friyay is usually my day off. but today, i subbed a class for an instructor who had a sudden obligation. i had a nice morning at home with wes, drinking coffee and researching cocktails and then i headed to the studio. all morning i had this nervous feeling i couldn't shake. i arrived at my class early, excited to teach to a group i don't usually have. five minutes before class, the teacher before me informed me that the speaker was malfunctioning. low tones of my music weren't coming through. making my music, well, lackluster. for a thirty minute spin class. sweet. 

and then i realized it is friday the thirteenth. sounds about right. so i took a deep breath, remembered it was friday and in a few short hours i would have a cocktail in my hand, and i got through it. 

luckily, i'm in for the evening and will be hunkering down to avoid further disaster. with this delicious cocktail in hand. 

i found this vintage cocktail in a really cool cocktail book that wes's mom andrea gave him for christmas. i flipped to the page purely because i thought the name was cute, but i fell for it after reading the ingredients. clean, bright and just a little hint of sweetness. i have some really beautiful fresh marjoram in my little garden at the moment and it was the perfect floral compliment to the gin and lime juice. if you can't find any marjoram in your local store, try subbing lavender or other floral herb you can find. 

in rickey + fresh marjoram
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 tbs lime juice. 1 tsp simple syrup. 4 oz club soda. 5 sprigs marjoram. lime wedge for garnish. 1 cup ice + ice for serving. stainer. 

start by removing the leaves from three of the marjoram sprigs. grab the top of the sprig with one hand and run your index finger and thumb down the length of the stem, removing the leaves as you go. 

in a mixing glass or shaker, combine the leaves, ice, gin, simple syrup and lime juice.

shake or mix until well combined and the marjoram leaves have bruised to release their oils. 

strain the gin mixture over ice into your cocktail glass. 

top off with your desired amount of club soda.

garnish with the remaining sprigs of marjoram and lime wedge and enjoy. 

xo, a

gin rickey + fresh marjoram
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 tbs lime juice. 1 tsp simple syrup. 4 oz club soda. 5 sprigs marjoram. lime wedge for garnish. 1 cup ice + ice for serving. stainer.
start by removing the leaves from three of the marjoram sprigs. grab the top of the sprig with one hand and run your index finger and thumb down the length of the stem, removing the leaves as you go.
in a mixing glass or shaker, combine the leaves, ice, gin, simple syrup and lime juice.
shake or mix until well combined and the marjoram leaves have bruised to release their oils.
strain the gin mixture over ice into your cocktail glass.
top off with your desired amount of club soda.
garnish with the remaining sprigs of marjoram and lime wedge and enjoy. 

the christmas countdown is on. less than ten days till the madness and then we can all let out a big sigh of relief till next year.

it's funny. until you are an "adult" with lots of work to do before the big day, christmas is what you LIVE for. basically as a child, the whole year is spent counting down till this one day. and as an adult, we spend most of the year working for the day and then feel a huge weight lifted when it is all over.

and since it is likely that most, if not all of my readers are "adults" i have a little something to help us all get through the next week and a half. a pretty little cocktail that hits the spot, wows your guests and takes minimal effort. just what santa ordered.

blackberry + sage gin fizz
serves: 1
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 1 minute
total time: 3 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 oz simple syrup. 1 oz lemon juice. .5 cup club soda. 4 sage leaves. 2 blackberries. 1 toothpick. 2 cups ice.

start by separating your ice. half in your serving glass and half in whatever glass you will be mixing your drink in.

finely chop one of your sage leaves. 

stack your remaining 3 sage leaves and run your toothpick threw them. 

skewer your two blackberries with the toothpick and reserve. 

in your mixing glass, combine the chopped sage leaf, gin, simple syrup and lemon juice. 

shake or stir well and strain the mixture over ice in your serving glass. 

top off your cocktail with club soda to taste. 

garnish with blackberry and sage skewer and serve. 

xo, a

blackberry + sage gin fizz
serves: 1
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 1 minute
total time: 3 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 oz simple syrup. 1 oz lemon juice. .5 cup club soda. 4 sage leaves. 2 blackberries. 1 toothpick. 2 cups ice.
start by separating your ice. half in your serving glass and half in whatever glass you will be mixing your drink in.
finely chop one of your sage leaves.
stack your remaining 3 sage leaves and run your toothpick threw them. skewer your two blackberries with the toothpick and reserve.
in your mixing glass, combine the chopped sage leaf, gin, simple syrup and lemon juice.
shake or stir well and strain the mixture over ice in your serving glass.
top off your cocktail with club soda to taste.
garnish with blackberry and sage skewer and serve.