The Gin and Dandelion Spruce Tonic. Photo courtesy of Tattersall Distilling
One of the region's top distilleries is coming out with a new book of cocktails made with ingredients found "just outside our doors."
The big picture: "Cocktails in Bloom," by Tattersall head distiller Bentley Gillman, promises "simple and sustainable cocktail recipes" featuring components that can be foraged across the Midwest.
Dig in: We got a sneak peek of the book's "Dandelion and Spruce Tonic" recipe.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Spruce Tips
5g dried (or 25g fresh) dandelion root
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 stalk chopped lemongrass
2 limes, zested and juiced
Instructions: Simmer water, sugar, dandelion root, and lemongrass until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, stir in lime zest, and allow to cool. Strain into a jar, add lime juice and stir.
🍸 For a cocktail: Mix 1 ounce of tonic syrup with 1 1/2 ounces of gin. Pour over ice and add 4 ounces of soda water. Garnish with spruce tips and a squeeze of lime.
☕ For a booze-free buzz: Mix 1 ounce of syrup with 3 ounces of cold brew. Pour over ice and add 2 ounces of soda water. Garnish with an orange.
