Everyone knows, no matter what town/city/state you live in, no matter whether you live in an apartment, a condo, a house, a tent or a teepee, the first smell that reminds one of summer is that of a hot grill. Now, obviously when I say ‘hot grill’ the first thing that comes to mind is meaty goodness; ooey gooey ribs, seared rib-eye steaks topped with blue cheese butter, cedar-planked salmon drizzled with lemon… but alas, that has absolutely nothing to do with this thirsty girl. Instead of the traditional frosty beverage (beer, obviously) and to toast our upcoming BBQ app, I’ve collected a few cocktails and a couple of awesome (yet easy) BBQ sides to go with whatever mains you’ve got smoking, grilling, perhaps even charring… hmmm, maybe I should just stick to cocktails….
Cocktails: Bourbon Sour, Lynchburg Lemonade, Mint Julep (printable versions at the bottom of the post)
Sides: Simple Sweet Baked Beans, Classic Potato Salad (printable versions at the bottom of the post)
Bourbon Sour
2 oz. bourbon whiskey
1 oz. lemon juice
½ tsp. superfine sugar
1 orange slice
1 maraschino cherry
In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the first three ingredients and shake well. Strain into a whiskey sour glass, garnishing with the orange slice and cherry.
Comments: Isn’t it pretty??? Okay, now that that’s done, I didn’t particularly like this drink :(. That has nothing to do with the drink itself, it’s just that I don’t like lemon particularly and I also don’t like bourbon particularly. Combining the two together? Definitely not a favorite. My guy liked it though – thought it would cut through any fatty BBQ – so give it a try, just don’t bother if you don’t like bourbon and/or lemon. Duh.
Lynchburg Lemonade
1 ½ oz. Jack Daniels
½ oz. Triple Sec
1/4 oz. orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 oz. sour mix *
1 orange slice
Combine the first four ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake well. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice, adding the orange slice as a garnish. *To make your own sour mix, mix 1 part heavy syrup (3 parts sugar, 2 parts water) and 1 part lemon juice.
Comments: Yeah I know, this is the wrong glass (it’s supposed to be a tall glass). My reasoning behind using the glass that I did, is because my tall glasses are too large and it looked flat-out silly when poured into them. A girl can break the rules every once in a while…
Tasting Notes: ‘oooh’ was simultaneously heard from both of our lips when we first tried it; refreshing citrus with a bit of a smoky undertone; would do an awesome job of cutting through the fat in a rack of ribs
Mint Julep
6 mint leaves
1 tsp. powdered sugar
2 tsp. water
2 ½ oz. bourbon whiskey
Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar and water in an old-fashioned glass. Fill the glass with shaved or crushed ice and add the bourbon. Top the glass with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.
Comments: Re: the glass – I have yet to find a definitive answer as to what type of glass to serve this in (Collins, old-fashioned, highball, silver mint julep cup) so I served it in something completely different, the best I could do at the cottage!
Tasting Notes: interesting, slight anise flavour; definitely a ‘sipping’ cocktail; not my fave (I’m not really a bourbon fan unless it’s in my pecan pie) but it does grow on you
Simple Sweet Baked Beans
5 16 oz. cans beans in tomato sauce or beans with pork
1 1/2 medium red onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
4 tbsp. yellow mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire
1/8 – 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 green pepper, finely chopped
Put beans in a large iron pot; add remaining ingredients. Cook over a very low fire for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Makes 8-10 servings.
Comments: I have made these on the barbecue, on the stove, on a fire pit (the pic above is at the cottage – it’s a stone BBQ my grandfather made)… they’re always incredible!
Classic Potato Salad
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (or white/red potatoes), about 8 medium potatoes
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp white vinegar
1 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
salt
celery seed
4 eggs, hard-boiled (optional)
Peel and place the potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for ~20 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. When cool enough to handle, slice the potatoes or cube them into bite-size pieces. Sprinkle the sugar and vinegar over the potatoes and toss. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Fold in the onion and mayonnaise and add salt and celery seed to taste. If using the eggs, slice them and place them on top of the salad. Alternatively, chop them up and fold them in. Chill. Serves 8.
Comments: You can really use any type of onion and any type of new potato for this recipe. I have done it with fingerlings, even small purple potatoes just to mix things up a bit. Dead simple recipe, yet everyone loves it. As for the lack of a picture, I flat-out forgot to take one until half the salad was gone! You’ll just have to use your imagination :).