Supplied
Thanks to quarantine, home bars everywhere are getting an upgrade. And it’s going far beyond the liquor—quality mixers are flying off the shelves, too.
Whether you’re looking for a refreshing new sour mix or a solid base for your sangria, locally made Perfectly Cordial mixers are just what you need to amp up your bar routine. The brainchild of Rhonda Cammon, Perfectly Cordial mixers were created with both drinkers and non-drinkers in mind. A full-time nurse, Cammon started a side hustle in 2015 called Barseat, an educational platform meant to teach Middle Tennesseans about the wide world of spirits, food, and culture. Soon, she was working with spirits brands directly, which turned into corporate bartending positions during which she would educate and pour. Being behind the bar, Cammon noticed a trend.
Supplied
Rhonda Cammon
“Three out of 10 people do not drink alcohol at events for whatever reason they choose. But as a bartender, there were very limited options in terms of what to serve them. I wanted to provide the customer with something that wasn’t premade, or artificial,” Cammon says.
She started creating multilayered flavoring syrups that could be paired with alcohol, or not.
“More and more people were ordering the cordials. It would be a full bar and half the room was drinking my pineapple seltzers. I knew I was on to something here.”
In 2018, she started a crowdfunding campaign through IFundWomen and launched her first products in 2019. Originally from Miami, Cammon is a fan of big, refreshing, tropical flavors. She starts with fresh fruit, such as peaches from The Peach Truck or strawberries from Green Door Gourmet, and then adds her own proprietary spice and herbal blends. Southern Peach Sangria is bursting with the sweetness of stone fruit and apple, while the Caramelized Pineapple & Coconut Water is a beguiling blend of pineapple and coconut juice layered with star anise, ginger, cardamom, and lemongrass. That and the Tropical Sour are available year-round while the sangria and other seasonal flavors will rotate throughout the year.
1 of 2
Supplied
2 of 2
Supplied
Cammon works from Citizen Incubator Kitchen in East Nashville to produce the cordials, which can be found online and around town at spots like Anzie Blue and The Party Market at Henrietta Red. The labels provide easy drink ideas, such as mixing whiskey with the Tropical Sour or adding coconut rum to the Caramelized Pineapple & Coconut Water. But they’re also refreshing sippers without the booze—add one to your seltzer or iced tea—and they’re useful in the kitchen, especially for vinaigrettes, marinades, frostings, and glazes. (See more tips below).
However, you choose to mix them, it’s sure to add spice and big flavor to your next sip.
Perfectly Cordial prices start at $14.99 per bottle; perfectlycordial.com
TIPS FOR USING PERFECTLY CORDIAL AT HOME
Supplied
- Use as mixers with your favorite base spirit, like gin, vodka, or rum.
- Combine Strawberry Thai Basil with Castle & Key gin over ice.
- Add the Southern Peach Sangria to your next iced tea.
- Add the Tropical Sour to your favorite chicken marinade for a fragrant kick.
- Sweeten up your barbecue sauce with Southern Peach Sangria or Strawberry Thai Basil.