Winter Citrus Craft Cocktails

Technically spring might be two weeks away, but it feels a lot further than that as we sit under another polar vortex. It's so cold outside that the sun isn't melting the snow much.

At least the winter citrus is still going strong. We eat it in abundance in our house and I've been treating us to the occasional weekend craft cocktail to keep us sane. I call it winter survival.

Yet another snow day trapped inside with cabin-fever kids... a.k.a...

Blood orange gin sparklers with rosemary simple syrup:
Make simple syrup (1 to 1 sugar + water) with rosemary sprigs (heat until sugar dissolves). Strain.
Blood orange juice + rosemary simple syrup + gin + club soda in equal parts.
(Also delicious with naval or cara cara oranges and syrup lasts 1-2 weeks in fridge)

Our youngest is recovering from his tonsillectomy like a rabid honey badger and our oldest brings home the flu, OMG WHYYYYYY... a.k.a....

Cucumber and lime gin spritzers with ginger simple syrup:
Make simple syrup (1 to 1 sugar + water) with chopped ginger, simmer 5-10 minutes. Strain.
Muddle cucumber slices in glass.
Lime juice + ginger simple syrup + gin + club soda in equal parts.

Matt's cough is so bad we haven't slept more than an hour straight in 4 nights and we have to go to the pulminologist...a.k.a....

Lemon Rosemary Palomas with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice:
Make simple syrup (1 to 1 sugar + water) with lemon zest and rosemary sprigs, heat until sugar dissolves. Strain.
Grapefruit juice + lemon juice + lemon rosemary simple syrup + tequila + club soda in equal parts.

Patience is a virtue to be rewarded... Spring is coming...a.k.a....

Homemade limoncello that combines two things I love - gardening + craft cocktails
Lemons from the meyer lemon tree + vodka + simple syrup + time and patience = best limoncello ever.

While very easy to make, this one takes 2-3 months before you can enjoy it... but it's worth it. So much better than the store bought stuff (similar to the difference between fresh squeezed OJ and Tropicana). And it tastes like summer, so you can make it now and it will be ready in time for the warm weather. Basically you peel 4 lemons with a vegetable peeler, just getting the yellow part and avoiding the pith as much as possible (the bitter white part). You stick that in a half liter of vodka in a clean jar with a lid (I love these  and these from Ikea) and let it sit in a cool dark place for 2-4 weeks.

I also juice the lemons and freeze the juice (since it won't keep 2-4 weeks and my dwarf tree lemons are precious). Meyer lemons are darker and sweeter than regular lemons. They give the limoncello a beautiful golden color. I see meyer lemons regularly in our grocery stores now in small bags. If you prefer a classic tart flavor, use regular lemons.

After the waiting period, you strain out the lemon peel, combine it with simple syrup (1 cup water + 1 cup sugar heated on the stove until it dissolves) and the juice of 4 lemons. Put it back into clean jars and let it mellow for 6-8 weeks in a cool dark place. The high alcohol content keeps the limoncello from spoiling.