{ For the Love of Food and Wine } On Saturdays, We Brunch...But First, We Drink

photo courtesy: bonappetit.com | Mixologist: Damon Boelte

| Strawberry-Balsamic Smash |

Using a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, mash two 1/2" lime wedges, two 1/2" rounds of cucumber, 1 fresh hulled strawberry, 1 Tbsp. Simple Syrup (click for recipe), and 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar in a 16-oz. mixing glass or a cocktail shaker 4–5 times just to release juices and oils. Add 1/4 cup gin. Transfer to an Old Fashioned glass. Fill halfway with crushed ice, stir, then mound more crushed ice on top. Garnish with a cucumber round.

With our Mediterranean-like climate, we Angelenos have grown quite accustomed to a cross-seasonal lifestyle. With yesterday's earthquake but a mere afterthought, most of us are already mulling over where brunch will take place, while languidly rolling around in our sheets.

Today's early musings focus on concoctions which are sure to whet our palates, promise to open up our senses, and entice us to eat far more than we'd planned. (To Do List: Santa Monica Stairs, check.)

I'm crushing on these delightful libations, by way of Brooklyn's finest mixologist, Damon Boelte. The "Smashes" come in a myriad of colors and just as many flavor profiles. From the Strawberry-Balsamic Smash to the Bramble Smash, the Mezcal Smash to the Chartreuse Smash, these icy low-calorie beauties beg to be sipped poolside, rooftop or beachfront. So many choices...and with this inspired weather, why choose? Have you decided where you're headed this lovely morning, and more importantly...what are you drinking?

Photo courtesy: bonappetit.com | Kimberley Hasselbrink

The Muse, Damon Boelte:

Tune in to The Speakeasy podcast, every Wednesday at 4PM, where host Damon Boelte will discuss cocktails, spirits, wine, beer, tea, coffee and all things in the liquid universe, with guests ranging from bartenders and brewers, alchemists and ambassadors, roasters and regulars, and every expert and enthusiast in between. Learn from some of the world's leading experts in mixology, bar history, distillation and brewing about how we enjoy imbibing today.

Damon Boelte has consulted for many bars and restaurants in New York City and beyond, and is currently is the bar director for critically heralded Prime Meats restaurant in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. He has worked with many spirits and beverage companies such as Maker's Mark, Plymouth Gin, Tito's Vodka, Corzo Tequila, the American Gin Company, Highland Park and Stumptown Coffee. You can read about his cocktails and techniques in New York Magazine, The New York Times, Time Out, Imbibe Magazine, GQ, Edible Brooklyn & Manhattan, Saveur, Bon Appetit, La Cucina Italiana, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, Eater.com, Tastingtable.com & seriouseats.com.