3 Grilled cocktails from The Ritz-Carlton, Naples

We sought out the help of Steve Wilcoxson, the bartender from The Grill who designed these grilled cocktails, to bring you some DIY drink recipes.

First up: Steve's inspiration behind the cocktails! After seeing some food recipes that involved grilled fruits, he started grilling fruits on his own and incorporating them into drinks he already loved. The outcome? A new grilled cocktails drink menu, launched earlier this year, that features the finest liquor and ingredients along with a unique method of preparation.

Let's get to the fun part and get things cooking!

Bacon Smoked Grilled Bloody Mary

Drink ingredients (made at the bar):

• 1.5 ounces house bacon vodka
• 4 ounces Grilled Bloody Mary Mix

Following recipe yields a 1 gallon batch of Grilled Bloody Mary Mix:

• 15 tomatoes
• 4 heads celery
• 4 tomatillos
• 2 jalapenos (seeds removed)

Blood Mary Mix Directions:

1. Smoke all ingredients for one hour with Applewood bacon at 200 degrees F.
2. Puree ingredients, and then strain.
3. Add puree with following ingredients: 1 quart V8 juice, 6 ounces lemon juice, 4 tablespoons celery salt, 4 tablespoons horseradish, 4 tablespoons onion powder, 2 tablespoons garlic powder and 4 tablespoons coarse black pepper.
4. Mix thoroughly by hand and pour mixture into a 1 gallon container; store for three days max and serve.

Drink Directions:

1. Shake all ingredients together and pour over ice in a tall glass.
2. Garnish with a pork belly bacon cube, cherry tomato and frisee lettuce.

The Grilled Pineapple

Drink Ingredients (made at the bar):

• 2 ounces dark aged rum (Mount Gay XO)
• 2 teaspoons brandied cherry juice
• 1 cube grilled pineapple
• 2 ounces Grilled Pineapple Drink Mix

Following recipe yields a 1 gallon batch of Grilled Pineapple Drink Mix:

1. Peel and core two whole fresh pineapples, and coat with In The Raw brown sugar; caramelize on a grilling griddle (not an open flame).
2. In a separate pot, reduce two cups of Mount Gay XO rum (or another kind of premium dark rum) by 1/3, and then add the following ingredients and bring to syrup consistency and strain: 2 cups of brown sugar, 8 star anise spice, 6 juniper berries, 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 vanilla bean stick.
3. Add liquid to a vacuum-sealed bag with the pineapple and sous-vide bag for two hours at 150 degrees F.
4. Remove bag and puree one diced pineapple with grilled pineapple drink mixture.
5. Add 16 ounces of pineapple juice to the puree.
6. Chill overnight and add mixture to a 1 gallon container; store for three days max and serve.

Drink Directions:

1. Shake all ingredients together and pour over ice in a tall glass.
2. Garnish with a grilled pineapple.

The Grilled Pear Margarita

Drink ingredients (made at the bar):

• 2 ounces Sauza Conmemorativo Tequila
• 2 ounces Grilled Pear Drink Mix

Following recipe yields a 1 gallon batch of Grilled Pear Margarita Mix:

1. Core two whole fresh pears (leave skin on); coat with In The Raw brown sugar; caramelize on a grilling griddle (not an open flame).
2. In a separate pot, reduce 2 cups of Mount Gay XO rum (or another kind of premium dark rum) by 1/3, and then add the following ingredients and bring to syrup consistency and strain: 2 cups of brown sugar, 8 star anise spice, 6 juniper berries, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 vanilla bean stick.
3. Add liquid to a vacuum-sealed bag with the pears and sous-vide bag for two hours at 150 degrees F.
4. Remove bag and puree 6 pears, 3 ounces agave nectar, 6 ounces fresh lime juice, 2 ounces pasteurized egg whites and juice from grilled pears.
5. Chill overnight and add mixture to a 1 gallon container; store for three days max and serve.

Drink Directions:

1. Shake all ingredients over ice.
2. Pour into glass and garnish with a slice of grilled pear.

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