By Hairee Lee.

And In Second Place…

With two more weeks of summer left after our Cocktail #10: Aviation, we thought, now what? The answer was obvious: End-of-Summer cocktails. So obvious.

A Facebook poll was set up listing 8 End-of-Summer cocktails from an Esquire magazine article. And people voted. Thanks voters!

After 2 weeks of voting, in second place was Paul King’s Porch Swing (which I was happy about because I voted for this one.)

[You know summer's coming to an end when] you nearly freeze your fingers off while running early in the morning, actually have to wear that damn jacket to work, think twice before returning your favorite pair of platform sandals back in its box and put on the toe-covered loafers.

I suppose what makes this cocktail an End-Of-Summer drink is the rosemary and the heat from the Mexican chili powder in the salt rim. The rosemary makes me think of roasted chicken and and chili powder reminds me of, well, chili, two dishes I enjoy in cooler weather.

Autumn flavor #1: Rosemary

Autumn flavor #2: Mexican chilli powder in the salt for the salt rim

But the tequila and the watermelon says summer all the way. What you get is this great pairing of hot and cool just like end-of-summer days, with cooler mornings and evening and hot afternoons.

Summer flavor #1: Tequila

Summer flavor #2: Watermelon

This idea of combining fall and summer flavors was echoed by Chad Arnhold of Citizen Pub for his cocktail in the Libation Elimination competition, which you can read about here. But I think this one delivered the promise of fall-summer, cool-warm a lot more sucessfully.

It’s refreshing but boozy, taking the edge right off of saying bye to summer.

So if you’re like me and you’re sad that summer is ending, especially on a day like today, when you nearly freeze your fingers off while running early in the morning, actually have to wear that damn jacket to work, think twice before returning your favorite pair of platform sandals back in its box and put on the toe-covered loafers, then try this one at home.

It’s refreshing but boozy, taking the edge right off of saying bye to summer. So long sun and fun and hello Paul King’s Porch Swing!

Paul King’s Porch Swing
Serves 1

Ingredients

• 4 muddled sprigs of thyme in a shaker. As usual, we used our trusted Rosle cocktail shaker for this drink. Reserve a sprig as garnish.
• 2 ounces Sauza Tequila Silver (or any blanco of your choosing)
• 2 ounces watermelon puree (blend watermelon to a pulp or muddle then strain the liquid)
• 1/2 ounces agave nectar
• Seltzer to top off
• Lime wheels
• 1 teaspoon Mexican chilli powder
• 1/2 cup Kosher salt

Directions

1. Rim the glass with chili salt.



2. Pour tequila, agave nectar, and watermelon puree over the muddled rosemary in the cocktail shaker.

   

3. strain over ice in the glass. Top off with seltzer.


Straining the cocktail into the Schott Zwiesel Iceberg iced beverage glass rimmed with chili salt



Topping of the cocktail with seltzer water

4. Garnish with a lime wheel and thyme sprig.

Lime wheel and rosemary sprig garnished Paul King's Porch Swing. Oh so swigable.

JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR THE #1 CHOICE FOR END-OF-SUMMER COCKTAIL:

ADAM STEMMLER’S FATHER, SON & HOLY GHOST

Recipe adapted from Esquire.
Photographs by Nate Brescia.