This Summer’s Cocktails

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This summer’s batch of cocktail recipes features three of Milwaukee’s great public houses. 

Bacchus is the ruby in the crown of the Bartolotta Restaurants, which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary in Milwaukee. Bacchus is the city’s great restaurant for classic cuisine. 

Birch is a New American restaurant owned and operated by Chef Kyle Knall, Milwaukee’s exponent of great Wisconsin produce. If they aren’t in their kitchens, you’re likely to find Chef Knall and his staff at the West Allis Farmers Market. 

The Café at the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) is more than a coffee shop at the city’s revolutionary art gallery and performance space. The Café is a space for art lovers as well as artists. A space with delicious drinks and great energy. 

Each of these public houses is offering you an opportunity to recreate one of their summer cocktails by yourself. But before you do, why not visit each of them and enjoy these cocktails by the culinary artists who created them? 

Three Summer Cocktail Recipes

Summer in Oaxaca 

by Chris Wolf, General Manager and Certified Sommelier for Bacchus–A Bartolotta Restaurant

“Summer in Oaxaca is a cocktail that radiates the flavors and energy of Mexico. It has great depth, complexity and balance, and is perfect for celebrating warmer weather on a special night out in Milwaukee. Although I have yet to visit Mexico, I am very inspired by the culture and regional flavors that I’ve encountered and tasted through my own culinary journey. The tropical citrus and warm spice of cinnamon complement the tequila and highlight the region while the orgeat rounds out the flavors. This drink pairs well with fresh seafood dishes including our citrus cured kampachi with mango puree, jicama, Italian sweet pepper and Thai basil or our pan-seared sablefish with jasmine rice, sweet chili glazed cabbage, pickled carrots and a lemongrass-peanut sauce.”

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz. Don Julio Blanco
  • 0.5 oz. Giffard Orgeat
  • 0.25 oz. Luxardo Bitter Rosso
  • 0.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
  • 0.25 oz. Pineapple Juice
  • 1 pinch Smoked Cinnamon

Method

Combine all above ingredients and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a highball glass over fresh ice and garnish with a flamed orange swath.

Jimmy Nardello Margarita 

by Annabella Shore, Bartender for Birch

“Jimmy Nardello peppers are one of the Birch kitchen's favorite varieties of pepper. We get them from Bower’s Produce at the West Allis Farmers Market. They’re super flavorful, and I wanted to show how they could also be used in a savory cocktail.”

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz. El Jimador Blanco Tequila
  • 0.5 oz. La Favorite Rhum Agricole Blanc
  • 0.75 oz. Jimmy Nardello Pepper Syrup
  • 0.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

Method

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is cold and covered in condensation. Strain over cubed ice and garnish with a sliver of pepper.

The Townsend 

by Nicholas Abel, Beverage Manager at Café at the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN)

“This cocktail is meaningful to me because it’s one I often make in large batches to share with my friends. It reminds me of the warmth of a wonderful night shared with those who are important to me.”

Ingredients

  • 1 oz. Reposado Tequila
  • 1 oz. London Dry Gin
  • 0.75 oz. Vanilla Simple Syrup*
  • 0.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
  • 2 dashes Bittercube Jamaican No. 2 Bitters
  • 1 Egg White or 1 oz. Aquafaba

*For Vanilla Simple Syrup, add one cup of sugar to one cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, add one vanilla bean split lengthwise and let steep for two to three hours. Strain into a jar or bottle.

Method

Add fresh lime juice and vanilla simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Then add Reposado Tequila, London Dry Gin and Bittercube Jamaican No. 2 Bitters to the shaker. Add egg white or aquafaba and shake for about 30 seconds. Then add ice and shake until chilled. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the cocktail into a chilled coupe glass.

For added decoration, dash a few drops of Angostura Bitters into the foam and drag a toothpick through the center of each dot for a simple and elegant heart design.