MANGO DAIQUIRI Cocktail Recipe

Lately I've been exploring daiquiris and rums like a drunken sailor. I go through these phases occasionally, for no particular reason I just get into a particular flavor or liquor and explore it until I get intrigued by something else. Recently I've done a duo of Coconut Daiquiris, a Golden Kiwi Daiquiri infused with lavender, explored a version of the the Hemingway Daiquiris then just did a Spiced Banana Daiquiri which also uses the spiced Sailor Jerry Rum I included in this Mango Daiquiri.
Experimentation is a big part of my whole cocktail philosophy and part of what makes it so much fun. Earlier this summer I was going down the Mojito road (Chipotle Watermelon, Cherry Basil, Grilled Pineapple, Cucumber and Pea Shoot and even a Grapeful Dead Mojito last Halloween.) I'm always obsessed with something in the alcoholic beverage department.
As you can see, there are unlimited ways you can combine your love of fruits, veggies, spices, herbs and alcohol, whatever they are. This just happens to be my Rum Period and whatever fruit comes my way has ended up with a rum. The other day a couple of ripe mangoes landed in my lap, and, never having liked mangoes much before, I realized that the riper they are the more I like them and in they went into my blender with some of the spiced Sailor Jerry and a new rum I just bought, Flor de Cana, a 4 Year Old Extra Dry white rum. Using the two different rums, one with spices, and those mangoes almost took this cocktail to the Tiki category except I didn't give in to my urge to remove it from the daiquiri family by adding orgeat or falernum!
MANGO DAIQUIRI
INGREDIENTS: 2 Oz Flor de Cana White Rum 1-1/2 Oz. Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum 1 C. Fresh Mango, Diced Juice of 1 Lime 1/2 Oz. Simple Syrup 6 Ice Cubes 3 Dashes Cardamom Bitters
GARNISHES: Fresh mango cubes, Lime slice.
TOOLS: Coupe glass, Blender
DIRECTIONS: Chill your glass in the freezer. Add the rums, mango, lime juice, simple syrup and ice cubes to your blender and pulse until smooth. Pour into your chilled glass, tap in the cardamom bitters, then add your garnishes and enjoy.
Updated 7-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

THYME for a LEMON CHERRY SLING Cocktail Recipe

Here in Tucson June is our hottest month so I wanted something tall and cool for happy hour. Triple digits are normal for us this time of year and the monsoons don't usually arrive for a few more weeks so it really is that "dry heat" weather Arizona is famous for. But dry heat or not 110+ temperatures are HOT. I had a little of my great cherry syrup concentrate left, just enough for a couple of drinks so I grabbed it, perused my little herb garden and went from there. What I ended up with is a great new sling cocktail that's a perfect summer cooler. 

TheTHYME for aLEMON CHERRY SLING

INGREDIENTS:
2 Oz. London Dry Gin
3/4 Oz. Cherry Concentrate
3/4 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 Oz. Lemon Thyme Syrup(Recipe below)
Club Soda

GARNISH: Sprigs of Lemon Thyme and either Maraschino or Bordeaux Cherries

TOOLS: Bar Spoon
GLASS: Collins or Tall/Long

DIRECTIONS:
In a highball or Collins glass:Add the lemon thyme syrup,Pour in the London Dry Gin,  the cherry concentrate, fresh lemon juice and stir.Fill glass with ice, top off with club soda and stir again.Garnish and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

 RECIPE FOR LEMON THYME SYRUP:To make the Lemon Thyme Simple Syrup, stir 3/4 cup of sugar, about 6 - 4 inch sprigs of lemon thyme, 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup of water together in a small sauce pan then simmer over medium-low for 5 minutes. Cool, then strain.

SOME SUBSTITUTION IDEAS:Nearly any fruit and complementary herb combination. You can also try one with various flavored sodas. I just harvested arils from two lovely pomegranates and next I'll try this recipe with pomegranate syrup, lime juice and some rosemary simple syrup.
Updated 6-2021PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

Homemade GINGERBREAD LIQUEUR Recipe

  RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE GINGERBREAD LIQUEUR

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp. Ginger Root, Sliced Thin
2 Cinnamon Sticks
3 Cloves
1 Vanilla Bean
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Molasses
2 Cups Vodka

TOOLS:

1 Qt. Infusion Jars with tight lids, Lg. Jar for straining (I use jumbo mayo jars), Large Metal Strainer, Coffee Filters, Decorative Bottles, Labels

DIRECTIONS:

Add all your ingredients together in the infusion jar and tighten up the lid. Shake well and put into your refrigerator. Shake every day, checking for the flavor profile each day. Distill for a minimum of 2 weeks and up to 1 month (I have heard of some people letting their liqueur perk away for a year but I never have that kind of patience).

When the liqueur has reached the flavor level you desire get out your straining tools and patiently pour it through the coffee filter lined metal strainer to remove any sediment.

You're now ready to bottle up and label your home made Gingerbread Liqueur for your own use or as a gift.

Check out some of my fun Personalizable Cocktail Themed Labels for your new booze!     Now try your new Gingerbread Liqueur out in some GINGERBREAD COCKTAILS
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Homemade CANDY CORN VODKA (Liqueur) Recipe

   Making your own Candy Corn Vodka is so easy and quick you'll wonder why you haven't tried it before!
Now, technically, because there is sugar in this that makes it a liqueur but the big brands don't seem to make a differentiation so why should I, right? Either way it makes for some fun cocktails and a great way to celebrate Fall and Halloween.

INSTRUCTIONS MEASURE & MIX IN:
For each cocktail you want to make infuse 1/2 cup of candy corn with 1/2 cup of vodka. In other words, equal parts candy to vodka. This will give you the deepest candy corn flavor in just a few hours, though if you can let it steep overnight or for several days more of the candy corn flavor comes through. (I let mine sit in on the counter top for 2 days and gave it a good hearty shake every time I walked by - tasted just like liquid candy corn!)     STRAIN:
Once your infusion has reached the peak of candy corn flavor it's simply a matter of straining it. To do this simply pass all the liquid through a metal strainer to get out the larger chunks (if there are any left which there probably won't be if you infuse the candy longer than a few hours!). Then line that strainer with coffee filters and strain the rest through in stages, changing out the coffee filter with each pass, until you have strained all the liquor.

You are now ready to bottle, label and enjoy or give as a hostess gift at that Halloween party you're going to!

I also have recipes for
INDIAN CANDY CORN VODKA
and
CANDY CORN MOONSHINE

 Here's some fun Candy Corn Cocktails you can use your Candy Corn Vodka in, simply substitute this recipe for the the base spirit called for:
SPARKLING CANDY CORN MARTINI INDIAN CANDY CORN COCKTAIL CANDY CORN CREEPTINI  CANDY CORN MARTINI   Updated 10-2017 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY  

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN LIQUEUR RECIPE

How to Make Your Own

PUMPKIN LIQUEUR
INGREDIENTS:
One 10-12 Pound Fresh Pumpkin
1 Fifth of 100 Proof Vodka
1 Cup of Sugar
2 Tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Juice of 1 Lemon
Zest of 1 Lemon

TOOLS:
Tools: baking sheets, large metal strainer and coffee filters or cheesecloth, measuring cups and spoons, citrus zester, large glass jar (infusion jar) for distillation process, second large glass jar for filtering process, decorative bottles for finished liquor, labels.

INFUSION PROCESS:  

Cut your pumpkin into chunks (about 8" or so), place these flesh side down on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for about half an hour or until the flesh is tender. The baking time will depend on the size of your pieces.
Scrape out the cooked flesh from the shells into your infusion jar.
Pour in the vodka.
Add the lemon zest, the Pumpkin Pie Spice and the sugar.
Seal your infusion jar and place in the refrigerator.
Let this distill for a minimum of one week and up to two weeks.  Shake the jar up whenever you open the fridge or at least once a day.
After the first week you can test the depth of flavor until you get the amount of pumpkin flavor you want
  
FILTERING PROCESS:
Once your distillation is complete you can set up your filtering station. I like to do a quick strain through a large sieve or metal strainer to get out the larger, chunkier elements.  This will speed up the following steps.
Place your metal strainer lined with coffee filters or the cheesecloth over your second large jar and pour your infused pumpkin liqueur into this in stages. After each stage dump out the sediment remaining.
You'll do this until all the solids are removed.

OPTIONAL:  If you want a really bright orange colored liqueur you can add a few drops of orange food coloring at this point.

BOTTLING PROCESS:
Pour your strained pumpkin liqueur into your decorative bottles, add one of my personalizable cocktail labels or my customizable Halloween Labels and you're ready to give them as gifts and enjoy in cocktails!

TIPS:
You can also use rum instead of vodka, but remember that while vodka doesn't have a very distinctive flavor, rums do and this will affect the final flavor of your end liqueur.  Try both and see how you like them.

32 ounces of canned pumpkin puree can be substituted for the fresh but you'll lose some of the great flavor you get from the freshly baked squash.      
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SPICED BANANA DAIQUIRI Cocktail Recipe

A friend gave me a bunch of fairly ripe bananas. I don't really eat ripe bananas, I like mine on the green side, but they are great for banana bread. Unfortunately I'm in the middle of getting my next cocktail book ready for the holiday season sales and I have little spare time to eat, let alone bake.
But a drink only takes a couple of minutes to make and that book deadline really makes a cocktail a necessity for my sanity during marathon book editing sessions. So, those bananas got tossed in a blender with a few other choice ingredients and in a few minutes I was ignoring my computer for a few blessed moments of serenity and delicious banana booze.
Ripe fruit is great for cocktails because it's sweeter and releases it's juicy flavor readily without the need for a lot of added sugars. Healthy, delicious and relaxing, can you ask for more?

The SPICED BANANA DAIQUIRI
INGREDIENTS: 2 Oz. Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum 3/4 Oz. Fresh Lime Juice 1 Small, RIPE Banana, Sliced 1 Tsp. Honey 1 Cup Crushed Ice
GARNISH: Large slice of banana, 1 lime twist, Bordeaux Maraschino  cherry
TOOLS: Coupe or cocktail glass, Blender
DIRECTIONS: Chill you glass in the freezer. Add the rum, lime juice, banana, honey and ice to your blender and pulse until blended smooth. Pour into your chilled glass. Garnish and enjoy!
Updated 7-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

2015 EMMY COCKTAILS

If you're tuning in to the Emmys this Sunday, grab your cocktail shakers, ice and a chilled glass and get ready to enjoy the broadcast with drink in hand.

If you're a fan of “Downton Abbey” “Game of Thrones”, “House of Cards” or “Orange is the New Black” I've got a drink inspired by each one of these outstanding series. In the case of Game of Thrones, I have quite a few bespoke cocktail recipes. 
The perfect DOWNTOWN ABBEY COCKTAIL
GAME OF THRONES COCKTAILS
HOUSE OF CARDS BLOOD ORANGE & BLACKBERRY WHISKEY SOUR
ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK CANTALOUPE DAIQUIRI
What better way to enjoy the Emmys than to have a cocktail inspired by your favorite show?

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LEMON COCKTAILS

LEMON & LEMON FLAVORED COCKTAILS

   Lemon is a pretty classic cocktail flavor. It's the top citrus used in sours, the most ubiquitous cocktail garnish in it's many forms and it has been adding a tart zing to alcoholic beverages since time immemorial. You cannot have a well stocked bar without fresh lemons. From simply tossing a splash of vodka into a glass of lemonade to infusing your own Lemoncello (Limoncello is trademarked) (recipe below), lemons are the hardest working citrus fruit in any bartender's handbook.   The ancient Egyptians believed that eating or drinking lemons would provide an effective protection against a variety of poisons, and today's knowledge of the health benefits of lemons confirms this.  Lemons are known to have antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers. So adding some lemon juice, zest or even just a nice twist to a cocktail is always a good idea!   Below is a list of my cocktails that feature lemon as their main flavor. If I listed all the cocktails that used it as the sour element or cocktails that used it as a garnish alone the post would never end! Check back occasionally, I'm always adding more!  

LEMON COCKTAILS
BLUE LEMON DROP MARTINI
CHERRY LEMON DROP MARTINI CORPSE REVIVER LIVES AGAIN
DOLCE VITA MARTINIHOT, SPIKED LEMONADE
LEMONADE MARTINI
LEMON BASIL MARTINI
LEMON COSMOPOLITAN
LEMON DROP MARTINI
LEMON GRAPEFRUIT MARTINI
LEMONCELLO MARTINI
LEMON MERINGUE PIE MARTINI
LEMON CHIFFON PIE MARTINI
LEMON CHIFFON CAKE MARTINI
PINK DIVA MARTINI
POMEGRANATE LEMON DROP MARTINI
ROSEMARY LEMON DROP MARTINI
SIP OF SUNSHINE
STRAWBERRY BASIL LEMONCELLO MARTINI
THE ARMY NAVY COCKTAIL
THE AVIATION THYME FOR A LEMON CHERRY SLING
WHISKEY SOURSWHITE LADY
WHITE TRASH LEMON DROP MARTINI    Let's not forget, HOMEMADE LEMONCELLO RECIPE    Enjoy and remember, always keep fresh lemons on hand!!

Updated 8-2021 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY   

The GRASSHOPPER -A Vintage Cocktail on the Comeback

Sweet and almost movie horror green, the Grasshopper is one of the first cocktails many folks try. Why? Because it tastes like a chocolate mint. Hugely popular in the late fifties and early sixties, the Grasshopper is said to be the brainchild of Philip Guichet at his restaurant Tujague's (a landmark bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana), created for a cocktail  competition sometime around 1919.

A decidedly sweet dessert style drink, the Grasshopper deserves a comeback, if only for the fun of its almost neon color. Besides, there's nothing wrong with trading that after dinner mint in for a fun, vintage after dinner chocolate mint cocktail occasionally.

Tujague's still serves Grasshoppers, though now with a float of brandy on top. If you're ever in New Orleans you should stop in and order one. I went another route with a few drops of Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters to help cut through the deadly sweetness and reinforce the chocolate a bit.

The

GRASSHOPPER
INGREDIENTS: 1 Oz. Green Crème de Menthe (+ 2 Tablespoons for rimming) 1 Oz. White Crème de Cacao 1 Oz. Heavy Cream Dash of Chocolate Bitters
GARNISH: 1 Chocolate Mint Sprig, Crushed Cacao Nibs
TOOLS: Cocktail Shaker, Mini Food Processor or Blender, 2 Small Plates
DIRECTIONS: Chop the cacao nibs in the food processor or blender. Fill one plate with the 2 tablespoons of green crème de menthe and the other with the crushed cacao nibs then dip the rim of your glass into the liqueur then roll glass rim in the cacao nibs. Chill the glass in the freezer. Fill your cocktail shaker with ice, add the green crème de menthe, the white crème de cacao and the cream. Shake until chilled then strain into the chilled glass then tap on a few drops of chocolate bitters. Float the chocolate mint sprig on top and enjoy!
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

Note: Some folks use ice cream in place of the cream, I find this puts the cocktail way over the top in sweetness and it is not what the original recipe calls for.
GET THIS RECIPE DESIGN ART on TEES &  CLOTHING, POSTERS, PARTY SUPPLIES, STICKERS & CARDS:

National Grasshopper Day is September 15th.
Updated 9-2021 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

FERNET MOCHA FRAPPÉ SHAKE Chocolate Booze Shake

Thanks to Fernet Branca I'm celebrating National Chocolate Milkshake Day with a very special ice cream milkshake cocktail. I happen to be a big fan of chocolate shakes, I've loved them since I was a kid and still do, but these days my adult palate really appreciates a shake that's not pure sugar, one that incorporates other tastes for a full range of flavor. A little bitter and a dash of salt can really make a sweet shake sing. This is where the Fernet comes in.

Hailing from the Bay Area, I'm a fan of amaros*, in particular Fernet Branca. A Fernet and Coke was my GoTo cocktail for years and is still a trusted standby. Fernet is a bitter digestivo liqueur originally created for medicinal purposes by Bernadino Branca in Milan in 1845. The liqueur is made from a blend of spices, herbs and roots including myrrh, peppermint oil, chamomile, cardamom, and saffron, which are soaked in alcohol, spun in a centrifuge and allowed to settle for a month before being filtered. The Fernet is then aged in Slovenian oak barrels for a year. The final step is to add sugar.

Fernet is often called a licorice liqueur but I personally find it a deeper taste experience. I get a whiff of chocolate just before I sip, then the bitter citrus chimes in and finally the saffron and licorice hit my palate. It definitely has that anise flavor but not aggressively, at least for me.

Although I do drink Fernet as a digestivo, I find it particularly appealing as a bitter component to tamp down what might otherwise be overly sweet cocktails. It works much like the application of bitters in that manner but, unlike bitters, brings some additional alcohol, volume and its distinct flavor profile to the party. 

That's the approach I've used for this adult chocolate milkshake.

The

FERNET MOCHA FRAPPÉ SHAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1 Oz. Fernet-Branca, Chilled

2 Oz. Dark Creme de Cacao (+ 2 Tablespoons for rim), Chilled

1 C. Whole Milk

3 Large Scoops of Mocha Ice Cream

(I made Taste of Home's recipe)

1/2 Tsp. of Sea Salt

1 Tsp. Instant Espresso Powder

Espresso Whipped Cream

(Recipe below)

TOOLS: Two small plates, Blender, Pint or Collins glass, Long spoon, Straw

GARNISH: 1 Large piece of an ice cream waffle cone, crushed waffle cone and crushed cacao nibs for the rim, extra cacao nibs for topping, Bordeaux Maraschino cherry, Scrappy's chocolate bitters.

DIRECTIONS:

Fill one small plate with the two tablespoons of creme de cacao and one with the crushed waffle cone and crushed chocolate nibs mixture.

Dip the rim of your glass in the liqueur and then into the nibs and cone mixture.

Chill the glass in the freezer. 

Add the Fernet-Branca, espresso powder, milk, salt, creme de cacao and then the ice cream to your blender and blend until just smooth and creamy. Don't over blend.

Pour into your chilled, rimmed glass, mound on the espresso whipped cream and top off with a few drops of the chocolate bitters.

Add the piece of waffle cone then slide the Bordeau Maraschino cherry inside the cone.

Slide in a couple of straws and serve with an ice cream spoon.

ESPRESSO  WHIPPED CREAM

1 C. Ice Cold Whipping Cream

4 Tsp. Light Brown Sugar

1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Tsp. Instant Espresso Powder

Whip in a chilled stainless steel bowl with chilled beaters in your hand mixer until your whipped cream reaches soft peak. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.

My thanks to Fernet Branca for supplying me with their lovely liqueur and the Whole Foods gift card for supplies so I could create this yummy, boozy shake for Chocolate Milkshake Day.

Cheers, M'Dears!

* Amaro, Italian for "bitter", is an herbal liqueur that considered an after-dinner digestif.

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ALCOHOLIC ICE CREAM IS A THING!

ALCOHOLIC ICE CREAM IS A THING!   The UPS guy came a knocking and delivered unto me five, count them, FIVE pints of booze ice cream recently! Three flavors of Frozen Pints Craft Beer Ice Cream and two flavors of Ice Cream Bar liquor ice cream, sitting snugly in their little cooler looking all frosty and tempting. @FrozenPints and I had connected on Twitter and they volunteered (when their production caught up with demand) to send me some samples to taste and to use to create some fun cocktails. That was a few weeks ago and I had completely forgotten they were coming, then - BINGO - a booze and ice cream lovers dream!    The five pints arrived perfectly frozen, packed in their own cooler with dry ice. They were still frozen, not a sign of melting anywhere. And I live in Tucson and it's summer! Plus the handled cooler they came packed in is a cool little dividend. Sadly, I had to put them away, hard as it was, because I wanted time to give them a real taste test and to work out some recipes and, at that particular moment, I was immersed in Daiquiri week recipes.  

  BUT, naturally, first I grabbed a spoon and immediately tasted each one, even though it was only 10 a.m. I'm no fool, and who can resist boozy ice cream? I really could have polished a whole pint off then and there, but, sadly, I  had to tuck them in the freezer. Man, that was hard. Yeah, okay, I kept sneaking back for little spoonfuls.   So, a few days later there I was with the (somewhat depleted) Frozen Pints and Ice Cream Bar goodies lined up in front of me and five dishes and spoons at hand ready to give serious attention to each flavor. Can I just say, I love my job?   REVIEW OF FROZEN PINTS & ICE CREAM BAR ICE CREAMS:   Ice Cream Bar BOURBON BUTTER PECAN I made Homemade Toasted Walnut Infused Maple Bourbon and used up my entire first batch pouring it on ice cream so I immediately dug into this one! The first taste you get is the bourbon, which is what you want in bourbon ice cream, but then it mellows as the ice cream melts and the vanilla comes in and kisses your palate. The last burst of flavor is from the chunks of toasted pecans which combine their slight bitterness with the sweetness from the caramel for a really pleasant finish. Best use? Pour in 1 shot of good bourbon, half a shot of cold espresso and a scoop of this into a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes, shake hard, strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a dusting of espresso powder.   Ice Cream Bar WHITE RUSSIAN Tastes like a really cold, really creamy White Russian. Best use? Grab a spoon.  

  Frozen Pints MALTED MILK CHOCOLATE STOUT Tastes just like a chocolate malt then surprises you with the stout at the end. The malt is at the forefront, nice and creamy and sweet then the sweetness drops down with a little chocolate sliding in, then - bam! - that stout grabs your attention. It's sort of a roller coaster of tastes as you go from one spoonful to the next. Kind of fun. Best Use? Savor with a crisp chocolate wafer cookie or go full tilt boogie and do my Malted Milk Beer Float.   Frozen Pints BROWN ALE CHIP This is the one I'd keep in the fridge all the time. Interestingly enough, I don't like chocolate chip ice creams, the chips are too large and they're so cold from the ice cream you don't get the full richness of the chocolate. Someone over at Frozen Pints is smart, they made the chips small so as the ice cream melted the chocolate started to melt and you got that dark chocolate hit on your tongue. The brown ale here was a nice tang at the end. Best use? Served up as my Chocolate Chip Beer Float!    Frozen Pints PEACH LAMBIC Right off I wasn't in love, probably because I tasted this right after the White Russian Ice Cream, but on my second go 'round I felt like I was eating a very fresh peach sherbet with a twist of bitterness from the Belgian lambic that complemented the sweetness of the peaches and left a little zing on my tongue. Turns out this ended up my favorite of all, especially after adding Raspberry Ale and turning it into a Peach Melba Beer Ice Cream Float. Seriously, one of the best floats ever! Best use? That Peach Melba Float!   Overall I was really impressed with these alcoholic ice creams. Because of the alcohol they never freeze as solid as regular ice cream which is good because ice cream should never be eaten that cold. This means you can dig right in and fully experience the flavors. Interesting enough, they don't seem to melt any faster than non-alcoholic ice cream. The texture is creamy, smooth with no noticeable ice crystals and they're not whipped full of air for volume and, as a result, don't turn to foam in the mouth. (Cheap aerated ice creams are a particular pet peeve of mine.)   

THE FROZEN PINTS ICE CREAM COCKTAILS   CHOCOLATE PORTER BEER FLOAT SHOTS   PEACH MELBA BEER ICE CREAM FLOAT   The REALLY DRUNK BROWN COW Beer Float   I'm not a huge beer drinker and if you would have told me a month ago I'd be not only creating but really enjoying beer ice cream and beer floats I would have looked at you crossways. But I'm a convert. You really can teach an old dog new tricks, especially if you use beer ice cream as a treat! As for the Bourbon and White Russian Ice Creams, all I can say is I'm glad these can't be found at my corner market (yet) or I'd probably end up pulling my fat pants out of storage.   (This is not a monitarily compensated post. I got free ice cream samples and I'm not complaining!)   Updated 8-2018 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY  

PEACH MELBA BEER ICE CREAM FLOAT

Thanks to Frozen Pints it's been a beer float kind of week. Wednesday I posted an off-the-cuff recipe for my Really Drunk Brown Cow Beer Float, yesterday I published two recipes for Chocolate Porter Beer Floats and Float Shots and today I'm sharing a really deadly good beer float using Frozen Pint's Peach Lambic Beer Ice Cream and Samuel Smith's Raspberry Ale.

The whole inspiration is from Auguste Escoffier's famous Peach Melba. This is a classic dessert made with peaches, raspberries  and vanilla ice cream which Escoffier created for the famous Australian opera singer Nellie Melba. Once I tasted the Peach Lambic Ice Cream I knew exactly where I was going with it.
Even if you're not a beer lover you'll love this glass full of peach and raspberry ice cream treat.

PEACH MELBA BEER FLOAT
INGREDIENTS: 2 Scoops Frozen Pints PEACH LAMBIC Ice Cream 1 Bottle of Sam'l Smith RASPBERRY ALE Homemade Raspberry Simple Syrup
GARNISH: 1 Fresh Peach Slice and/or Fresh Raspberries
TOOLS: Pint glass, Ice cream scoop, Straw, Ice cream spoon
DIRECTIONS: Chill your glass in the freezer a few minutes before hand. Pour the Sam'l Smith Raspberry Ale down the side of the glass to keep the head minimal. Scoop out the Peach Lambic Beer Ice Cream and gently slide it into your glass. Slip the peach slice on the rim then pour the raspberry syrup over the floating scoop of ice cream. Add your straw and ENJOY!

Updated 1-2019 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

CHOCOLATE PORTER BEER FLOAT SHOTS

What do you do with some Frozen Pints Craft Beer Ice Cream and a bottle of Hanger 24 Chocolate Porter? You make Chocolate Porter Beer Float Shots!

Frozen Pints sent me several varieties of their Craft Beer Ice Cream, among them was their Brown Ale Chip and their Malted Milk Chocolate Stout and, since beer floats are kind of a thing lately I bought a bottle of Hanger 24 Chocolate Porter and made a duo of Beer Float Shots.

And before you cringe, try them! I'm  not a real beer fan and I loved them both! The Chocolate Chip was my favorite of the two, but I'm really fond of malt balls so that one went down pretty easy too.

Both are really simple, simply delicious and easy to make. The ingredients for each are below and the directions are just below that.

CHOCOLATE CHIP BEER FLOAT

Frozen Pints' BROWN ALE CHIP Ice Cream Hanger 24 Chocolate Porter GARNISH: Cacao Nibs
MALTED MILK BEER FLOAT Frozen Pints' MALTED MILK CHOCOLATE STOUT Ice Cream Hanger 24 Chocolate Porter GARNISH: Chocolate Malt Balls, Crushed
TOOLS: Shooter glasses (or a pint glass for full size float), Melon Baller (or an ice cream scoop for full size ones.)
DIRECTIONS for BOTH: Fill your shooter (or pint glass) HALF full with the Chocolate Porter, pouring down the side of the glass to keep the head minimal. Allow the head to settle for a minute then scoop 2 balls of ice cream with the melon baller (shooter) or the ice cream scoop (full size). Sprinkle on the garnish and enjoy!
If you're looking for an unusual dessert these would be a perfect surprise for guests. Serve them up with some chocolate chip cookies or brownies and you have an easy, unusual adult treat.

Updated 8-2021PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

The REALLY DRUNK BROWN COW Beer Float

I was sent samples from Fernet Branca and Frozen Pints/The Ice Cream Bar and while concocting recipes with both accidentally discovered they worked together like a dream. I put together some beer floats with some chocolate stout for the ice cream post and then, because I still had most of the gynourmous bottle of chocolate stout left, decided to grab the Fernet Branca and a bottle of Sailor Jerry spiced Rum. Hey, I couldn't let that 22 ounce bottle of chocolate stout go to waste, could I?

What I ended up with tasted amazingly like a very boozy chocolate root beer float at the start. It began fairly sweet with a hit of bitter at the sides of the palate but if you added more of the chocolate stout as you drink, which I did, it got more mellow and changed character. The ice cream slowly melts as you add more stout and you end up with a creamy, foam topped chocolate licorice tinged cocktail. You also get to enjoy it longer and appreciate the change from sweet to somewhat bitter as you drink.

The REALLY DRUNK BROWN COW Float
INGREDIENTS: 1 Oz Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum 1/2 oz Fernet Branca 1 Oz. Dark Crème de Cacao Chocolate Stout 1 Large Scoop Frozen Pints Malted Milk Chocolate Stout Ice Cream
GARNISH: Dark chocolate chips
TOOLS: Jigger, Cocktail shaker, Ice Cream scoop, Rocks glass, Straw
DIRECTIONS: Chill your glass in the freezer. Add the Fernet, Rum and Crème de Cacao to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into your chilled glass. Top off with chocolate stout, gently slide in a big scoop of the ice cream, sprinkle with dark chocolate chips, slide in a straw and ENJOY!
Why do I drop the ice cream in last? Because if you put the ice cream in first it will form ice crystals on the outer layer as the warmer liquids come in contact with it and it will also foam more and create nasty air pockets that make your drink experience less pleasant.


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SLIGHTLY BANANAS, DEFINITELY COCONUTS, CHOCOLATE BOOZY SHAKE

I was all set to make myself a banana and coconut Daiquiri when I discovered I had no limes. You cannot make a Daiquiri without limes, you just can't. You can do a lot of things to a Daiquiri but without limes you can't make one. To say I was upset would be an understatement, and I was ashamed. What self respecting cocktail creator forgets to buy limes?


And don't mention bottled or {{shudder}} powdered sour mixes to me, those chemical bombs are no substitute for fresh limes in a Daiquiri (or any other cocktail.) I haven't had commercial sour mixes in my bar for years. I've been known to batch some fresh homemade sour style mix made with lime or lemon juice and simple syrup when serving a large number of guests, but even then I toss the remainder out after the cocktails are served. Why? Because citrus starts to go down in quality and flavor the minute you cut it open. But no worries there because I HAD NO LIMES!!

So I did what any self respecting, upset woman would do, I grabbed the chocolate and ice cream. Though this cocktail is pretty far removed from a Daiquiri, it still turned out pretty delicious, and the endorphins from the chocolate curbed my bad mood. The booze helped too. Plus, the addition of the Fernet Branca and sea salt kept it from being ruthlessly sweet.

SLIGHTLY BANANAS, DEFINITELY COCONUTS, CHOCOLATE BOOZY SHAKE (Makes 1 - 2 drinks, depending on how upset you are)   INGREDIENTS:
2 Oz. Dark Rum
1-1/2 Oz. White Creme de Cacao
1-1/2 Tsp. Fernet Branca
1 Oz. Cream of Coconut
1/2 Banana
1 Scoop Fudge Ripple Ice Cream
1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt
4 Ice Cubes

GARNISH: Melted chocolate for rim and chocolate decoration(s), 3 (6) banana slices, 3 (6) chocolate dipped coconut flakes

TOOLS: Pastry brush, Parchment paper, Blender, Double rocks glass (or two coupes)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Brush the melted chocolate on your glass rim(s) from the top down then chill glass(es) in the freezer.
With the extra melted chocolate do triple layer brush strokes on the parchment paper to create the chocolate decoration(s) then place in fridge to set up the chocolate.
Add all the cocktail ingredients to your blender and pulse until the ice is blended in and you have a smoothie consistency.
Pour into your chilled glass(es) and place the chocolate brushstroke(s) across the top. Add your 3 (6) banana slices and top those with the chocolate coconut flakes. Sprinkle a little extra sea salt over the top(s) and serve.   Why Fudge Ripple ice cream? Because that's what I had in my freezer!

Not a cocktail for everyone, but if you're craving a little indulgence and are in a snarky enough mood to ignore the calories, pretty satisfying.

   
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