GRAPE COCKTAILS

I loved grape juice, grape soda and grape candy as a kid.  As an adult I kind of left them behind because they were too sweet. Then, one day, I discovered that adding booze fixed that problem.
Now I have a tidy little list of fun grape flavored cocktails and I get to feel like a kid again, only with a little buzz.

GRAPE
COCKTAILS
BLACK WIDOW HALLOWEEN MARTINI
GRAPE BASIL MARTINI
GRAPE BOOZE-SICLES
GRAPEFUL DEAD MOJITO
NEVERLAND COOLER 

PURPLE HAZED MARTINI
SPARKLING GRAPE MARTINI
STONED TEQUILA SUNSET
TRANSYLVANIAN HALLOWEEN MARTINI
WATERMELON GRAPE MARTINI
WHITE GRAPE MARTINI

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MEMORIAL DAY COCKTAILS

Memorial Day (or Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who died while serving in the country's armed forces.

It is also recognized in the U.S. as the beginning of summer, most likely because it was traditionally the day the school year ended. Currently we celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday of May with the Memorial Day celebrations occurring on the weekend just ahead of that.

For me that means, after honoring those among my friends and family who served and sacrificed, sharing the weekend with my remaining family and friends and having a cookout with some refreshing summer cocktails. It is also my signal to start crafting cocktails made with all the lovely, fresh produce and herbs that become abundant in summertime. Over the years, I have created quite a list of original drink recipes perfect for the long, hot days of summer and I've included links to some of my favorites below, as well as some some of the best warm weather drink categories and flavors to keep you cool from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

SOME OF MY FAVORITE

SUMMER LIBATIONS

APRICOT LAVENDER BOURBON
BLACKBERRY and BLACKCURRANT GIN & TONIC
BROWN SUGAR PEACH MINT JULEP
CANTALOUPE DAIQUIRI
COCONUT DAIQUIRIS
CUCUMBER GIN & TONIC
DRUNKEN BABY DOLE PINEAPPLE WHIPS
GRILLED PINEAPPLE MOJITO
MIND YOUR P'S & Q'S MOJITO
PALOMA
PEACH MELBA BEER FLOAT
PIMM'S BERRY CUP
PINEAPPLE PISCO SOUR
PRICKLY PEAR OLD FASHIONED
STRAWBERRY PINA COLADA
THYME FOR A LEMON CHERRY SLING
WHISKEY PEACH SMASH


SUMMER DRINK

CATEGORIES
DAIQUIRIS
ICE CREAM COCKTAILS
MARGARITAS
MOJITOS

SUMMERTIME

COCKTAIL FLAVORS
APRICOT COCKTAILS
CHERRY COCKTAILS
CUCUMBER COCKTAILS
LEMON COCKTAILS
MELON COCKTAILS
PEACH COCKTAILS
PEAR COCKTAILS
STRAWBERRY COCKTAILS
WATERMELON COCKTAILS

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The MIMOSA with Recipe Variations and History

The Mimosa is a modern day cocktail classic composed of equal parts Champagne and citrus juice (most typically orange juice) which enjoys widespread popularity as a brunch starter. It is widely accepted that the Mimosa was created in 1925 at the Ritz Hotel in Paris by bartender Frank Meier, although in Meier's own book, The Artistry of Mixed Drinks (p. 1936), he does not lay claim to the drink with his book's "created by" symbol. Originally the Mimosa was served over ice in a large wineglass, today's version is a straight up cocktail served up in a flute glass.

  Named after the Mimosa flower (which looks a little like a cluster of Champagne bubbles), it is a variation of the Buck's Fizz, created in 1921 at the Buck's Club in London by Pat McGarry, which is made with two parts Champagne to one part orange juice.
Recognized variations include:
The Grand Mimosa, served with the addition of a bar spoon of Grand Marnier.
The Puccini uses Mandarin orange juice.
The Poinsettia which is made with cranberry juice.
The Megmosa which uses grapefruit juice and, sometimes, a splash of Cointreau.
The Soleil which uses pineapple juice.
The Bellini, substitutes peach puree for the orange juice.
You can substitute nearly any fruit juice for the orange and end up with a lovely Mimosa variation. My personal favorites include pear juice, blueberry juice, pomegranate juice, cherry juice and strawberry juice, all freshly squeezed or sent through my electric juicer and I've been know to grill and mix my juices as well.  You can also substitute other sparkling wines like Prosecco. Additionally, I often add in a few drops of complementary bitters, though technically this is a Champagne Cocktail element. Basically any fresh fruit juice topped off by Champagne or a sparkling wine can be called a Mimosa these days.
  The
MIMOSA    INGREDIENTS
2 Oz. Fresh Orange Juice
2 Oz. Champagne    Glass: Chilled Champagne  Flute
DIRECTIONS
Add the fresh orange juice to your chilled glass and top off with chilled Champagne. Do not stir. It's that simple.
My Mimosa Variations
Barbie Mimosa Berry Mimosa
Blushing Rose Champagne CocktailFlirtini (Pineapple Mimosa)
Grilled Peach Mimosa
Sparkling Pumpkin CocktailSparkling Tangerine Mimosa   National Mimosa Day is May 16th.
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STRAWBERRY BASIL MOSCATO COCKTAIL

Moscato is an Italian dessert style white wine made from the muscat grape. Similar to the Spanish moscatel and the French muscat, it is sweet and fruity with hints of the honey and those qualities inspired my recipe for this cocktail recipe. Though muscat grapes are the oldest known variety and wine made from it has been popular for ages, it's gotten a recent surge in modern day popularity thanks to brand linked rappers and hip hop artists.
Since it's already hitting triple digits here in Tucson, I thought some moscato would pair nicely with the classic combination of fresh strawberries and some fresh basil from my herb garden for a refreshing summer cooler. Adding a little effervescence with some strawberry sparkling water and a bit of sweetness with some honey, I ended up with a pleasant late afternoon cocktail.

STRAWBERRY BASIL MOSCATO COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS: 4 Oz. Moscato 4 Fresh Strawberries 1 Tbsp. Honey 1 Tbsp. Water Strawberry Sparkling Water 1 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 2 Basil Leaves Ice
Garnish: Sprig Basil, Strawberry
Tools: Muddler
Glass: Highball
DIRECTIONS: Warm the honey and water in a highball glass in a microwave just long enough to thin the honey and mix together, about 10 seconds. Add the strawberries and basil to the glass then gently muddle.  Fill your glass with ice then add the Moscato, stir. Top off with the strawberry sparkling water, garnish with a fresh strawberry, a sprig of basil and serve.
National Moscato Day is May 9th.
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The Iconic 80's COSMOPOLITAN Cocktail

UPDATE 2021The CosmopolitanLike Sex and The City, it's time to do it again . . .

Welcome back, ladies!!

Born in the late 1980's, the Cosmopolitan is an iconic cocktail in drink history which was inducted into mass happy hour culture by another icon, HBO's Sex and The City television series.

Recognized as an important part of cocktail history the Cosmopolitan, aka Cosmo, is sadly reviled by current cocktail folk. When mixed properly it is a delicious, soft pink (not red) drink that has been ruined by cheap ingredients, sour mixes and lazy bartending over the decades since its inception.
Classified as a sour, the Cosmopolitan is a modern descendant of The Daisy, a vintage cocktail made with gin, Cointreau, lemon juice, and raspberry syrup.
Like most classic drinks, the Cosmopolitan's history has a murky background. During the late 70's to mid 80's versions of this modernized take on Ocean Spray's famous Harpoon cocktail, were scattered from San Francisco to New York to Miami with almost as many claims to its creation. Both Cheryl Cook and John Caine were serving Cosmos in the eighties, with Cook being the accepted originator of the name, but the currently accepted Cosmopolitan recipe is credited to Toby Cecchini who, after being introduced to a version by Melissa Huffsmith, added the Citron and first served his version at the Odeon in Manhattan in 1987. The citrus flavored vodka is the essential ingredient as that is what distinguishes this cranberry and vodka cocktail from other vodka cranberry drinks like the Cape Cod and the Ocean Spray label recipe of the Harpoon.
The Cosmopolitan. It's time to do it again,  but do it right; with Citron Vodka, fresh lime juice, Ocean Spray cranberry juice and Cointreau.

The COSMOPOLITAN 
INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 Oz Vodka Citron 1/2 Oz Cointreau 1 Oz Cranberry Juice 1/4 Oz Fresh Lime Juice
Garnish: Lime Wedge
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Martini (Cocktail)
DIRECTIONS Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and double strain into large, chilled cocktail glass. Garnish simply with a lime wedge.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS:

OR HOW ABOUT JUST A SPOONFUL OF COSMO? Try something new and give my molecular approach to this classic a try.
National Cosmopolitan Day is May 7th.
Updated 12-2021 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY