Pineapple Ginger Sparkling Bourbon Cocktail
Since I know little to nothing about cocktails I've asked my husband, Alex, to share a guest post on his favorite cocktail inspired by our new pineapple tumblers! Read on for a little history about the pineapple as well as his recipe for a pineapple ginger sparkling bourbon cocktail!:
When we visit Charleston, SC in the summers, it seems like every house that Emily and I drool over (and dream about winning the lottery just to buy a room in) has pineapple décor somewhere on the exterior. It’s either built into the architecture of the house or the iron work of the fence. Other than the fact that pineapples are delicious (which they are!) why is it such a part of Southern culture?
In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was impossible to farm pineapples in England or the colonies so they had to be imported at great expense. Dried pineapple was a delicacy and fresh pineapple was so rare that it was reserved for the ultra-wealthy and the high society. The social elite would have parties on the day that the ships would come in from the Caribbean to have the rare, succulent “New World” fruit with their friends (and to prove that they had the means to afford such a delicacy, of course).
In the South, as in England, the pineapple is used as a symbol of hospitality. Symbolically putting your best foot forward for your guests. In a time when the biggest spectacle of a dinner party was the “platter reveal” (you eat with your eyes first as celebrity chef Scott Conant always says) the greatest honor that could be bestowed upon a guest would be to see a fresh pineapple adorning the plate.
Now, my favorite part of hosting a party is the cocktail. Being a good Kentuckian (I grew up on a horse farm right down the road from the Woodford Reserve Distillery) I love to try and mix a good bourbon cocktail that we can all enjoy. One of my favorites is a Pineapple Ginger Sparkling Bourbon (I call it the “Masters” at my house because that's my favorite time to drink it)!
I first tried out this cocktail in 2013, the year I learned I could get all 4 live Masters video feeds on my porch at the same time. I enjoyed this as a refreshing (day-drinking) alternative to my usual “bourbon neat” for the Masters and Keeneland tailgates and I hope you will as well. Think of it as a refreshingly boozy alternative to the bourbon and ginger, the pineapple works to deepen the flavors and balance out the brightness of the ginger.
Enjoy!
Alex aka Mister Molly Vintage
1-inch (3cm) cube fresh pineapple
· 1/4-inch (1cm) slice fresh ginger, unpeeled (I use more because I like the kick)
· 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
· 1 1/4 ounce rye whiskey
· Champagne or sparkling wine
1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the pineapple with the ginger.
2. Add the lime juice and whiskey, then add some ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds.
3. Strain the mixture into a glass with fresh ice and then top the glass off with Champagne or sparkling wine
4. Add a wheel of lemon or lime to the glass for garnish if you wish!
Don't forget to grab your pineapple tumbler to sip this cocktail in the most stylish way possible! I've linked it below:
