Make it your own: Creating a signature cocktail

(Marital Bliss, signature cocktail from Eunice Moyle and Daniel James' wedding - photo by Emily Nathan for Martha Stewart Weddings)

 The resurgence of the cocktail can be seen across the globe, in bars, movies and of course on Mad Men. Just a few years ago it was tough to find a well made Old-Fashioned but today it is a standard by which a bartender is to be judged. At dinner parties the assortment of spirits is no longer just vodka  but a whole slew of hand-crafted spirits to warm the soul. If you are looking to add a twist of fun to your next party or take your wedding or your friends wedding to the next level, make a signature cocktail. Just as your favorite bar or even bartender might have a signature cocktail, you too can create your own and splash a dash of your personality into your own drink.

The key to all great cocktails, as well as live, is balance. There are three primary parts to a cocktail: sweet, sour, and the spirit. This simple combination makes some of the greatest drinks that will ever cross your lips. The classic Margarita is just a simple combination of lime juice (sour), agave nectar (sweet) and tequila (spirit). You can always add subtle nuances to the drink but the foundations of all drinks are the same (Jeff's favorites).

When creating your signature cocktail think about the season, what the drink is for, and how you can give the drink its own personality. When Shauna and I were working with our caterer, Katie Powers, she offered a selection of cocktails to serve at the wedding. They all sounded great but none of them captured us. So I went home and started tinkering with some of our favorite flavors and created our signature cocktail, the "Hitched Hooch". Our wedding was in August, and though we lived in the Bay Area at the time, it was pretty warm. We were hoping to evoke the flavors of the season (peaches) with our favorite spirit, Bourbon and give it a kick with a hint of ginger beer. The drink was a hit, and once peaches are in season again, Shauna and I will be sipping this fresh cocktail watching the sun set from our new home in Los Angeles.

 

Recipe

6 mint leaves

3 ounces fresh peach juice

2 ounces ginger beer

2 ounces bourbon of your choice

dash of bitters

wedge of lime

Place mint at bottom of the glass, gently muddle the mint. Fill glass to top with crushed ice. Add peach juice, ginger beer, bourbon and squeeze of lime. Stir and garnish with a slice of peach and a cherry.

Marital Bliss was a cocktail made for my my wife's boss and friend Eunice Moyle and her husband Daniel James for their wedding last May. When they asked me to help them create their cocktail I decided to make a drink that would be refreshing and have a link to both of their childhoods. Daniel is from London and immediately I thought of gin for the base spirit. Eunice's father was a US diplomat and grew up across Southeast Asia, inspiring the vibrant aromatics of the cocktail in the use of St. Germain Elderflower liqueur.  After a few tests Daniel and Eunice decided on the below recipe:

Recipe:

2 ounces of gin (we used Hendrick's)

1 ounce of St. Germain Elderflower

1 lime freshly squeezed

Topped with soda water

Fill a glass with crushed ice and pour in gin and St. Germain, squeeze lime, stir and top with soda water. Garnish with slice of lime.

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