BLUEBERRY VINEGAR SHRUB COCKTAIL

A while back I made a whole refrigerator shelf full of Drinking Vinegars just to use in cocktails.  The one that really rocked my world was the Blueberry Shrub.  I've used that not only in cocktails but in mocktails and salad dressings and even as a digestif!  However my favorite way to use it is with a little bourbon:

BLUEBERRY VINEGAR SHRUB COCKTAIL

2 Oz. Nice Aged Kentucky Bourbon

2 Oz. Blueberry Vinegar Shrub

Splash of Soda

Mint Leaves

Sprig of Mint for Garnish

Pour the blueberry shrub and a few mint leaves into the bottom of your glass and muddle well. Fill your glass with ice then pour on the bourbon and the splash of soda and gently stir the cocktail until the glass frosts over.  Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint and enjoy!

To your health!

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COFFEE COCKTAILS

I'm pretty into coffee. I love to wake up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee beans, I can't truly motivate without my foamy morning lattes, I adore a nice espresso in the late afternoon and I can have a coffee cocktail at any point in the day. Good thing coffee is good for you, right?

Thank goodness for Kaldi, the goatherd who discovered the lovely benefits of coffee beans! Bless his little goat wrangling heart! How would we ever get up and at it without our beloved, aromatic caffeine fix?

Of course, I can happily add booze to all my java interludes and below are the many recipes I've posted featuring versions of my favorite high octane, high proof coffee breaks.

COFFEE

COCKTAILS

Animal Crackers in My Booze!
Black Panther Cocktail
Cafe Au Lait Martini
Cafe Noir Cocktail

Cappuchino Martini
Checker's Martini
Cowboy Martini
Creme Brulee Martini
Drunk On Espresso Martini
Drunk Russians
Drunken Oreo Truffle Cocktail
Espresso Yourself

Fernet Mocha Frappé Shake
Frappa-Tini
Gingerbread Latte Cocktail
Hammered Nail
Imperial Coffee Martini
Irish Coffee
Irish Coffee Martini (Chilled)
Kahlua Cocktails
Macchiato Eggnog
 Merry Mocha Christmas Martini
Mississippi Mud Pie Martini
 MOCHA ESPRESSO Cocktail Gel
Night's Watch Coffee Toddy
Not So White Russian Martini
Peppermint Latte Cocktail
Queimada Martini
Salted Caramel Macchiato Martini
Shot O' Gold
Tiramisu Martini
Wake Up Call
White Russian

You'll Shooter Your Eyes Out

EDIBLE

COFFEE COCKTAILS

White Russian Truffle Cups with Espresso Caviar 
Kahlua Infused Chocolate Truffles
Kahlua Cupcakes

Homemade

KAHLUA RECIPE

And for you folks who like your coffee a little stronger, my
ESPRESSO COCKTAILS

Here's to caffeine in cocktails!

National Gourmet Coffee Day is January 18th, National Coffee Break Day is January 20th and National Coffee Day is September 29th.

Updated 9-2021

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Chocolate Cheesecake Martini

Yes, you heard that right, the
CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE
MARTINI

This is my second version of a Chocolate Cheesecake Martini, I have two versions in my archives, white and dark, but this one I put the chocolate cheesecake pudding IN the martini itself and not just on the rim!

INGREDIENTS
1 Oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

1 Oz. Dark Creme de Cacao

1 Oz. Chocolate Vodka

2 Tsp. Chocolate Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix

1 Oz. Half & Half

1/4 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

Dash of Chocolate Bitters

Chocolate Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS
Dip your martini glass rim in some of the Godiva chocolate liqueur then into the chocolate sprinkles and place in the freezer to chill.

Add a cup of ice to your cocktail shaker than pour in the Godiva, Creme de Cacao, chocolate vodka, the pudding mix, half & half, vanilla and the chocolate bitters.  Shake vigorously to emulsify the cream with the liquor then pour into your chilled and rimmed glass and enjoy!

If you're a coffee lover you can turn this into a Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake Cocktail by adding a teaspoon of espresso powder and eliminating the chocolate bitters. How do you like them coffee beans?

  Updated 7-2017
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DRUNKEN CHERRY MARTINI

 Yes, I said Drunken Cherries because you're going to get those little dried cherries soused!  And by that I mean you're going to soak 'em in booze or, in Anthony Bourdain - Top Chef lingo, macerate them!

Here's how you do that:

DRUNKEN CHERRIES RECIPE

Fill a small, really clean glass jar about 3/4 full with dried cherries.
Pour Cherry Vodka (my favorite is Three Olives) to the top, seal up the jar and let sit at least four hours or overnight or even a day or so longer.
Don't worry about how long they will keep, you'll eat them up long before you have to worry about that!

Now grab your tipsy cherries and make this:

DRUNKEN CHERRY MARTINI

1-1/2 Oz. Cherry Brandy
1 Oz. Cherry Heering
3/4 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
Dash of Cherry Bitters
Drunken Cherries

Chill your glass in the freezer.  Add a cup of ice to your cocktail shaker and pour in the Cherry Brandy, Cherry Heering, Lemon Juice and the Cherry Bitters and shake until nicely chilled.
Skewer several of your Drunken Cherries on a cocktail pick and drop in the glass and serve.

Life is just a bowl of Drunken Cherry Martinis!

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FALL COCKTAILS

It's here after a long, hot summer! The Autumnal Equinox has arrived and with it falling leaves, cooler temperatures and that crisp nip in the air. Come this time of year I love nothing better than to sit out on my deck on a cool desert evening and enjoy a cocktail as I watch the wildlife scurry about and the gorgeous Arizona sunsets over the tops of the late blooming Saguaros.  Back East I would be wearing a jacket, firing up my deck fire pit and planning a trip to the pumpkin patch but here in the desert of the Southwest I am happy just to enjoy relief from the triple digit heat and harvest my prickly pear fruit!

No matter where I am located, it's this time of year my cocktail fancy turns to the fall flavors of apples, pears, pumpkins, hatch chiles, pomegranates, cranberries and cinnamon to sip.  So I have gathered together some of my favorite Fall Martinis and Cocktails featuring the flavors, fruits and produce of Fall for myself and to share with you.
FALLCOCKTAILS      The FALL APPLE JACK MARTINI APPLE COBBLER MARTINI APPLE PIE COCKTAIL, Hot & Cold APPLE SAUCE CAKE MARTINIBLACKBERRY BLACK CURRANT G & T BOURBON APPLE TARRAGON SMASH CARROT CAKE MARTINI CANDY CORN COCKTAIL  CANTALOUPE DAIQUIRI CANTALOUPE MARTINICHOCOLATE MANHATTAN CRANBERRY A GO-GO COCKTAIL CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE MARTINI  GINGERBREAD MARTINI GINGERBREAD MAN MARTINI HATCHCHILETA MARGARITA INDIAN CANDY CORN COCKTAIL JALAPEÑO MEZCAL SOURMELON CUCUMBER MARTINI PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR MARTINI OH, PEAR MARTINI PEAR CHAMPAGNE MARTINI PEARS HELENE MARTINI POMEGRANATE MARTINI  POMEGRANATE MARGARITASALTED CARAMEL APPLE COCKTAIL SPICED RUM POMEGRANATE FIZZ  ORANGE POMEGRANATE MARTINI  SPARKLING POMEGRANATE MARTINI  PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS MARTINI LOADED CACTUS SLIDERITAS PUMPKIN MARTINI PUMPKIN PIE MARTINIPUMPKIN SPICED OLD FASHIONED      You might also want to check into making some great HOMEMADE FALL LIQUEURS & SYRUPS: PUMPKIN LIQUEUR GINGERBREAD LIQUEUR CANDY CORN VODKA CARAMEL APPLE VODKA INDIAN CANDY CORN VODKA & COCKTAIL CANDY CORN MOONSHINE & COCKTAIL HOMEMADE POMEGRANATE SYRUP (Grenadine!)    Or check into preserving some of your late summer produce harvest in some COCKTAIL SHRUBS.
Just want a certain fall flavor? APPLE COCKTAILS CRANBERRY COCKTAILS GINGERBREAD COCKTAILS POMEGRANATE COCKTAILS PUMPKIN COCKTAILS
Happy First Day of Fall!

Updated 2-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

RUM PUNCH Cocktail Recipe

One of Sour, Two of Sweet, Three of Strong, Four of Weak.

That is the standard punch formula dating back to before the 1600s. Originating in India where it was a spiced fruit drink called paantsch, meaning five, it was made with alcohol, sugar, citrus juices, spices and water. Brought back by the sailors of the East India Trading Company, the first printed record of an English version punch dates back to 1632 with Jamaican rum punches emerging around 1650. A single version of punch is called a sling.

With today being National Rum Punch Day a really rousing ration of rum is definitely called for and this TRIPLE RUM PUNCH or Sling cocktail recipe is the answer.

Loaded to the yardarm with THREE rums sweetened up with tropical fruit juices this ought to get your swashbuckling into high gear. My punch ratio was 1 part sour (lime juice), my 2 sweet came from the fruit juices, 3 rums (strong), and the 4 weak came from 3 juices and the ice.

TRIPLE 

RUM PUNCH

INGREDIENTS 
1-1/2 Oz. Dark Rum

1 Oz. Light Rum

1/2 Oz. 151 Rum

1 Oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 Oz. Fresh Tangerine Juice
1 Oz. Fresh Pineapple Juice

Garnish
Chunk of Pineapple
Lime Slice
Homemade Maraschino Cherries

DIRECTIONS
Add one cup of ice to a cocktail shaker, pour in the dark and light rums then add the juices and shake until well chilled.  Strain into a low ball glass filled with ice, float the 151 on top and garnish with the pineapple chunk, lime slice and Maraschino cherry.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

BEWARE:

You might want to keep away from open flames.

GET THIS COCKTAIL RECIPE DESIGN ON TEES & CLOTHING, POSTERS, PARTY ACCESSORIES, STICKERS & CARDS:

Updated 9-2021

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The PINK LADY Cocktail - A little Pink Sip from Prohibition

 

This cocktail is a shady lady with a past. Popularized during the era of Prohibition as a way to cover the bad gins of the bathtub variety and, also, as a way to tempt the flappers to drink away inhibitions, this is the godmother of all the "girlie" drinks.  But don't let that moniker fool you, this cocktail packs a punch and it's actually pretty tasty, despite the pooh poohs of long gone cocktail snobs!

It's origins are pretty shady too, some attributing it's creation to a 1911 Broadway musical by Ivan Caryll of the same name, and some saying it was created by Architect and society figure Elsie de Wolfe.  All I know is that I kind of like having one every once in a while and, thanks to my latest dabbling in Prohibition Cocktails, got a hankering for one the other day.

The original recipe from Royal Cafe Cocktail Book of 1937, calls for it to be made with a glass of gin, a tablespoon of grenadine and the white of one egg, then shaken and strained into a glass.  Another version calls for the addition of lemon juice which would actually make it a Clover Club.  Later renditions added cream to the mix (this is called a Pink Shimmy in New Orleans) and that is the version I prefer.

THE PINK LADY

1-1/2 Oz. Dry Gin

1 Tsp. Grenadine

1 Tsp. Light Cream

1 Pasteurized Egg White

(or the equivalent in dried egg whites)

Pink Jimmies for the Rim

Dip your glass rim in some Grenadine then into the pink jimmies and chill in the freezer. Pour the gin, Grenadine, light cream and egg whites into a martini shaker filled with ice and shake, slowly and gently at first to emulsify the egg, then more vigorously to create the foamy top. Pour into your chilled, rimmed glass and enjoy.

A little Pink Lady Trivia for you:  It's said Blond Bombshell Jayne Mansfield used to have a Pink Lady before every meal.

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Rosemary Lemon Drop Cocktail Recipe

I love Lemon Drop Martinis.  I have the classic Original Lemon Drop, a Cherry Lemon Drop, a Blue Lemon Drop, a Pomegranate Lemon Drop and even a White Trash Lemon Drop.

When I saw my poor rosemary plant was starting to give up the ghost I grabbed the last few fresh twigs from it and a few lemons and decided to toast to my poor fading herb in high happy hour style.

Early in the morning I grabbed off several sprigs of the rosemary and muddled them into a cup of vodka to get some extra rosemary into my cocktail.  I let this sit in the fridge until happy hour then set to work on making my martini.

THE ROSEMARY LEMON DROP

1-1/2 Oz. Rosemary Infused Vodka

1/2 Oz. Triple Sec

2 Tsp. Simple Syrup

1 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

Fresh Rosemary Sprig

First I chilled my glass in the freezer. Then I stripped off the leaves of some rosemary and muddled those in the bottom of my cocktail shaker with the lemon juice and simple syrup.  I then filled the cocktail shaker with ice, poured in the rosemary infused vodka and the triple sec, shook until my shaker frosted over, strained into my martini glass and finally garnished with my final sprig of rosemary from my now defunct rosemary plant.

Bye bye, Rosemary. Thanks for all the good times, good meals & great cocktails! I'll take good care of your replacements.

Updated 9-2021

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CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE MARTINI Recipe

 This tastes exactly like a chocolate milkshake, just a little more spirited.

Possibly because, except for the garnish and a scoop of ice cream, it's all booze?

THE

CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE

MARTINI

INGREDIENTS

1 Oz. Chocolate Vodka

1/2 Oz. Irish Cream

Splash of Chocolate Liqueur

1 Scoop of Chocolate Ice Cream

Garnish

Chocolate Syrup Rim

Dark Chocolate Shavings

DIRECTIONS

Rim the glass with some chocolate syrup then immediately place in the freezer.  Combine the liquid ingredients in a blender and blend only until smooth, don't over blend, you don't want a thin milkshake.

Pour into your chilled cocktail glass, garnish and enjoy.

If, like me, you prefer a malt over a milkshake, feel perfectly free to add a teaspoon or so of malted milk powder.

VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

Fun Facts About Milkshakes:

• The first milkshake was documented in print at 1885 in a newspaper.
• In certain parts of the world a milkshake is known as a "frappe"
• McDonald's founder Ray Kroc was a milkshake machine seller.
• In 2000 Ira Freehof, made a 6000 gallon milkshake, the world’s largest milkshake according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
• The electric blender was invented, by Steven Poplawski, 1922 specifically for milkshakes.
• During the filming of the original PLANET OF THE APES, actors in the apes costumes were fed milkshakes because they couldn't eat through their ape masks but could drink through a straw.

September 12th is National Chocolate Milkshake Day and June 7th is National Chocolate Ice Cream Day.

Updated 6-2021

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Celebrate CALIFORNIA GRAPE DAY with a White Grape Martini

September 10th is California Grape Day and the best way to celebrate the martini way is with my White Grape Martini. It's a great way to pay tribute to the fruit of the vine if you're not a wine drinker!

A while back a friend of mine who grows grapes brought over a huge bunch of these teeny weeny little green grapes from his "vineyard". They were the tiniest little grapes I'd ever seen, barely the size of a pea! He hands them to me and says, "make me a martini from these!"

So I grabbed his itty bitty, sweet little grapes and smashed the heck out of them in my cocktail shaker with a muddler, added some grape vodka and a little white grape juice and lemon juice and voila:

THE WHITE GRAPE MARTINI

1-1/2 Oz. Grape Vodka

1 Oz. White Grape Juice

Juice of 1/2 Fresh Lemon

Splash of Lemon Lime Soda

1/4 Cup of Green Grapes

Grapes for Garnish

Chill your glass in the freezer. Muddle the 1/4 cup of grapes, the juice of the lemon and the grape vodka in the bottom of your cocktail shaker, add one cup of ice then pour in the white grape juice and shake until chilled.  Strain into your martini glass, add the splash of soda then garnish with the grapes.

Enjoy, and, yes, you can try this with red grapes as well!

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Prohibition Cocktails for Boardwalk Empire

NO ONE GOES QUIETLY!

I was a huge fan of Boardwalk Empire and, like all other fans, truly enjoyed this great HBO series. I never missed an episode, not the first run or the second time HBO brought it to life. It's a favorite series of mine, worthy of a binge session every few years.

How could a cocktail lover not adore a series that featured booze and Prohibition as major characters? Not to mention the great Steve Buscemi as the anti-hero, Enoch "Nucky" Thompson. If you missed it go have a binge watch soon, you won't regret it.

In honor of the series I put together a list of some of the more obscure Prohibition era cocktails to toast to a little more Nucky and a lot more Atlantic City antics. I'm now hoping for a third go-round or a movie.

Be warned, like many speakeasy concoctions, Nucky and the era itself, these are quietly dangerous. Now grab your vintage cocktail shaker, add ice and shake.

PROHIBITION COCKTAILS

FLUFFY RUFFLES

1/2 oz. Rum

1/2 oz. Italian Vermouth

Lemon Peel Garnish

BEE'S KNEES

2 Oz. Gin 

1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tbsp. Honey
Here's my Spiced Lavender Bees Knees version.

WHITE LADY

1 Oz. Cointreau

2 Oz. Gin

1/2 Part Lemon Juice
Try my version with egg white and a bit of simple syrup.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN

1 Oz. Fresh Lime Juice

1 Oz. Gin

1 Oz. Apricot Brandy 

ALEXANDER COCKTAIL

1 Part Gin

1 Part White Creme de Cacao

1 Part Cream
Check out my post The Bourbon Alexander & Kindred Alexander Cocktails 

POOP POOP A DOOP

1/2 Oz. Rum

1/2 Oz. Dry Gin

1/2 Oz Kronon Swedish Punsch

1 Dash Apricot Brandy 

CORPSE REVIVER

3/4 Oz. Gin

3/4 Oz. Lemon Juice

3/4 Oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec

3/4 Oz Lillet Blanc

1 dash Absinthe
Here's some history and my fun Halloween Corpse Reviver. 

The day repeal passes, I intend to be open for business legally, in the thirstiest country on Earth ~ Nucky
 

Updated 12-2017

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Chocolate Chocolate Chip Edible Cocktail Gels

Who doesn't love chocolate? Who doesn't love white chocolate? How about chocolate chips? And booze? Yep, and got 'em all right here in adorable little edible cocktails for you! Yes, yes, I know. I'm evil.

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP
EDIBLE COCKTAIL GELS
(aka really chocolate loaded jello shots!)

INGREDIENTS:
WHITE CHOCOLATE PUDDING GEL SECTION

1 Pkg. White Chocolate Pudding Mix
2 Pkt. Knox Gelatin
1-1/2 C. Half & Half
1/2 C. Whipped Cream Vodka
1/2 C. White Creme de Cacao
1/2 C. Chocolate Chips, Chopped

CHOCOLATE FUDGE PUDDING GEL SECTION

1 Pkg. White Chocolate Pudding Mix
2 Pkt. Knox Gelatin
1-1/2 C. Chocolate Milk
1/2 C. Chocolate Vodka
1/2 C. Dark Creme de Cacao

TOOLS:
Measuring Cups & Spoons, Silicon Candy Mold, Large Spoon, Medium Mixing Bowls, Whip, Spray, Cooking Oil, 2 medium sauce pans.

DIRECTIONS FOR BOTH LAYERS:

• Spray your pans and/or mold(s) with cooking oil and set aside.
• Pour the pudding mix into a bowl and set aside.
• Measure out 1 cup of the non-alcoholic liquid (the chocolate milk for the chocolate layer, the half & half for the white chocolate layer) and set aside by the pudding mix
• Pour in ONLY 1/2 C. of non-alcoholic liquid into pan.
• Sprinkle in 2 Knox Packets.
• Let that sit for a couple of minutes, then stir well.
• Warm this liquid and gelatin mixture over medium-low heat, stirring often for about 3 minutes or until the gelatin has completely dissolved, stir well and sit aside.
• IN A BOWL mix the REMAINING 1 cup of non-alcoholic liquid with the package of pudding mix and whip briskly for a full minute.
• Pour in the liquid and gelatin mixture and stir in completely.
• Add in the 1 cup of alcohol (the chocolate vodka and dark creme de cacao for the chocolate layer, the whipped cream vodka and white creme de cacao for the white chocolate layer) and whip mixture again, briskly, for a full minute.
• If you're adding anything extra, like the chocolate chip bits, fold it in here.
• Prepare and pour the white chocolate layer first, allow this to set for an hour, then prepare and pour in the dark chocolate layer and allow the gels to set for a minimum of four hours.

PRESENTATION:

Dust a pretty plate with some cocoa powder, set a few gels around in a nice configuration then add a few chocolate chips or chocolate curls.

These will really impress your guests . . . if you can keep from eating them all yourself .

 If you prefer the more conventional:
THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MARTINI

Updated 8-2018

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Beat the Fall Heat: CUCUMBER CILANTRO MARTINI

The end of summer doesn't mean the end of the heat, especially here in the Southwest, so I like to take a cool, refreshing cocktail out onto the deck to watch the sunsets and this is a perfect sip on a warm early Fall evening:

CUCUMBER CILANTRO MARTINI

2 oz Vodka

1 oz Lime juice
1/2 Oz Agave Syrup
2 Cucumber slices
Fresh Cilantro

Chill your glass in the freezer. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber, cilantro and lime juice. Fill cocktail shaker with ice then add the vodka, and agave syrup. Shake, and strain into your chilled martini glass then garnish with a cucumber slice and a sprig of cilantro.   Enjoy until the first leaves start to fall.
Try myCILANTRO MARTINI
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