HOUSTON – From the first days of autumn and all through thanksgiving, 'tis season for everything pumpkin, including delicious cocktails for your every occasion or party you may be hosting at home.
“Among the most popular autumn drinks are pumpkin cocktails, and they're a lot of fun to mix up,” said award-winning bartender Rebecca Burkart, with Johnny's Gold Brick in The Heights, who shared three easy recipes to try this fall to make the most of this versatile fruit.
According to Burkart, there are many ways to incorporate pumpkin into your cocktails.
“Many cocktail recipes use pumpkin ingredients that are more commonly used in food, including pumpkin butter, pumpkin seeds, fresh pumpkin purees, pumpkin syrup and pumpkin pie spice,” said Burkart, who uses St-Germain liqueur in these recipes due to its subtle and adaptable flavors.
For Burkart’s complete interview, watch the video above.
Autumn Nights
• 1.5 ounces Bombay Sapphire gin
• 1.5 ounces pumpkin syrup*
• .75 ounce St-Germain
• .25 ounce lemon
• 1 dash Angostura
• Topped with 3 ounces hot water
• Garnished with St-Germain cream* and grated nutmeg
*St-Germain cream:
• .5 ounce St-Germain
• 2 ounces heavy cream
Directions:
Build everything in a mug except for the St-Germain cream. Give it a stir. Top with cream and grated nutmeg.
For St-Germain cream:
Lightly whip 2 ounces cream and 5 ounces St-Germain.
For pumpkin syrup:
-Equal parts of pumpkin puree, water and sugar. Bring to boil and run thorough a mesh strainer.
South for the Winter
• 1 ounce Grey Goose Vodka
• 1 ounce pumpkin syrup
• .75 ounce St-Germain
• .5 ounce lemon juice
• .25 ounce rosemary syrup*
• Topped with sparkling water
• Garnished with rosemary sprig
Directions:
Combine all except soda in tin. Shake, strain over ice and top with soda. Garnish with rosemary sprig.
*For rosemary syrup:
Boil 1 cup of water, 1 cup sugar, 4 rosemary springs and strain.
Pepita Old Fashioned
• 1.5 ounces Santa Teresa Rum
• .5 ounce St-Germain
• .5 ounc pumpkin spice syrup*
• Garnished with an orange peel and roasted pumpkin seeds
Directions:
*For pumpkin spice syrup:
Boil pumpkin spice, water and sugar. Strain though coffee filter while hot.
For cocktail:
Build all ingredients in rock glass, add ice, stir to dilute.
Garnish with orange zest and enjoy with a side of roasted pepitas.
Recipes provided by Rebecca Burkart.