Little Bitte Sunshine

This Turmeric and Gin Cocktail Is Like Sipping Liquid Sunshine

 Turmeric, honey, and grapefruit add a sweet, earthy flavor to Little Miss Sunshine, which uses a botanical gin as its base spirit.

I crave sunshine in the winter. No matter how many hikes in the woods, walks on the beach, trips to the park, prances through the snow – I still want that placating light and heat of the sun… How does one truly sip in the sun during winter, despite the grey skies and winter blues? Fresh citrus and turmeric help immensely, and Little Miss Sunshine, our latest cocktail concoction, is an homage to the sun when we need her most.

It’s no coincidence that the Latin name for grapefruit is citrus x paradisi, or rather,

citrus = paradise, delivered as it is in a lovely yellow-orange rind. Broiling grapefruit is an exciting way to add a bit of caramelized sweetness to the fruit. I coat the flesh with a teaspoon of honey (instead of sugar) for added floral notes and broil it until I see a bit of char for visual drama and smoky notes, about 5–8 minutes depending on your oven.

Little Miss Sunshine deserves an aromatic, woodsy gin like St. George Terroir, which is infused with Douglas fir, bay laurel, wok-roasted coriander, and a hint of citrus. Solo, Terroir feels like sipping in a verdant forest, then discovering a sunny clearing full of wildflowers. Yes, this gin is that botanical. I round it out with turmeric-honey syrup for another dash of spicy, earthy sweetness…

Read the Full Story and Recipe Here

The Grade A Pisco Sour: A Classic Updated for Maple Syrup Season

10S-pisco-sour-sip-puddingstone-final-bitte
The traditional pisco sour gets updated with maple syrup, a nod to sugaring season across New England. 

In 1641, King Philip IV of Spain sanctioned heavy taxes on all wine produced in Peru. Instead of revolting, his indignant overseas subjects evaded the burden by distilling their grape harvest into booze. Talk about the mother of invention.

Pisco (which means “bird” in the indigenous Quechua language) remains a popular spirit today. The clear brandy-like libation is named for the Peruvian port from where it was first exported. Made from grapes fermented with their skins still on, it goes through a single distillation, meaning there’s no water added; each batch is pure and unaltered…

This is culinary alchemy: The culmination is light but rich, tart and ambrosial.

Visit  Puddingstone Post for the full story & the Grade A Pisco Sour recipe.