Playing Bartender at 5 Napkin Burger

It’s no secret that I’m passionate about food and do my fair share of dabbling in cooking and baking. But as far as cocktails are concerned, I’m a downright novice when it comes to creation. Sure, I know what I like and can figure out which flavors work well together – I’m just not a particularly talented mixologist.

That’s where 5 Napkin Burger came in recently, as they invited a select group of bloggers to join them for a night of cocktail mixing. Having a resident mixologist came handy, as we learned to make some basic yet classic cocktails you can never go wrong with.

Even though the whole process required a lot of patience (and sometimes a few different steps), the result was always a delicious and carefully crafted beverage that tasted so much better than something straight out of the bottle. I strongly urge you to try some of these at home, or pop into 5 Napkin Burger and they’ll hook you up.

Favorite Drink:
Even though it was the most basic of the three cocktails we made that night, the margarita was an absolute standout, and made me appreciate the art that goes into making it. The key was using fresh ingredients such as fresh lemon and lime juice, a little bit of simple syrup and a scoop of ice to ensure the drink tasted smooth and chill. You do need a few pieces of basic mixology tools such as a shaker, strainer, a mixing glass and a little jigger to measure everything out. The best part is shaking it up, and getting a little fancy with it. It was fun to watch everyone creating this cocktail, incorporating into it their own personal swagger.

Here’s the classic margarita recipe, courtesy of 5 Napkin Burger:

Ingredients:
1.5 oz El Jimador Silver Tequila          
2 scoops of ice
1 oz Bols Triple Sec                               
Lime Wedge
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice                       
Kosher Salt
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice      
1 oz Simple Syrup

Equipment:
Metal shaker
Mixing glass
Strainer
Jigger
Ice scoop
Double Old Fashion Glass

Building Procedure:
1. In a mixing glass, add El Jimador Silver Tequila, Bols triple sec, fresh lemon juice, fresh  lime juice and simple syrup 
2. Add ice
3. Shake
4. Pour over fresh ice in the double old fashioned glass with salted rim
5. Garnish with a lime wedge on rim of glass
6. 2 small black straws

5 Napkin Burger - 35-01 36th Street, Astoria, NY 11106 
718.433.2727
N/Q Train to 36th Avenue
www.5napkinburger.com