As the wife of a restaurant owner, I imagine that Liz Jacob is probably quite the connoisseur of fine drinks. She might laugh at my saying that, but I have to say, a girl who shares my signature drink (vodka on the rocks with a splash of soda and a lime)? I’m sure we can all assume she has good taste. Ahem. Well, Liz decided to mix up her usual vodka with a warm spice we all enjoy this time of year- ginger! Make your own Moscow Mule by following Liz’s directions below.

• 1/4 cup of club soda
• 3 Tablespoons of vodka
• 1 Tablespoon of ginger syrup*

Pour the three above ingredients into a Moscow Mule mug filled with ice. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with 2 lime wedges. *To make your own ginger syrup, finely dice one six inch piece of fresh ginger and combine with two cups of sugar and two cups of water in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let it cook down for about an hour. Strain the cooled syrup before use.

Kara first tried St. Germain with a grapefruit cocktail at our favorite Canton martini bar. Interestingly enough, when she made this non-grapefruit drink for us, I couldn’t figure out what it reminded me of, until it hit me- grapefruit! This was my first time tasting elderflower, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fresh, citrusy flavors that resulted by mixing it with a dry wine. This cocktail is very easy to make at home, and just might impress your friends. Depending on how easy they are to impress. that is.

• 1 part – St. Germain Elderflower Liquor
• 2 parts – Dry white wine (I used Savignon Blanc)
• 1 part – Soda water, or club soda
• lemon slice for garnish

This one’s pretty simple! Fill a glass with a couple of ice cubes, pour in the St. Germain, then add wine. Top with soda water, and stir to combine. The lemon is technically a garnish, but I like to squeeze it into the drink to add an extra citrusy flavor. Enjoy!

Kicking off a brand new blog feature here at Making Nice in the Midwest, I have with me a very dear friend, Miss Catherine Bules- maker of this mad herbal martini that I can’t wait to enjoy once this baby’s out of my belly! If you’ve been reading here for a while, you might remember Catherine from her surprise birthday party , her initiation of the All-Friends-Thanksgiving tradition, or perhaps that time she dressed up as Lumpy Space Princess! My little group of friends enjoys experimenting with drink mixing, so I thought it would be fun if Catherine kicks off this new “Guest Bartender” series with a fresh drink perfect for Summertime. (Oh, and I did try a tiny sip- it was surprising in all the right florally ways!)

• 7-10 full-sized fresh basil leaves (dried basil will not do)
• 1/4 cup dried lavender (you may use fresh lavender too)
• 1 T honey, or a one inch square of honeycomb.
• 1 fresh squeezed lemon (2 if you like it a bit more citrusy)
• 2/3 C of gin
• 1/3 C of vermouth
• ice cubes