abstractmixologist

17/11/2024

I have been teaching Thanksgiving cocktails all month. The clear front runner has been my gingerbread old fashioned, made with home made gingerbread syrup.

I promised the recipe for my gingerbread syrup it is so good, so here it is!

I need to play around with using it in some different cocktails, but if you have an old fashioned drinker coming to your Thanksgiving celebrations, this will be a big hit!! Make it and you can enjoy this traditional flavor all through the holiday season.

Cheers!
Caroline

Gingerbread Syrup

2 cups water
4 cups brown sugar
1 heaping teaspoon good quality pie spice (I use )
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter

Combine sugar water and pie spice in a saucepan and heat gently until all the sugar of dissolved. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Then allow to cool.
Meanwhile, brown butter in a separate pan until gently bubbling and turning "nutty". Add a little of your syrup to the browned butter and stir to combine, this will make a light caramel.
Add the caramel back into your syrup and stir.
When cool bottle the syrup and keep in the fridge.

26/10/2024

I've had fun with the butterfly pea 🦋cocktails this month for Halloween. I'm going to post about my Fall flavor - Halloween cocktails next week, but here's an extra recipe made alcohol free and a little boozy for me!

Flutterby Fizz

2oz butterfly pea infused coconut water
1/2oz lime juice
1oz pineapple juice
Saint Pellegrino for fizz
(Optional 1.5oz gin)

Rim glass with Tajin for color and flair. Combine all the ingredients in your shaker except the sparkling water. Shake briefly and strain over a large rock. Top with S. Pellegrino or other great sparkling water.

I buy my butterfly pea flowers on Amazon and use them to make vodka, gin or awesome coconut water to make purple-pink potions at home! It's like a really good science class!

Cheers!

02/10/2024

I'm pretty much booked out for the rest of 2024 and looking forward to planning seasonal flavors for next year!

If you've been thinking about booking a class in Dallas, Fort Worth or anywhere in between... don't hesitate! DM or call me! I'd love to get your cocktail class on my calendar!

21/09/2024

Sometimes you just have to put your feet up!

I took a week off teaching cocktails and we escaped for a mini break to the Texas Hill country. Famous for its wineries, distilleries and for my family chocolate shops, we always have a great time down here!

Found a great Air BnB outside Dripping springs with this incredible view... here's a few of my Hill Country essentials:

Visit for food and cocktails - also on site is which is my favorite Texas gin!

Shopping on Mercer St in Dripping Springs at cute boutiques and grab a cocktail at .

As an English girl in Texas... I have to get my British baked goods fix (especially sausage rolls) at

On the way south from DFW check in at in Hico or in Fredericksburg for the best hand made chocolate in Texas!

There is a fabulous cheese shop in Marble Falls (assuming you went via Hico and you're therefore on the 281 scenic route) called - they have some of my favorite European cheese and a few great American ones too!

This trip we ate at which is a truly beautiful restaurant set into the hills!

Feeling refreshed and heading back home ready to embrace Fall and prepare for the upcoming holiday season! I am teaching a lot of cocktail classes over the next 3 months! I hope to see lots of my Texas mixing friends!

17/09/2024

I love that a Moscow Mule is so versatile. Changing up the way the ginger presents, or switching your base liquor are so easy! I also love adding seasonal flavor to my mules like in the Candy Apple I'm showcasing in my classes and workshops this month!

At lunch today I tried the at in Dallas. So good, with a lovely punch of ginger and the addition of sake and cucumber which was so good with my Malaysian chicken curry bowl. Giving off vibes and making me think of ! 🔥 if you're in the DFW or Austin area do check out Lori for Asian / Texas BBQ mash up!

Kyuri Mule
Vodka, sake, ginger beer, cucumber, mint simple

07/09/2024

This spritz style cocktail has been really popular at my classes this month. I'm going to continue sharing in September as it's a perfect cocktail to bridge summer into fall!

I called this a spritz, though you could say it's more like a sangria! Made with my house made hibiscus and cinnamon syrup, it a a refreshing light cocktail that's has a little nod to the flavors We love at the end of the year.
I served this up with a wedge of grapefruit dusted in sea salt. You can throw I. The fruit and then enjoy it at the end over it has been infused with the drink!

Jamaica Spritz

1oz Tequila
1/2oz hibiscus and cinnamon syrup *
3 oz dry rose wine (I used a Grenache from California)
Splash 💦 of sparkling water
grapefruit wedge & sea salt

Combine everything in a glass with ice!

I have a packed calendar of cocktail workshops for fall but there's a couple of dates available I. Nov mental! Let me know if you're keen to book a date.

*Hibiscus and Cinnamon syrup
2 cups organic cane sugar
2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers
1 stick cinnamon

Bring everything up to a boil. Summer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. (Remove the cinnamon stick after 10 mins). When cold, strain and bottle. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

01/08/2024

How do you Spritz?

Did you catch my story today? It's today so u thought I'd share some of my favorite bottles for making a spritz.

From left to right...

Aperix - IMO a grown up take on the classic Aperol, I think it's got more of a burnt orange flavor, and the bitter is more enhanced and apparently rhubarb, which I love.

Vecchio Amaro del Capo, hot chile pepper - this amaro from Calabria is amazing for a spicy spritz. It's rich red color with a strong bitter flavor also make it perfect for making this kind of style drinks too!

Drillaud Elderflower - if the Hugo spritz is more your speed, this elderflower liqueur is light and floral. It's always been my favorite! Add a little seasonal fruit and maybe a sprig of fresh herbs!

Suze - Made in the South West region of France for over 125 years, this is a serious bitter! I love a Suze Spritz, and recently described this as "like a normal spritz, but French!" IYKYK . Safe to say, you won't finish this bottle in a day, but there's so many fun things you can do with it!

Select - how do you say you've been to Venice...... this Campari style red bitter is so so good, enjoy it as a spritz, or an Americano with sweet vermouth and soda! And if you're pretending to be Venetian, don't forget the olive! 🫒

Grand Brulot - this coffee infused VSOP cognac can be enjoyed alone in your spritz, or indeed combined Select or the Vecchio Amaro if you're still wanting a little bitterness! (I can also be found sipping this combined with bourbon and a pinch of sea salt for an after dinner smash hit!

However you want to put a spritz in your steps today, you can't go wrong with any of these! Let me know your favorite, or if you have something else I should try.... please let me know in the comments! 🍹

01/08/2024

Back from London and I'm into recipe prep for August's classes! This is a great contender I'm provisionally calling French Gold for my Margaritas class!

Made with gold tequila, Texas peach and wildflower honey puree, lime, and a touch of iconic French bitter Suze - it could definitely be a front runner! The Fresno chile and thyme are just a garnish, but definitely add to the drink as you go. Salut!

Texas is the 3rd largest US state contributing to the 2024 Paris Olympics with over 40 athletes, so this is a pretty great cocktail to enjoy with whatever sport you're following... I'm happy to be back in Texas and looking forward to sharing some heat beating cocktails in August.

French Gold - shaken, served on a block
1oz Texas peach and honey puree
1.5oz anejo tequila
0.25oz Suze French Bitter
1oz lime juice
Pinch
Fresno chile slice and thyme sprig to garnish

12/07/2024

It was a tale of three cocktails at . Having just finished the amazing book Unreasonable Hospitality, I had to check in at the Nomad hotel and see if the cocktails, and the hospitality are worth the hype! I was not disappointed!

Head bartender Max and his team were a delight to watch and were fun and social too!

#1 Walter Vesper - 2 gins, grey goose, dolin dry, dolin blanc, pear way de vie, house pickles

#2 Flakette - ginger-lime syrup, spicy ginger syrup, angostura, fernet branch, sweet vermouth, cucumber

#3 Old Cuban - rum, lime, angostura, sugar, champagne
(I enjoyed a smoked chorizo empanada with this)

Side Hustle has an almost endless cocktail menu, but if you're like me and in denial about needing glasses, have a chat about what you like to drink and let the team behind the bar guide you!

So interesting to see how is being done in London. Definitely a step above the norm!

Perfect inspiration as needed to refresh my fall cocktail workshops! (If you tipped me this summer, thank you and Cheers!)

03/05/2024

"Martini Mayhem" 🍸☕️🍍🍓

01/05/2024

It's a martini and a half kind of day!

I'm looking forward to my "martini mayhem" class at tomorrow, enjoining a classic gin martini for myself! Tomorrow's class is a jaunt through martini history, starting with this classic, and stopping on the way in the disco/nightclub era with the French Martini and ending with current cocktail darling The Espresso Martini! It's going to be delicious fun!

But first for a classic....

3oz London Dry Gin - I used today
1oz dry vermouth - I used as usual

Shake well and serve in a thrifted martini glass with the extra half on ice. Garnish with a twist and put olives and salt and vinegar chips (crisps) nearby for when you need a little savory pick-me-up!

01/05/2024

So much fun at last night with my final class for April! I can't believe it's been 4 months since my Holiday class at LF, thank goodness I'll be back soon (June 25th) for Summer Sips!

That wraps up my April Showers and Wildflowers series and it's been so fabulous! Pretty sure the clear favorite was my Blueberry Lemondrop Martini made with a lemon vodka. I've been promising the recipe for that all month, I'll get it on here today!

I am for June and December but have a few pops of space in other months! If you've been thinking about booking your , give me a shout soon so you don't miss out!

26/04/2024

was a gorgeous setting for my Uptown Dallas cocktail class last night! It was my first visit and I can't wait to get back!

We mixed Spring Mojitos with Lemon and elderflower, an off-season play on the Peach Bellini and crowd favorite the Blueberry Lemondrop Martini made with sous-vide lemon vodka🍋!

I even had a little extra time on my hands and was able to pop across the road to for a moment of luxury window shopping before the class kicked off. ❤️

25/04/2024

Day dating at its best with my husband in Magnolia District of Fort Worth! We went out to celebrate , thank goodness I'm not in charge of admin in my !

We started with happy hour at which has an amazing prawn cocktail/ceviche that we love! I had a gin martini (or 2) with and my gorgeous companion was surprised with an N/A Paloma made with agave spirit! It was delicious!

We bought coffee beans for tomorrow at and I found this fab painted wall - what inspirational cliche is your favorite?! Mine is always to Travel the World.....

I've been missing the kid just a little whilst he's on his "field trip" to but I'm happy to have a little grown up field trip of my own with my favorite! (I took pictures of him too, but was told he was too cute to post!😜)

13/04/2024

This was day two at Walsh Ranch Texas for my "April Showers and Wildflowers" mixology class. I had 43 guests over the two evenings, and we made a Lemon-Basil Mojito, Peach Bellini and a Raspberry Lemondrop Martini! Fun times!

12/04/2024

I love this picture from my cocktail workshop for Hexpol at The Hilton in Southlake this week. One of the most fun things about teaching cocktail making to "ordinary folk who don't make drinks for a living" is the moment of joy when they step back, take a photo and say - I did that!

03/04/2024

Join me for a "Taste of Taylor" Mixology class at AR Workshop Frisco on Thursday 18th April and get yourself ready for the album release weekend!

Calling all the 🪩Swifties💕that are excited to celebrate the new album release next month! will be back in the studio for a new spin on cocktails that are perfect for your streaming sesh! 🍸🎶

Join us April 18th at 7pm for this Specialty Workshop. Registration is live now!

18/03/2024

I'll take this delicious pot of gold over a green beer any day. A dear friend dropped off a bag of hand picked citrus fruit in my doorstep and what a treat it was to come home to! There will definitely be some limoncello making this week!

Side note, I don't tend to celebrate but I have been making Irish Mules in my classes this week. I think the Irish mule is a fab cocktail, so easy to make, and the Irish whisky pairs so well with a good quality ginger beer. I like to use ! I picked up a lesser known whisky Ide & Stills at and it was so good in the mule or as a sipper!

Thanks , I can't wait to make cocktails with you!