A few weeks ago, the hubby and I decided to get out of the
house and go to downtown St. Pete for some drinks and eats. Unfortunately, many
other people seemed to have the same idea, so the air-conditioned bars and
restaurants we walked into were packed.
Not wanting to traipse up and down the street looking for
better options, we settled into some chairs on the closest outside patio—which
just so happened to be the first bar we went to our first night in the ‘burg.
(We’re creatures of habit.) With the hint of a breeze now and then, the weather
here can be misleading. The humidity might not feel all that bad at first, but
after about 15 minutes, a beer, and some bites of (hot) food, you’re sweating
(and, let’s be honest, cranky).
Sweltering, and taking slugs out of an already-warm bottle
of beer that I really didn’t want, I turned to GT and said, “You know what
would be really good right now? A Moscow Mule. I need a Moscow Mule. Where can we get one?”
Desperate for the zingy, citrus-and-spice cocktail, I
whipped out my phone and googled: “Moscow Mule St. Pete.” See, the mule is elusive. Not every bar serves it. Most don’t because it requires a
slightly unusual ingredient: ginger beer. Not to mention the frosty copper mug
it is traditionally served in.
Thankfully, Google came to the rescue because—lo and
behold—we were right next to a bar that serves the best Moscow Mules in town!
The results showed listing after listing stating “The Mandarin Hide,” and one article had this to say about the joint:
If you want to sip a Moscow Mule in a dark corner in St. Petersburg, there's Mandarin Hide on Central Avenue. You might walk right past the door if not for the chandelier enclosed in the birdcage on the sidewalk. It's intimate inside, and bartenders make any drink you desire.
Reading that, I was like, hey! I remember seeing a
chandelier; where was that? I look up the address and, literally, it is right
next door to where we are sitting. Fate.
You can bet we made a beeline for the inconspicuous bar’s
door. I didn’t even finish my beer. As we stepped into the lounge we were
greeted with sweet, sweet AC, several open seats and a whole lot of vintage
charm. The Mandarin Hide has a cool, speakeasy vibe—antler-shaped chandeliers,
exposed brick walls, chalkboard menus, a buffalo head mounted on the wall—and
the bartenders take their craft cocktails seriously. Which I appreciate.
[The Mandarin Hide's cocktail menu, flanked by my Moscow Mule and GT's first-ever Negroni.]
Since Moscow Mules have become my new favorite thing in recent months (I consumed several on my
honeymoon), I decided I needed to learn how to make my own at home. Luckily,
it couldn't be simpler! All you need is three ingredients:
Vodka
A Fresh Lime
Ginger Beer
Here’s how I make mine:
1. Saving a thin sliver of lime for garnish, squeeze the juice of half a lime into the bottom of a glass. (A chilled copper mug is traditional, but a tall Collins glass or a mason jar work great, too.) Drop in the spent lime shell too, if you wish.
2. Toss in a handful of ice.
3. Pour in 2 ounces of vodka (I eyeball it) and top with ice-cold ginger beer, about 4 to 6 ounces. (I found a six-pack of Barritts at my local supermarket, but I’m sure a liquor store like BevMo! or Total Wine would have more and possibly better options. Such as Fentimans. That's good stuff.)
4. Stir, garnish with reserved lime wedge, and serve.
1. Saving a thin sliver of lime for garnish, squeeze the juice of half a lime into the bottom of a glass. (A chilled copper mug is traditional, but a tall Collins glass or a mason jar work great, too.) Drop in the spent lime shell too, if you wish.
2. Toss in a handful of ice.
3. Pour in 2 ounces of vodka (I eyeball it) and top with ice-cold ginger beer, about 4 to 6 ounces. (I found a six-pack of Barritts at my local supermarket, but I’m sure a liquor store like BevMo! or Total Wine would have more and possibly better options. Such as Fentimans. That's good stuff.)
4. Stir, garnish with reserved lime wedge, and serve.
If you want to be extra fancy, a sprig of mint would be
quite nice, too.
I'm telling you, this drink is the perfect summertime cocktail. Quick and
easy to make. Super refreshing, with a citrus kick. Ahh… If you’ve never tried
one, please do. You’ll be glad you did.
Now that I’ve become an expert Moscow Mule-maker, all I need
is a set of copper mugs. This smooth mug (pictured below) is chic and sophisticated, though I’m really loving the
hammered texture of this and this. They're a bit on the pricey side, so maybe I'll wait for Christmas (wink, wink).
What is your favorite summertime libation? Have you ever had a Moscow Mule?
With that, cheers to a wonderful weekend!
(All photos by me except the last image, via Sur La Table.)
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