Georgia on My Mind

Here it is--my very first about.com cocktail contest entry. The theme for August is Bourbon, so I've been working diligently in my kitchen on weekends using the tried and true scientific method to carefully vary individual ingredients in each potential cocktail until I came up with what I believe is a winning combination. I've never been good at naming my creations, so a friend came up with Georgia on My Mind as a nod to the peach flavor.

2 oz Four Roses Bourbon
0.5 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger liqueur
1.5 oz Looza peach nectar
4 fresh medium-sized basil leaves
2-3 dashes of Bitter Truth Celery bitters

Muddle the basil in a cocktail shaker and add all of the liquid ingredients. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into an ice-filled short glass and garnish with a sprig of fresh basil. 

Sweet and Spicy Caipirinha

It's a cool late Summer evening and I'm in a spicy mood, due in part to my neighbor's generous donation of  some hot red peppers of unknown lineage. I was asked to make a caipirinha and decided to take this Brazilian favorite in a different direction. The resulting spicy, yet pleasant, decoction, is offered for your enjoyment...

2 oz Leblon Cachaca
1 oz Thatchers Tres Chilis
1/3" ring of a medium-spicy small pepper
Juice of 1/2 Meyer lemon
Juice of 1/2 orange
1 larger key lime
1 bar spoon raw sugar
3 strawberries
Muddle key lime, strawberries, and pepper in cocktail shaker with sugar. Add liquid ingredients and ice and shake hard. Strain into ice-filled short glass.

The drink is the color of a sunset and is sweet, spicy, and perfect for a summer night.

Cheers, ~Dr. Cocktation