Check out these cocktails for Labor Day. I have included two mocktail recipes which are great ideas for those who prefer not to have an alcoholic drink or may be a designated driver.

Four Cocktails

The Rear Window

1)The Rear Window

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 oz simple syrup*
2 oz water
3/4 oz Averna brand amaro

Directions

1. Fill tall glass 3/4 with crushed ice. Place a long straw in the glass.
2. In a shaker glass, combine water, lemon juice, simple syrup and regular ice. Shake and strain into prepared glass, leaving a 1/2-inch collar at the top.
3. Slowly pour Averna so that it mostly lingers on top. (This is called a float of Averna. Do it in front of a crowd and it’s quite a show.)

*Simple Syrup: Equal parts by volume sugar dissolved in water.

Recipe created by Francis Schott, co-owner of Stage Left Steak, to honor the Hitchcock film. Recipe courtesy of Stage Left Steak, New Brunswick.

The Killer Bee Cocktail

2)The Killer Bee

Ingredients

2 oz Milagro tequila
1 oz Serrano chili-infused honey syrup*
1 oz fresh lemon juice
Serrano chili for garnish

Directions

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and shake with ice; strain to a chilled cocktail glass.

*Honey Syrup: Equal parts honey and water. Infuse overnight with some smashed up Serrano chili peppers.

Recipe courtesy of Catherine Lombardi, New Brunswick

Pineapple Picante

3)Picante Pineapple

Ingredients

2.5 oz house-infused pineapple vodka
1/4 oz cayenne pepper syrup
1/4 oz lemon juice
sprig of mint

Directions

Muddle mint and syrup together, add lemon juice and vodka. Shake with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.

Recipe courtesy of Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern, Ho-Ho-Kus

Salt Bae

4)Salt Bae

Ingredients

2 oz Tree City NJ corn vodka
1/2 oz summer tonic syrup
1 oz grapefruit Juice
kosher salt

Directions

1. Rim half of a rocks glass with kosher salt.
2. Combine vodka, tonic syrup and grapefruit juice in weighted shaking tins.
3. Shake well, strain into salt-rimmed rocks glass.

Recipe courtesy of Restaurant Serenade, Chatham

Two Mocktails (Cocktail enjoyment without the alcohol)

Suco de Melancia com Hortelã

1)Suco de Melancia com Hortelã (Watermelon and mint juice)

Brazilian for “watermelon and mint juice,” this recipe is included in The Samba Montclair Cookbook by Executive Chef/Owner Ilson Goncalves, coming this month.

Ingredients

4 thick slices watermelon, without seeds
juice of 1/2 lemon
10 mint leaves, or more to taste
4-6 ice cubes

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender; blend until smooth. If your blender is having trouble blending, slowly add 1/2 cup water until it starts moving again. Yields 2 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Samba Montclair, Montclair

Turmeric Blueberry Lemonade Spritzer

2)Turmeric Blueberry Lemonade Spritzer

Ingredients

1-inch piece turmeric, juiced
1 oz blueberry syrup*
4 oz lemonade
2 oz seltzer
lemon slice for garnish

1. Fill tall glass with ice. Pour in turmeric juice and blueberry syrup then gently pour in lemonade. Top with seltzer and garnish with lemon slice.

*Blueberry Syrup

1 pt fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and continue simmering for 10-15 minutes until blueberries have popped.
2. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Strain blueberries through a fine mesh strainer pushing with back of a spoon to release all of the blueberry juices.
4. Keeps refrigerated in a covered container for up to two weeks.

Recipe created by Owner/culinary Director Natalie Colledge at Plum on Park.

Recipe courtesy of Plum on Park, Montclair

Enjoy!
Kathy