Meet Corrie, fellow mixologist from TX and find out how she got her start in mixology.
Name:
Corrie Pennington
Location:
Houston, TX; currently outside of Austin, TX
Go-To Cocktail:
That’s hard. Probably a Dark & Stormy but I’m always down for a Daiquiri or a Gimlet.
Instagram:
@girlandtonic_
Website:
girlandtonic.co
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you first get into mixology? Who/what/where taught you what you know?
I’m a former elementary school teacher, current online ESL teacher, a wife, and a mom. I got into mixology 6 years ago after I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. I was a huge craft beer fan so I knew that after bidding gluten goodbye, I had to find other drinks to love. Necessity is the mother of invention, right? Every time my husband cracked open a beer, I was inspired to try mixing up something as equally delish. I still miss a good copper ale but cocktails have done a great job of filling the gluten void.
I’ve never taken any bartending or mixology classes. Instead, I started out by looking up recipes on Pinterest and trying them out. It didn’t take long to realize that mixology is a great creative outlet for me. Truthfully, I didn’t even know that the #drinkstagram community was a thing until I started my own account this year. Now I’m constantly learning from all the other awesome people that show up in my feed. I’ve got a lot of learning left to do!
What are you excited about in the world of mixology right now?
Right now, I’m really excited about the return to vintage, classic cocktails. Don’t get me wrong—I love seeing the creative and crazy drinks people come up with. But sometimes the race to create the wildest, most obscure drink can be a little exhausting. I also think there’s something so… reverential about enjoying a simple recipe that has stood the test of time. A classic cocktail’s got nothing to prove. It just is. I respect that.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from two main places. First, from the things I like. I’m a shameless professional wrestling fan so I’ll think to myself “If Chris Jericho was gonna have a signature cocktail, what would be in it?” I also think about what drink would embody the characters in the books I read. Fantasy novels are great fodder for excellent drink names, too. I’ve got a whole list just waiting to be used. The second place I find inspiration is my fridge. I hate tossing food out so I’ll scan the contents of the fridge and pantry for flavors that might taste good together.
What is one recipe that you created on your own that you’re really proud of?
I really love my Cero Miedo cocktail that I named after a pro wrestling tag team called the Lucha Brothers.
Cero Miedo
- 1 oz tequila blanco
- 1 oz mezcal
- 3/4 oz guava nectar
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/4 oz jalapeño basil simple syrup
- 2-3 pinches of Kashmiri chili powder
- splash of club soda
- optional– a few slices of jalapeño for muddling
Add all of the ingredients, except the club soda, into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. If you want your cocktail extra spicy, add a couple slices of jalapeño to the bottom of the shaker before adding the ice and muddle gently. Shake well. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. Leave about an inch of room at the top so you can pour the club soda in. Garnish with another dash of chili powder, a jalapeño slice, and a sprig of basil.
