The end of summer always makes me feel nostalgic. I suppose that is why I’ve always hated my birthday. It’s at the end of August and it’s sort of a let down, really.
I’ve always associated my birthday with The End. The end of the ever-present scent of a charcoal briquette and sizzling meats with grill marks all up in it’s juicy piece. The end of summer fruits, summer shoes, of daylight till 8PM.
Then the second the temperature feels crisp and I throw on my first pair of calf high boots and wrap a scarf ’round my neck, it all changes for me. Who the hell am I kidding? I love fall.
So the beginning of fall is not really the end, but a world of possibility and new flavors.
Flow with me… We’re gonna drink.
What? Did you really think we’d stop boozing because the temps are dropping? Pfft… Hell no! Welcome to my fall line. We’re boozing till next summer. Believe it.
Anyway…
This drink isn’t exactly a fall drink. Perhaps it’s considered a “dead of winter” drink, when the only fruit in abundance is citrus – Yet for me, citrus, pumpkin, and apple all scream fall.
So let’s roll with this jammy.
OK?
OK…
We’re going to start with an orange syrup situation. Zest an orange and squeeze the crappies out of it. Add sugar and water, then bring to a boil. Simmer that situation ’till the sugar has dissolved and is slightly syrupy. Then you cool that. Strain it. Nobody wants to spit out cooked orange zest.
The rest is a simple cocktail with muddled oranges and mint. Oh, and there’s a tequila situation ’cause to me, nothing says Fall/Winter 2014 like tequila. Or bourbon. But we’re rolling with tequila.
This drink is truly a beauty; both to look at, and to have in your mouth areas. I’m telling you, it is fresh to death. It’s zesty and just bursting with orange brightness. It’s like your own personal sun, if your sun had a fuzzy warm tequila center.
And correct me if I’m wrong – But this is how one welcomes fall.
[purerecipe]
Orange Mint Tequila Cocktail
Ingredients
For the Orange Syrup
- Zest and juice from 2 oranges
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Water
For the Cocktail
- ½ orange cut in half
- 6-7 mint leaves
- 1.5 ounces 3 tablespoons Orange syrup
- 2.5 ounces Tequila I used Avion Reposado
- Ice
- Club soda
Instructions
Orange Syrup Situation:
- In a small saucepan combine orange zest, juice, water, and sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer
- until sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off the stove and allow the syrup to come to room temperature. Strain syrup into a jar with a tight fitting lid and
- store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Discard the zest.
Cocktail Situation:
- Add the orange pieces, mint, and the orange syrup to a glass. Muddle the orange pieces, mint, and syrup until the orange has released it's juice and the mint has released its oils.
- Add the tequila and stir to combine. Fill glass with ice and add a splash of (or top with) club soda. Drink, yo.