Liquid Chef Billie Keithley is bringing you the ultimate summer pairing menu, with suggestions of both cocktails and dishes to pair them with. Get inspired by these carefully curated pairings and cheers to a great summer season in Breckenridge!
Visiting Breckenridge this season? Join us for live music on the patio both Saturdays and Sundays or explore 10 Ways to Experience Breckenridge Distillery.
Course One: Après Summer with Toy Box Tomato Salad
Après Summer & Toy Box Tomato Salad
It’s tomato season! This dish can be picked straight from your garden and served to the table. It is balanced out by meridian goat cheese, honeycomb, and crispy prosciutto. To pair perfectly with this vibrant dish, Billie recommends the Après Summer cocktail – made with Breckenridge Gin, blackberry lavender shrub, and lime juice with tonic. What’s a shrub?
Après Summer
1-1/2 oz Breckenridge Gin (Buy Now)
1-1/2 oz Blackberry lavender shrub*
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
Tonic
Shake top 3 ingredients with ice. Strain over pebble ice and top with tonic.
Garnish: lucky sorrel
*Blackberry lavender shrub: over medium heat add 1-1/2 cup water, 6 oz blackberries, 3 oz monk fruit sweetener, 2 oz blackberry balsamic vinegar and 2 oz Colorado honey. Muddle blackberries. Stir until sweetener is dissolved. Add 1 Tbsp dried lavender and stir. Turn off heat and let rest 10 minutes. Strain, bottle and refrigerate.
Course Two: Yuzu Waterfall with Red Rockfish Ceviche
Yuzu Waterfall & Red Rockfish Ceviche
This Yuzu Waterfall cocktail is a fan favorite that features award-winning Breckenridge Gin. The spirit’s herbal notes pair perfectly with the gooseberries, plantain, and black garlic included in this rockfish dish. Liquid Chef Billie Keithley has prepared this light summer seltzer that is perfect for a refreshing patio sipper. For more easy summer seltzers recipes, click here.
Yuzu Waterfall
1-1/2 oz Breckenridge Gin (Buy Now)
1-1/2 oz Yuzu basil syrup*
¾ oz fresh lime juice
Topo Chico
Shake top 3 ingredients with ice. Strain and add pebble ice. Top with Topo Chico.
Garnish: kinome leaf
*Yuzu basil simple syrup: over low-med head, add 1 bottle (750 ml Yuzu juice), 3 cups sugar and 4 ozs basil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Muddle basil, let cool, strain, bottle and refrigerate.
Course Three: Elder Wand and Butter Poached Maine Lobster Roll
Elder Wand & Butter Poached Maine Lobster Roll
If you’ve dined at Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant, you know Chef loves to put a twist on classic American dishes. And, for all our New England visitors – you’re going to want to try this one. With Maine Lobster claw meat, pickled shallots, and a squid-ink frankfurter roll, this is a roll that you’ll need an Elder Wand seltzer to chase it down. The Elder Wand seltzer features Breckenridge Pear Vodka, passion fruit juice, elderflower simple syrup, and lemon juice.
Elder Wand
1 oz Breckenridge Pear Vodka (Buy Now)
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz elderflower simple syrup*
½ oz fresh lemon juice
Soda
Shake top 4 ingredients with ice. Strain over pebble ice and top with soda.
Garnish: coriander bloom
*Elderflower simple syrup: over low – medium heat, add 1 cup water, one cup sugar and 1 bar spoon elderflower extract. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool, bottle and refrigerate.
BONUS – The Mando and Salt & Pepper Crispy Tofu
We couldn’t let you visit the Breckenridge Distillery without having tried our favorite spirit. Inspired by the ‘Mandalorian,’ the Mando cocktail combines our original Breckenridge Bourbon with bright summer flavors found in mandarin oranges, honey, and citrus. The spiciness of the high-rye content Breckenridge Bourbon communicates nicely with the spice of the crispy tofu, balanced by summer fruits.
MANDO
1-1/2 oz Breckenridge Bourbon (Buy Now)
2 oz mandarin puree
1 oz honey, orange sauce, pepper flake syrup*
½ oz fresh lemon juice
Shake all ingredients with ice. Double strain over ice.
Garnish: seasoned rice noodles and dehydrated pepper flake orange slice.
*Simple syrup: over low-med heat, add 1 cup water, ½ cup honey, ½ cup sugar, 3 tsp pepper flakes and 1 oz orange sauce. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool, strain, bottle and refrigerate.
BBQ & Cocktail Pairing more your style?
Make a reservation at Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant.
Please Après Responsibly.
