Throw A Vegan Cocktail Party

One of my favorite aspects of the liquor business is teaching everyday people how to mix drinks like a pro.  Making mixology accessible via my cocktail books, TV appearances, video and radio shows, live events and small gatherings is what The Liquid Muse is all about! Cocktails are fun, after all, and making them does not require a PhD.  It does, however, require some basic knowledge of what spirits are, a few key tools and techniques, and a whole lot of fun facts to share, along the way.sporkI love to advocate balance between health and indulgence when it comes to drinking, therefore when the lovely lasses from Spork Foods vegan cooking school in Los Angeles invited me to pair cocktails with their delectable appetizers for a Vegan Cocktail Party Class, I jumped at the chance.  It was a lot of fun to choose drinks that fit their dishes and watch students delight at how easy it is to cook vegan and make cocktails.  Find the food recipes from the Spork ladies’ classes and book, featured on their website.  And, I’m sharing the drink pairings here so you can give this a whirl at home. Pairing 1:  Caribbean Style Tempeh Lime “Wings” with a classic Hemingway DaiquiriAlso known as the Papa Doble, the Hemingway Daiquiri was created at La Floridita cocktail bar in Havana, Cuba in the 1930’s in honor of Ernest Hemingway who regularly frequented the historic watering hole. Legend has it that his record is downing 16 of these in one night!

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with lime wheel on the rim of the glass. tequilaPairing 2:  Roasted Red Pepper and “Cheese” Taquitos with a Hot Mama MargaritaTequila’s popularity in the United States rose significantly during Prohibition (1920 – 1933) because it was one of the easier spirits to smuggle into the country.  (Prior to that gin, rum and whiskey were more widely enjoyed.) Therefore, it is very possible that this drink was created during Prohibition, and quite possibly in Southern California. Still, some argue that this drink was created in Tijuana as Margarita means daisy in Spanish. I like my cocktails a little picante – especially those with Mexican roots – so I added a bit of Jalapeno muddled to my Hot Mama Margarita in for a lightly vegetal, spicy kick!

Rim a cocktail glass with sugar by rubbing a piece of lime on the rim then dipping it onto a  (or sugar).  Set aside. Muddle the jalapeno with agave nectar in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.  Add other ingredients and fill with ice.  Shake vigorously then gently strain into rimmed glass.  Add garnish. ginPairing 3:  Hearts of Palm “Mozzarella Sticks” & Marinara Sauce with a vintage NegroniThis drink was created in Italy at the Café Giacosa in 1919, and named after Count Camilo Negroni who asked the bartender to strengthen his Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth, soda water) by replacing the soda water with gin. The bartender changed the garnish to an orange instead of the Americano’s lemon to signify it was a new drink, and obviously it grew in popularity. Although Campari is the original bitter liqueur used in this drink, we used Aperol for the Vegan Cocktail Class because Campari traditionally uses crushed beetles to obtain the red color.  Also, although I don’t believe any gluten is left in a distilled spirit, I chose G’Vine gin for this Negroni because it is made from grapes (versus wheat or other grains).  And, G’Vine Floraison is a bit lighter on the juniper than many other gins, and its macerated with vine flowers and sweet and spicy botanicals, making it great entry-level gin for those who are newly exploring the category.

  • 1 ounce G’Vine Floraison gin
  • 1 ounce Aperol (or similar bitter liqueur)
  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth
  • Garnish: flamed orange round

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Stir. Garnish with flamed orange round.