Ask An Atlanta Expert: Fourth Of July Cocktail Recipes

The Daily Meal Staff|

What better way to celebrate July 4th, Independence Day, than by enjoying some real American history? You'll get a great taste of old-time America at these locations, and the cocktails are second to none. Try the classic Georgia Pearson Pride cocktail at Kimball House, crafted by Miles Macquarrie. Alternatively, embrace the July 4th tradition for bonfires and fireworks with the Flame of Love by Eric Simpkins. Either one will put a smile on your face and have you raising a glass to toast the United States of America!

Miles Macquarrie
 Kimball House
 303 E. Howard Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30030
(404) 378-3502
www.kimball-house.com

Miles Macquarrie is partner and bartender at the Decatur hot spot, Kimball House. The original building housing the restaurant was built in 1891. With a menu sporting fresh new flavors and old classics, there's a cocktail for all tastes. Be sure to try the Pearson Pride, bursting with Georgia peach deliciousness, which won Macquarrie first place at the 2011 Peach Cocktail Mixoff at East Atlanta Village Farmers Market. He also provides a few other recipes for festive cocktails. Try them all!

Heart of Glass

  • 1.5 oz Beefeater 24 gin
  • .75 oz Cocchi Americano
  • .75 oz Bordeaux blanc (dry)
  • 1 teaspoon Luxardo maraschino liqueur
  • 2 dashes grapefruit bitters
  • Grapefruit twist

Directions:

  1. Stir the ingredients in a mixing glass.
  2. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over a large cube of ice.
  3. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Pearson Pride Cocktail

  • 1.5 oz Bulleit bourbon
  • .75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • .75 oz fresh pressed peach juice
  • .5 oz wild flower honey (3 parts honey, 1 part water)
  • 20 drops black pepper tincture
  • 1 dropper full Bittermens Elemakule Tiki bitters
  • Garnish: sprig of orange mint or mint

Directions:

  1. To make the peach juice, muddle peaches to a complete mush in a large cocktail shaker and then press through a fine sieve.
  2. In a cocktain shaker, combine the bourbon, lemon juice, peach juice, honey, black pepper tincture and bitters.
  3. Shake then strain into a glass.
  4. Garnish with orange mint sprig.

Southern Kicks

  • 1 quart whole pecans, toasted in the oven for roughly 8 minutes at 325 degrees F
  • 1 quart water
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 3 cups grade B pure maple syrup
  • .25 tsp orange flower water
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • 1 oz Buffalo Trace bourbon
  • 1 oz Compass Box orangerie
  • .75 oz lemon juice
  • Orange peel

Directions:

  1. Blend the pecans with 1 quart of hot water until completely emulsified. Strain through a fine chinoise to get a pecan milk. This should yield 3 cups of pecan milk.
  2. Add the pecan milk, sugar and maple syrup to a pot and bring to a simmer. Stir well until the sugar is melted and all of the ingredients are incorporated.
  3. Add orange flower water and bourbon to stabilize the syrup. Let cool and bottle. Will last refrigerated for up to one month. Shake well before use. 
  4. To assemble and serve, shake bourbon, orangerie, .75 oz Maple-Pecan Orgeat and lemon juice.
  5. Strain into a coupe class and garnish with orange peel. 

Related: Best Boozy Brunches In Atlanta

Eric Simpkins
 The Lawrence
 905 Juniper St. N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 961-7177
www.thelawrenceatlanta.com

Eric Simpkins is currently presiding over The Lawrence, creating inventive cocktails in a truly atmospheric setting. The contemporary but classic feel of this restaurant harkens back to bygone times, perfect for celebrating Independence Day. If cocktails aren't your thing, the great wine list and delicious food will surely turn your head.

Flame of Love

  • .50 oz manzanilla dry sherry
  • 3 oz gin
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • 5-7 orange twists

Directions:

  1. Put all ingredients, except orange twists, in a chilled mixing glass with cracked ice.
  2. Stir until outside of glass re-frosts.
  3. Flame 4-6 orange twists into a chilled martini glass and then discard.
  4. Strain cocktail into a martini glass.
  5. Flame remaining orange twist and slide into glass.

Jaja Provencale

  • .5 oz raspberry jam
  • .75 oz lemon juice
  • .5 oz honey syrup
  • 1 sprig lemon thyme
  • 1.5 oz lavender-infused Plymouth gin
  • 1 dash Angostura Bitters
  • Ice
  • 1 oz Rose Champagne
  • Raspberries
  • Thyme sprig

Directions:

  1. Lightly muddle thyme in a martini shaker.
  2. Add all ingredients, shake to chill.
  3. Fine strain through a 3″ chinois into a Marie Antoinette Coupe.
  4. To serve, skewer raspberries on the thyme sprig and float on the surface of the cocktail.
  5. Top off with Rose Champagne.

Related: Best Craft Beers to Serve at Your Summer BBQ

Katy Light is an avid home cook. She loves nothing more than using home grown and harvested produce, milk from her own goats and naturally raised meat in her recipes. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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