Rosemary Ginger Lemon Drops

I am going to begin this post by asking you to take off your judgement hat. 

Then I am going to proceed to tell you that I have just completed two entire 

seasons of Boardwalk Empire in about a week. 

These are the standards that I set for myself, here. 

On the boardwalk, you see, they are always popping bubbly.

There always seems to be something to celebrate! 

The killing of a hum-dingler, successful election rigging, children out of wedlock, and the list goes on!

Heck, if my name was Chalky or Waxy, I would celebrate every day

just because my name was so cool. 

Needless to say, after all of that, I have been craving some bubbles. 

But, I felt it awkward to sit at home alone while 

my roommates were out having lives,  just sippin' on some champagne. 

So, to cure my cravings for the bubbles, I had to find a box and then think outside of it. 

The result, my friends, was ginger out the wazoo,

 and also me investing in a rosemary bush. 

(Hence all the dirt. Welcome to my home, dirt.)

The recipe boasts piney rosemary that rhymes well with the juniper notes in the gin. 

(If you don't like gin, then you don't like success. 

It's just that simple.

 But I guess you could sub it out with something else if you had to.

Use your discretion. )

Infusing the simple syrup with the ginger and rosemary helps bring the flavors to the 

drink without having to suck down big hunks of pulp. You're welcome. 

The ginger beer comes next and brings those handsome bubbles that I have 

been craving so badly to the drink. 

If you're unfamiliar with ginger beer, it is like the father of ginger ale. Imagine 

what ginger ale would taste like if it wasn't watered down with all that carbonated water and sugar.

 Spicy. Fantastic. 

It has so much more flavor than ginger ale, and it holds up well in cocktails. 

'Nuff said. 

It is finished off with a bit of fresh lemon juice, which helps cut the bite

 of the ginger beer and adds a bit of fresh, sweet, acidity. 

I was feeling more of a savory cocktail, but this combination can go either way!

If you want something more sweet, simply add a bit more lemon juice and simple syrup. 

Recipe:

Simple Syrup:

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. water

3 sprigs of rosemary, whole

1 tbsp of ginger, peeled and cut into small discs

Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. It will bubble and dance and do wonderful things. This 

is supposed to happen. Let it go. The water and sugar soup will soon turn into a syrup. When it starts to thicken up, remove from the heat and pluck out the unmentionables. 

Drink

1 1/2 oz. Gin

(I used Seagrams)

1 oz. of the simple syrup

1 oz. lemon juice

ginger beer

I like to add the simple syrup and lemon juice first, stirring like a madman to make sure the syrup dissolves into the lemon juice. This way, you won't have a bitter cocktail with a big ole sweet kick 

at the end. Nobody wants that to happen to you. Then, add the gin and ginger beer and stir it well 

just one more time. 

Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and cheers your friends, pretending
you just did something epically deserving of a cheers!