Raise a glass and celebrate the season with family and friends. Whether you’re planning drinks before dinner or looking for cocktails to pair with your favorite hors d’oeuvres, freshen up the menu with some new recipes from Fairweather, a craft cocktail bar in the NoDa neighborhood of Charlotte.
Feature by Tamberlyn Dobrowski
Photography by Christina Hussey
Winter Pimm’s Cup
1½ ounces Tequila (Blanco or Reposado)
½ ounce Pimm’s No. 1
½ ounce lemon juice
½ ounce ginger syrup
½ ounce maple syrup
1 tablespoon blueberry preserves
Shake all ingredients then strain into a glass with ice. Add a splash of soda water and garnish with mint sprigs and blueberries.
American Oak
2 ¼ ounces bourbon
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean syrup
2–3 dashes chocolate bitters
Stir all ingredients with ice, then strain into a glass with fresh ice. Garnish with an expressed orange twist.
Pumpkin Spice Flip
1½ ounces Jamaican rum
¾ ounce Pumpkin Spice Orgeat syrup (see box below for recipe)
½ ounce simple syrup
1 teaspoon allspice liqueur
About 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Shake all ingredients without ice. Add ice, shake and strain into glass. Garnish with grated cinnamon.
Pumpkin Spice Orgeat
1¼ cups sugar
¾ cup pumpkin seeds, lightly roasted with a little salt
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
10 cloves
Dash of allspice
3 ounces pumpkin purée
Combine 1¼ cups water, ¾ cup sugar, pumpkin seeds and spices in saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add pumpkin purée. Refrigerate overnight.
After 24 hours, strain liquid with fine mesh strainer. Add strained liquid, remaining ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water to saucepan. Cook until sugar dissolves and then strain liquid again.
Special thanks to Blair’s sister, Corbin Horton, for the gorgeous floral design. And to Vince Chirico, of Idlewild and Fairweather, for sharing the delicious cocktail recipes.
