts Ginger
3 Mushroom Stems
1 part Mushroom Water
1 part Water

Clarified
1 parts Mushroom Infused Whiskey
1 parts Miso Premix
0.8 part Syrup
0.5 part Lemon
0.5 part Whole Milk

2023 August

Coffee Run Premix

I bought a bottle of coconut oil earlier from Trader Joe, and I found that it had dissolved by the recent heavy wave in Seattle, so I decided to make a coconut oil-washed coffee rum premix. I brew the coffee with the Blue Bottle Cold Brew Beans and stir it with the liqueur mix. After that, add the coconut oil. Before putting it in the fridge, we must shake it well and let it sit to cool down the mixture.

I dissolve the rum mixture with a quick ice string and topping with sweet coffee cream foam this time. I think I will add some coconut water and lemon to help elevate the drinks and turn it to be more sip easy.

Premix
2 parts Hot Coffee*
0.5 parts White Rum
0.5 parts Spiced Rum
0.5 parts Coffee Liqueur
1 parts Coconut Oil

Cocktail Recipe (Refined)
1 oz Coffee Rum Mixture
0.5 Lemon
2drops Chocolate Bitter
1oz Coconut Water

*Blue Bottle New Orleans Coffee Beans

2023 Late June

Cherry Martini

It is the cherry season in Washington, so we went to a cherry farm in Yakima to pick some sweet and fresh cherries. Both red cherry and rainier cherry are ready on the tree, and this season the rainier cherry has the best flavor overall, so we left some red cherry in the fridge. It will be nice to make some cherry syrup for cocktails.

Cherry Syrup
1 cup Cherries
1 cup Cherries pits
0.5 part Yellow Rock Sugars
few Dried Hibiscus Flowers
3 Star Anises

2023

Milk Washed Kahlua Coffee

I got a recipe from a Japanese cocktail book and tried adjusting the flavor so we would enjoy it more. I asked my wife, brother, and his wife to taste the cocktail. The first one I made with dark roast coffee with Kahlua Coffee Liqueur, it has a bold, smooth, and rounded taste. The second one I made with light roast coffee with Jagermeister Cold Brew Liqueur, it has a fruity hint and a smooth bourbon aftertaste.

3 of us like the second one because it has a lighter flavor, and we think the coffee taste has overtaken the first one. And to balance the fruity note, I added a drop of a chocolate bitter to elevate the nutty flavor. Besides, I have presented the cocktail in different ways, providing a new tasting journey for the drink.

2.5 oz Milk Washed Coffee Cocoktail*
1 drop Chocolate Bitter (Optional)

*Secret Recipe

2023 March

Shisho Umeshu

I read a mixology cocktail book written by a Japanese mixologist. The receipt is simple and easy to make, so I tried it. I have made a couple of drinks with different plum wines to adjust the sweetness and have them present with other ways of garnish.

1oz Umeshu (Plum Wine)
1oz Shochu
1oz Shisho Tea*
1 bar spoon Mezcal

*I used yellow rock sugar instead of sugar cane for the shisho tea syrup. First, heat the 1 part of sugar and 1.5 part of water. After the sugar is completely dissolved, add Shisho leaves and let it sit and cool down for 12 mins. Remove the leave and ready for use.

2022 May

Fig Beets Liqueur

I was inventing a drink in pink-red color for my wedding party and my wife loves fig, so I decided to make a fig liqueur. I tried to use all nature ingredient without adding any artificial colors, then I tested with hibiscus tea, beets, and fresh cranberries to see which tastes work the best. At the end, we think beets works the best because its flavor won't override the fig taste and it creates a beautiful ruby color.

3/4 Bootle Absolute Vodka
20g Chopped Fried Fig
20g Beets Chunks
30g Yellow Rock Sugars

2021 12

Lychee Galaxy Maritini

Empress Gin is a blue gin you can get from a liquor store. I would like to know if I can make one by infusing a small portion of gin dye with the butterfly pea flower. The infused gin got a light floral ascent and a nice galaxy color.

0.75oz SOHO Lychee
0.5oz Butterfly pea flower tea infused Gin*
1.5oz Shochu
0.5oz Honey
0.5oz Lemon & Lime
0.5oz Chamomile Tea

*Add 10g butterfly pea flower to a 10oz Beefeater Gin. Sit at room temperature for 45 mins, then filter the flower with a mesh strainer.