Food & Drink
Spring and summer is on the horizon, and you'll want to impress all your girls with some handcrafted Black and Brown Girl Magic Cocktails, created by yours truly!
After 10 years of working in bars and restaurants, I love a drink with personality! In 2016, after struggling to find a bar gig in my rapidly gentrifying neighborhood, I opened my own donation-based Speakeasy in Bedstuy, Brooklyn called "Snugstation."
Instead of following the crowd, I created my own Mixology Menu of Melanin-Inspired Drinks! Check out 5 of my favorite Signature Handcrafted Cocktails that'll have you feeling tipsy and emanating black girl magic.
BEYCHELLA LEMONADE™️
Mixology by @famoustaine
Beyonce created shockwaves through the internet with her history-making Coachella performance this past weekend, and she took it back to the Black sorority college campus - looking cool as a cucumber! In honor of her, I've conjured up this rosemary cucumber gin Lemonade, aka the Beychella Lemonade.
Recipe
Ingredients:
2 oz Gin
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
¾ oz Triple Sec
1 oz Rosemary Simple
Rosemary Garnish
Cucumber Garnish
Honey
Directions:
First, we have to make your Rosemary simple syrup. Take 1 cup of sugar, a handful of Rosemary Sprigs, 2 cups of water, and boil everything down to a syrup in a small pot. Remove the syrup off the heat for a cool down.
Grab your shaker, combine your citrus, spirits, and cooled simple syrup in the tin. Then add ice cubes and shake that thing like Beyonce!
Strain over ice in a Tom Collins Glass, garnish, and drizzle a little honey for the BeyHive!
SUBWAY CAR™️
Mixology by @famoustaine
Growing up in Bedstuy, two things you grow accustomed to are running in-between train cars, and that good ole' EJ Brandy that no one from BK is too proud to sip! Try this sweet and spicy spin on a Sidecar that's Brooklyn AF!
Recipe
Ingredients:
2 oz EJ Brandy or Hennessy
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Triple Sec
1 oz Honey-Ginger Syrup
Tabasco Sauce
Smoked Paprika
Granulated Sugar
Lemon Peel
Directions:
Make your Honey-Ginger simple syrup. Take ½ cup of sugar, 1 cup of wild honey, a finely diced chunk of fresh ginger, 2 cups of water, and boil everything down to a syrup in a small pot. Take the syrup off the heat for a cool down. Feel free to adjust amount of sweeteners to your personal preference.
First, prep your cocktail garnish. Pour the smoked paprika and sugar on a flat plate. Grab a lemon wedge that is cut down the middle, and wet the rim of a chilled glass. Dab the rim in the paprika and sugar blend, generously coating it.
In your shaker, combine your citrus, spirits, and simple syrup in the tin. Drop in a couple splashes of Tabasco Sauce. Add ice cubes and shake it!
Strain the chilled cocktail into a martini glass. Lastly, grab a lemon peel, give it a little char under a flame, and float it in the drink.
LA NEGRA KIWI MARGARITA™️
Mixology by @famoustaine
This delicious brown sugar kiwi margarita cocktail is inspired by Amara La Negra, a beautiful Afro-Latina artist shining light on, and breaking through the chains of colorism.
Recipe
Ingredients:
2 oz of Tequila
1 ½ of Brown Sugar-Kiwi Base
1 oz of Fresh Lime Juice
¾ oz of Triple Sec
½ oz OJ
Directions:
Make your brown sugar-kiwi base by taking 1 cup of raw brown sugar, 2 to 3 chopped fresh kiwis, a couple dollops of agave, 2 cups of water, and boil everything down to a syrup in a small pot. Take the base off the heat for a cool down. It should be of a thick juice consistency. Feel free to adjust amount of sweeteners and water based on your preferences.
Prep your rocks glass by rimming your glass with sugar.
Grab your shaker. Combine your citrus, juice, spirits, and base in the tin. Add ice cubes and shake it!
Strain the cocktail over ice into a rocks glass. Lastly, garnish with a lime wedge and sugar cane.
GODDESS GLOW CUP™️
Mixology by @famoustaine
This coconut pomegranate daiquiri cocktail is inspired by the favorite fruits of African Orishas like Oya, Oshun, and Ogun. It is packed with all the Goddess goodness, an elixir of the divine feminine.
Recipe
Ingredients:
2 ½ oz Coconut Rum
½ oz Maraschino Liqueur
¼ oz Pomegranate Liqueur
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
¾ oz Pineapple Juice
Angostura or Orange Bitters
Directions:
Grab your shaker. Combine your citrus, juice, and spirits in the tin. Add ice cubes and shake it! You want to give it a nice shake so that the pineapple juice forms a fluffy head.
Strain the chilled cocktail into a chilled coupe glass. Lastly, drip a couple drops of bitters and then swirl it into the cocktail.
MELANADE PUNCH™️
Mixology by @famoustaine
I saved the best for last, plus you can make large batches for a popping summer party! This punch is addictive, and the unofficial BLM Cocktail!
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz Black Spiced Bacardi
1 oz Silver Rum
3 oz Melanade Mix
2 Blackberries
1 Pineapple Chunk
Mint Sprig
Directions:
Make your punch base. Grab a pack of fresh blackberries, black cherries, a bottle of pomegranate juice, dark plum juice, OJ and Pineapple juice.
Make a blackberry and black cherry reduction by adding brown sugar and a dollop of honey to a large saucepan or pot. Combine your juices and let it simmer for 5 mins. Set aside, then pour into plastic containers when cooled. Taste for sweetness.
You can build this cocktail in a punch glass over ice and adding your spirits. Garnish your glass, using a skewer for the blackberries, pineapple and mint sprig.
Show Us Your Mixology Chops! Make sure to repost or tag @xoNecole and @famoustaine with photos of you enjoying your melanin-inspired drinks or creating your own with the pretty gang!
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