Aaah, the Quarantini. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been enjoying an adult beverage or two during my state’s stay-at-home order. Here are some of the more unique travel-themed quarantinis I’ve experimented with.
I’m not a huge drinker, so I’m good for one cocktail – MAX. But, for someone who isn’t mixing it up every night, I’ve got a surprisingly well stocked stash of booze. Here’s my list (this doesn’t include about a case and a half of wine – don’t judge).
Liquor:
Tequila: 4 bottles (I have no idea why)
Vodka: 2 bottles (1 regular, 1 lemon)
Scotch: 2 bottles (both blended)
Gin: 1 bottle
Rum: 1 bottle
The random stuff:
Extra Dry Vermouth: 1 bottle
Limoncello: 2 bottles (1 homemade)
Orangecello: 1 bottle (homemade)
Pimms: 1 bottle
Campari: 1 bottle
Brandy: 1 bottle
Pineau de Charentes: 1 bottle
Chocolate liqueur: 1 bottle
Crème de Cassis: 1 bottle
Pear Eau de Vie: 1 bottle
Maple dessert wine: 1 bottle
The quarantinis I’ve made so far:
Mr. Howell
(because in my mind, Gilligan's whole gang was on a cruise)
Ingredients
1½ oz rum
½ oz scotch
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz maple syrup
Directions
Combine all ingredients into your cocktail shaker
Shake with ice
Strain into a chilled glass
Garnish with a lime wheel
Modification: I only had blended scotch. Why would you waste a single malt on a mixed drink. Just sayin’... It was surprisingly tasty. Oh, and I also only had bottled lime juice
Parisian
(missing the City of Light or City of Lights, whatever floats your cocktail...)
Ingredients
1 part Cassis
1 part Gin
1 part Dry White Vermouth
Directions
Shake vigourously, filter and serve in a frozen Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon zest.
Modification: I used extra dry vermouth.
Negroni
(because I’m looking forward to going back to Italy...eventually)
Ingredients
1 oz. dry gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. vermouth rosso
Directions
1. Add the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake well with cracked ice.
3. Strain into a glass over cubed ice.
4. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.
Modification: Extra dry vermouth which may have changed the taste of the drink. Probably my least favorite. Between the gin and the Campari, it was just a tad bit too medicinally tasting for me.
Bellucci
(because I had all of the ingredients, not because of Italian actress Monica Bellucci)
Ingredients
1 part Cassis
1 part Gin
1 part Campari®
Bitter San Pellegrino®
Directions
Pour the gin, Cassis and the Campari® into a mixing glass full of ice. Stir and serve in large wine glass 3/4 filled with ice. Top up with Bitter San Pellegrino. Garnish with a large orange twist.
It's basically a Negroni with Cassis thrown in!
Modification: I didn’t have Bitter San Pelligrino, but it's very similar to Campari so I didn't feel like I needed it....It was perfectly fine. Even though this had gin and Campari, just like the Negroni, I think the Cassis mellowed out the medicine taste.
(because Mexico)
Ingredients
2 ounces tequila
1/2 ounce lime juice
7 ounces grapefruit soda
Optional: salt (for rim)
Directions
1. Add the tequila and lime juice to a highball glass filled with ice. 2. Fill with grapefruit soda, and stir briefly.
Modification: I had grapefruit juice. It was soooo good.
Dark ‘N’ Stormy
(because I had to cancel my trip to the Carribean)
Ingredients
2 oz. dark rum
3 oz. ginger beer
1/2 oz. lime juice (optional)
Directions
1. Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Add rum.
2. Pour in ginger beer and lime juice.
3. Stir with a barspoon.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy.
Modificattion: I had neither dark rum nor ginger beer, so I used regular rum and ginger lime soda. Sooo good. Instead of Dark ‘N’ Stormy, I’ll call it a “Cloudy ‘N’ Ominous”!
As you can see, I'll never be a bartender based on my lack of "makin' drinks look pretty" skills, or the fact that I'm adding ice to just about every drink, but the point is to use what you've got and enjoy, right?
What’s been my favorite quarantini so far? To my surprise, the Paloma. I’m not a tequila kinda gal, but this hit the spot . Runner up? Dark ‘N’ Stormy.
What have you been making during the lockdown? Tell me about it on Facebook or in Traveleidoscope’s comment section!
