Birdy Cocktails for the Holiday Season
Winter is coming鈥攁nd with it, holiday parties! This year, mix it up at your next office听gathering听or friendly get-together听with some bird-themed cocktails. Here are four听developed exclusively for 探花精选 by Heather听Rush, owner and bartender at the Pine Box Rock Shop in Brooklyn, NY. All four are easy to make, sure to impress, and most importantly, pay tribute to birds. Just don't forget to drop听some bird knowledge听as you听sip听away听on these delicious concoctions.听
American Goldfinch (above)听
滨苍驳谤别诲颈别苍迟蝉:听
Smoky Mezcal (1.5-2 oz.)
Yellow Chartreuse (1 oz.)
Lemon
Black licorice
About the bird: The Goldfinch听pays homage to the American Goldfinch,听a cheery听songbird whose bright yellow feathers are a sign of spring for听birders across much of America. During the winter, when both male and females are听a subtler brown and yellow,听flocks of goldfinches can be found congregating in weedy fields and around听feeders, especially if they are听filled听with nyjer seeds.听
About the drink:听This is a take on a classic American cocktail, the Rusty Nail, and is a tribue to the Goldfinch's summer plumage and more rustic听winter garb.听But instead of using the traditional听Drambuie and scotch whiskey,听this drink consists of 1.5-2 oz.听mezcal and 1 oz. of yellow chartreuse. The black licorice adds more than just color to the cocktail鈥攖he bitterness of the liquors is balanced with the sweet spice of the licoric. The听overall affect is a potent mixure of smoky, spicy, and earthy. The Rusty Nail emerged and was popularized during the disco-filled 1970s, and according to Rush, drinkers听will definitely feel an urge to bust out a dance move or two after one Goldfinch.听
How to make a听Goldfinch:
To make this drink to perfection, Rush suggests to use a small highball or rocks glass. After filling with ice, add one standard shot (1.5 oz.) of your favorite smokey Mezcal and one ounce of yellow chartreuse. Mix with a cocktail spoon. Garnish with a piece of black licorice and you have a Goldfinch.听
Red Crossbill
Ingredients:
Muddled blood oranges (2 slices)
Crystallized ginger (2-3 wedges)
Bourbon (1.5 oz)
Club soda or seltzer (to taste)
Ginger slices
About the bird:听罢丑别听Red Crossbill听is a climate-threatened species that听can be found in mature coniferous forests throughout听North America.听罢丑别听odd, cross-tipped听beaks听for which they are named help them get into tightly closed cones. And听depending on the region, Red Crossbills can vary from small-billed birds that feed on spruce cones to large-billed birds that specialize on pines. Research suggests that there might听be as many as eight different full species of the bird in North America.
About the drink: Much like Red Crossbills, the听Old-Fashioned is a drink with a number of variations.听The questions that surround the Old-Fashioned throughout the years have always been, 鈥淭o muddle or not to muddle?", 鈥淩ye whiskey or bourbon?鈥, and 鈥淭o top with club soda or not?鈥澨齀n the case of our听Red Crossbill cocktail, we muddled the blood orange with听crystallized ginger, went with bourbon, and added club soda.听Hopefully our variation, no matter听what you personally prefer, hits the spot.听
How to Make a Red Crossbill
Muddle two to three wedges of blood oranges (with peel attached) and two to three pieces of crystalized ginger in a heavy-bottomed Old Fashioned glass. One imperative is听to grind听the orange peels into the sugary ginger while muddling, which brings out the flavor. Once pulverized, add听ice and add one shot (1.5 oz.) of your favorite bourbon. Top with club soda and garnish with crystalized ginger.听
Nuthatch
Ingredients:
Spiced Dark Rum (1.5 oz.)
Cinnamon simple syrup (0.5 oz.)
Almond or soy milk (to taste)
Nutmeg
About the bird:听Nuthatches are a common backyard听bird characterized by their large heads, short tails, and powerful bills. During winter months, they use these bills to听feed on听suet blocks and seeds found in the wild and at feeders.听Do not let their size fool you, though: These little听birds can be noisy with their insistent nasal yammering.听They are also one of only two birds in North America that crawl听down trees.
About the drink:听A perfect cocktail after an early morning birdwalk, but beware: Like the nuthatch, this drink is strong and makes its presence known.听The cocktail consists of 1.5 oz of spiced dark rum, .5 oz of simple syrup, and almond (or soy) milk. To make the cinnamon simple syrup for the Nuthatch, Rush suggests to steep 4-5 sticks of cinnamon in an equal parts sugar and water mixture overnight.
How to make a Nuthatch:听
In a tall or footed cocktail glass add one shot (1.5 oz.) of your favorite black spiced rum. One ounce of cinnamon simple syrup and top with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Pour听the entire contents into a cocktail shaker and shake until it froths. Dump back into your cocktail glasses and garnish with fresh grated nutmeg.听
Anna鈥檚 Hummingbird (non-alcoholic)
Ingredients:
Homemade nettle cordial (2 nettle tea bag per cup of water, maple syrup to taste, a few pieces of ginger)
Aquafaba (water from canned chickpeas)
Raspberries
Agave nectar
About the bird:听Since the 1950s, the Anna鈥檚 Hummingbird has expanded its听breeding range out of southern California. As with other species of hummingbirds, an听abundance of nectar feeders has helped their expansion. Though they are among the most common hummingbirds along the Pacific Coast,听their dive display during courtship is anything but: Males hover听in midair, give a听buzzy song,听fly听much higher, then听dive听steeply toward the female, making a loud explosive popping sound at the bottom of the dive.
About the drink: Like a nectar feeder, this mocktail still delivers.听Green-ish in appearance, the听Anna's Hummingbird shares a resemblance with the bird it's named after, and like a brilliant gorget, the听agave nectar-drizzled raspberry provides a pop of color that will have everyone听doing a double-take.听
How to Make an Anna鈥檚 Hummingbird
Fill a cup or martini glass with ice, then听set aside to chill. Add three ounces of chilled nettle cordial and 1.5 oz. of aqua faba. Shake vigorously without ice until a sturdy froth forms. This will take at least one minute. Once a thick froth forms, add ice and shake again briefly to chill. Pour into your chilled martini glasses (after you discard the chilling ice!) and serve with an agave nectar-drizzled raspberry.听If you shook it long enough, the听layers in the cocktail will separate听after it has听been poured into the glass, with the creamy froth floating to the top.听
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Freebie alert! If you want to learn more about the birds in this story, visit our online听bird guide听or download the free听探花精选 Bird Guide app.听 听听鈥