Desert Sage Cocktail

During the cold months I tend to be drawn to warm sweaters, a fire in the wood stove and red wine. When the temperature increases, all that goes out the window. All of a sudden my capacity, patience and excitement for cocktails blossoms like the blooming purple buds of lavender in the yard. So now that the cauldron has become the centerpiece of our outside-at-home time, I set out to make a cocktail specifically for quality time around the fire.

Here, you can shake the bourbon, mezcal, sweet vermouth, campari and lime over ice, pour it in a cocktail glass and serve it as is. Or, you can add sparkling water in almost any amount, from just a splash to a more generous pour, swapping out the cocktail glass for a rocks or collins glass,  which transforms this into a lighter spritz version with all the same flavors.

When it comes to what liquors to choose, I would recommend choosing spirits that you like, taking into account that mixing them into a cocktail will mask some of their individual subtleties, For instance, if you have a $70 bottle of bourbon or mezcal that is generally made for sipping and a mid-level $30 dollar bottle, I would use the mid-level. 

I often think that the most important detail in cocktails aside from the combination of flavors, is the quality of the mixers. In this case, the mixer is lime juice, so taking the time to squeeze fresh limes will be worth the minimal effort.

Cocktail glasses vary in size, so this recipe makes four, two-ounce cocktails before adding sparkling water. The fresh sage leaf releases a surprising amount of aromatics with a simple slap between your hands which takes this slightly smokey, complex and easy-to-sip cocktail to the next level.

The Desert Sage Cocktail

Yield: around 4 cocktails, depending on the size of your cocktail glass

Time: 5 minutes

2 oz. bourbon

2 oz. mezcal

2 oz. sweet vermouth (I like to use Carpano Antica)

1 oz. campari

1 oz. fresh lime juice

sparkling water, for garnish (optional)

4 fresh sage leaves, for garnish

Recipe courtesy of Marianne Sundquist. Learn more about her life as a chef here: https://mariannesundquist.com/