By Sara Moody, Owner of Swig – Professional Bartending & Events
Cocktails and weddings—two of my favorite things. This October I‘m fortunate to partake in my very own wedding and marry my best friend Michael in the mountains of Colorado. My girlfriends all know how much I love cocktails and weddings (and Michael of course), so for my bridal shower they surprised me with a specialty spiked punch.
My good friend Rubi Wiswall (and killer dance teacher—check her out at Rubi First Dance and Rubi Fitness Dance) is also a cocktail enthusiast and spear-headed the task of creating what she thought would be my ideal drink. The girls lovingly named the drink after our wedding date, the “Ten Fourteen Twelve,” and served it in my mother’s vintage punch bowl—straight 70s style.
Ten Fourteen Twelve
This sweet (and a little spicy) concoction features my favorite spirit—gin. Okay, I know what most of you are thinking: “Ew, gin? Gross! ” But this isn’t your bar standard gin-soaked martini. I’ll admit gin can be a little harsh if you drink it by itself, but it’s actually one of the most versatile liquors. Think about it … it’s made from a berry! How many different, wonderful things can you mix up with berries? With the right balance of fresh fruit juices and herbs, gin can be quite a refreshing treat.
Along with gin, this punch is a homemade mixture of rosemary-infused honey syrup, ginger, and grapefruit juice.
What you’ll need:
- 1 large punch bowl
- 1 750mL bottle of your favorite gin. My favorite is Hendricks, but feel free to use your favorite brand.
- 2 cups honey
- 2 cups water
- 10-12 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- ½ gallon of grapefruit juice (100% juice, no sugar added)
- 1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger
Method:
- In a small saucepan, heat honey, then add in water. Stir until fully incorporated and add 5–6 sprigs of rosemary. Let it sit for at least 1 hour; the longer it infuses the better. It only gets better with age!
- In the punch bowl add the gin (yes, the entire bottle), grapefruit juice, and fresh ginger. Slowly mix in honey mixture (aka honey syrup) and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, ladle over ice and garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary. Or, if you want to get extra fancy, you could make a little candied ginger for a garnish. Here’s a recipe by one of my favorite chefs Alton Brown: Candied Ginger.
- Now sit back, relax, and enjoy how impressed your friends will be that you made such an amazing drink.
Learn more about Swig by visiting them online at swigevents.com. Be sure to also follow Swig on Facebook by clicking here and on Twitter by clicking here.
