STRAWBERRY CHILE COBBLER COCKTAIL RECIPE featuring Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka

When I received this bottle of Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka I was imagining a flavor infusion of honey with black peppercorns for some reason. That might have been because here in Arizona we call any hot pepper a chile or a chile pepper, not just a pepper. And to be honest, if I hadn't gone to the website and checked out what this vodka was made from, I would still be under the impression it was a mild black pepper because the heat from the chile pepper is extremely subtle, literally almost not there until the finish. Mostly I enjoyed a heavy honey flavor with a tinge of fruit and a bit of herbal flavors in the background, then the heat came as a surprising and pleasant afterthought. The honey gives this vodka it's color and I suspect it also gives it body. There was an almost aged whiskey-like mouth feel that surprised me. If I was allowed to say only one thing about this vodka, it would be that it had substance.
I felt the vodka carried its own weight in the flavor department and decided that a cobbler style cocktail was a great way to feature that flavor without interfering too much. I also wanted to accentuate the fruit flavor a bit more so, instead of using simple syrup, I used a strawberry liqueur as my sweetener while sticking with the addition of the traditional orange slices of a typical cobbler.

The STRAWBERRY CHILE COBBLER COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS  2-1/2 Oz. Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka 1 Oz. Fragoli Strawberry Liqueur  2 Orange Slices, quartered 3 Small Strawberries, sliced
Garnish: Orange Slices, Strawberries, Metal Straw
DIRECTIONS Muddle the orange and strawberry slices with the strawberry liqueur in a chilled highball glass. Add the Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka, stir. Fill the glass with crushed ice, stir. Garnish and serve.
My thanks to Baddish Group and Nemiroff Vodka for the chance to try out the Nemiroff Honey Pepper Vodka.

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The SPUMONI MARTINI Cocktail Recipe

August 21st is National Spumoni Day and, because I enjoy creating cocktails for all the arbitrary food holidays (and I had a bottle of Dumante pistachio liqueur), I gave Google a peek to see if there was anything called a Spumoni cocktail. Spumoni is a molded Italian ice cream dessert from Napoli made with layers of chocolate, pistachio and cherry gelatos mixed sometimes with whipped cream and candied fruits and nuts. It was the inspiration for our American Neopolitan ice cream combination.
Considering this, I expected to see either nothing at all or something with those flavors involved. What I found instead were several references to an equal parts Campari, grapefruit juice and tonic recipe and a few that subbed in Midori for the Campari.
Say what?  What is "Spumoni" about that? (I know, you probably don't care, you just want a cocktail, but this kind of booze minutia intrigues my trivia addiction so bear with me - or just skip to the cocktail recipe.) Turns out, not much. Evidently, Suntory made a canned cocktail called "Spumoni" made with those ingredients that was popular in Japan at one time. Why they called it Spumoni is anybodies guess, unless it was fizzy from the tonic so they referred back to the Latin word spuma which translates as “foam” with the plural being spumoni. A Spumoni Cocktail made with Campari, grapefruit juice and tonic can still be found in bars there.
The Japanese version actually sounds pretty refreshing, albeit a tad bitter for American tastes, and it would make a nice apéritif, but, let's face it, it's got nothing to do with Italy's Spumoni ice cream. That combination of chocolate, pistachio and cherry was what I was looking for when the word Spumoni was involved and that was what I was going to have to drink on National Spumoni Day. Plus I had that Dumante staring me down.

The SPUMONI MARTINI
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz. Dumonte Pistachio Liqueur 1 Oz. White Crème de Cacao 1 Tsp. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
Garnish: Luxardo Maraschino Cherry
DIRECTION Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish and serve.
Eat a cherry then take a sip and enjoy this cocktail version of Spumoni.
National Spumoni Day is August 21st.

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The RASPBERRIES & CREAM MARTINI Cocktail Recipe

This is the time of year we start getting plump, juicy fresh berries into the markets. That makes it one of my favorite times of the year despite the desert heat and raging monsoons we are subjected to here in Tucson.  I just get out to the markets early in the mornings, before the clouds start to build over the mountains, grab the best baskets of raspberries, then hurry home to beat the flash floods and await happy hour.

Come late afternoon the monsoons have usually arrived and I am safely tucked dryly away sipping on a berry cocktail.  For today it will be this one:

The
RASPBERRIES & CREAM
MARTINI
  INGREDIENTS
1 Oz Raspberry Vodka
1 Oz Chambord
1 Oz Heavy Cream
10 Fresh Raspberries

Garnish: Fresh Raspberries, Lemon Twist

DIRECTIONS
Muddle the raspberries in the bottom of a chilled cocktail shaker.
Fill shaker with ice then add the remaining ingredients.
Shake until chilled then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the lemon over the top, drop in the garnish with the berries and serve.

National Raspberries and Cream Day is celebrated every August 7th.


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The PIÑA COLADA - A Classic Tiki Cocktail Recipe

"Life is about balance. The good and the bad. The highs and the lows. The piña and the colada." ~ Ellen DeGeneres
There is no cocktail that more associated with Tiki or tropical locales and balmy days than the classic Piña Colada. There is also no less complicated Tiki drink recipe out there.
It's hard to mess this one up but you can take it to near perfection by using fresh ingredients, a good rum and being exacting with the recipe ratios.

The PIÑA COLADA
INGREDIENTS 1 Part White Rum 1 Part Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut 6 Parts Fresh Pineapple Juice
Garnish: Pineapple Wedge, Cocktail Cherry
DIRECTIONS Mix together your rum, coconut cream and pineapple juice in a blender.  Add 1 cup of ice and blend until smooth. Pour into a chilled hurricane glass. Garnish and serve.
You can read about the history of the Piña Colada and try some fun Piña Colada recipe variations here.
National Piña Colada Day is July10th.

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MIXED BERRY MOJITO Cocktail Recipe

I have a thing for Mojitos in summer. First of all, they are tall, refreshing and cool, plus they're a little lower ABV per sip. This means I get to sit and sip a little longer and more often than I can with a Manhattan or a Martini*. I also happen to have a thing for fresh berries in the summer so this berry laden cocktail shows up a lot in my summer happy hours.

The
MIXED BERRY
MOJITO

INGREDIENTS
1 Oz. Light Rum
1/4 C. Fresh Mixed Berries
1/2 Oz. Berry Liqueur
(For a lower ABV cocktail substitute Berry Simple Syrup for the berry liqueur)
1 Oz. Lime Juice
10 Fresh Mint Leaves
Club Soda

Garnish: Fresh Berries, Mint Sprig, Lime Wedges, Twist

DIRECTIONS
Muddle the lime juice, berry liqueur (or syrup), mint leaves and lime fresh berries in the bottom of a highball glass.
Fill the glass with CRUSHED ice then add the rum.
Stir, then top with soda.
Garnish and serve.

National Mojito Day is July 11th.

*  I did do a Berry Mojito in martini form ages ago. You know, just in case you want this flavor profile with extra kick per sip.

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BERRY COCKTAILS

Let's get right down to it, because who doesn't love cocktails with berries?  

BERRY COCKTAILS   BERRY, BERRY BLACK CAT COCKTAIL BERRY CHERRY SHERRY COBBLER COCKTAIL BERRY CHOCOLATE FRAPPÉ BERRY LIQUEUR RECIPES BERRY MIMOSA BERRY SANGRIA BERRY SANGRIA EDIBLE COCKTAILS BERRY SCARY MARTINI BERRY VALENTINE SHOOTER BOYSENBERRY RUM FLIP EDIBLE BERRY SHORTCAKE SHOTS GIRLS NIGHT OUT MARTINI HOLLY BERRY MARTINI HUMBLE BERRY PIE COCKTAIL LICUADOS DE MAYO COCKTAIL MIXED BERRY MOJITO PIMM'S BERRY CUP PRETTY IN PINK FLIRTINI PROJECT RUNWAY MARTINI SPARKLING SKELETON SANGRIA VERY BERRY MARTINI WHISKEY BERRY SMASH WILD BERRY POP TART MARTINI   BY INDIVIDUAL BERRIES BLACKBERRY COCKTAILS BLUEBERRY COCKTAILS CRANBERRY COCKTAILS RASPBERRY COCKTAILS STRAWBERRY COCKTAILS   July is Berry Month.  

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The STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE COCKTAIL RECIPE

The STRAWBERRY RHUBARB PIE COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS  2 Oz Bourbon 1/2 Oz Grand Marnier 3 Oz Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup (Recipe below*) 1 Oz Fresh Lemon Juice 2 Tablespoons Pasteurized Egg White 2 Drops Rhubarb Bitters
Garnish: Crushed, Baked, Sugared Pie Crust Rim, Fresh Strawberry, Lemon Slice
DIRECTIONS Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup.* Sugar, then bake a single pre-made pie crust, crumble. Rub the glass rim with a lemon quarter then dip in the sweetened pie crust. Chill glass in the freezer. Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake (shake without ice) for a full minute to emulsify and build a cocktail foam. Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake cocktail to chill. Pour into a chilled glass, garnish and serve.

*  Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup
Ingredients 1 stalk rhubarb,chopped 6 strawberries, sliced 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon orange zest
Directions Wash and cut rhubarb and strawberries. Place the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, bottle, store in refrigerator.
National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day is June 9th.
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The RAINBOW COCKTAIL for Pride Month

The RAINBOW COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 Oz White Rum  1/2 Oz Blue Curacao  2-1/2 Oz Fresh Orange Juice 1/2 Oz Grenadine
Garnish: Orange Wheel, Cocktail Cherry
DIRECTIONS Fill a Collins glass with ice. Add the White Rum and Blue Curacao to an ice filled cocktail shaker and shake until chilled, set aside. Add the orange juice to your Collins glass. Gently pour the Grenadine down the inside of the glass where it will settle to the bottom. Place a bar spoon upside down against the inside of the glass, then gently pour the chilled white rum and Blue Curacao over the back of the spoon to layer it on top of the Grenadine and orange juice. Garnish and serve.
June is Pride Month, the original Gay Pride Day was originally celebrated on the last Saturday in June and National Coming Out Day is October 11th.

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TOASTED WALNUT MAPLE BOURBON COCKTAIL

I created this cocktail specifically to use my homemade Toasted Walnut Maple Bourbon. If I'm being honest, most of the time that homemade bourbon infusion gets poured over vanilla ice cream so this cocktail is sort of a drinkable version of that because I don't always have ice cream in the house.
I really wanted to call this the Drunken Mountie because the whole time I was drinking it the theme from the Dudley Do-Right cartoon from my childhood kept going through my head. Maybe it was the maple in the bourbon, I have no idea, but I restrained myself.

The TOASTED WALNUT MAPLE BOURBON COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 Oz. Toasted Walnut Maple Bourbon 1/2 Oz. Irish Cream Liqueur 1/2 Oz. Heavy Cream 2 Dashes Cardamom Bitters 1 Dash Walnut Bitters
Garnish: 1 Toasted Walnut 
DIRECTIONS Chill your glass in the freezer. Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until blended and chilled. Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish and serve.

More cocktails using my Toasted Walnut Maple Bourbon: Stranger Things Booze Slushy Mommy's Boozed Up Sippy Cup
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PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE MARTINI COCKTAIL RECIPE

Pineapple Upside Down Cake always reminds me of my mother because it was her favorite dessert. For some reason she always made it for Easter instead of the obligatory white coconut cake everyone else seemed to serve up is their traditional Easter dessert. Since I don't care for coconut cakes, I never had a problem with this.
Many, many years ago I made my first cocktail version of this with a simple combination of vanilla vodka and fresh pineapple juice. This year I decided to update the recipe a bit.

The PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE MARTINI
INGREDIENTS 1 Bar Spoon of Maraschino Cherry Juice 1-1/2 Oz Pinnacle Cake Vodka 2 Oz Fresh Pineapple Juice 2 Dashes Cherry Bitters
Garnish: Pineapple Slice, Homemade Maraschino Cherry.
DIRECTIONS Add ingredients to an ice field cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish and serve.

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Celebrating the Beginning of the Budweiser Clydesdales!

I love the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Clydesdale horses and  commercials and I know many of you do as well. What you may not know is the very first appearance of the Clydesdales came about as a result of the end of Prohibition of beer and the Cullen-Harrison Act which took effect on April 7, 1933, now known and celebrated as National Beer Day. (The repeal of the Volstead Act, banning sale and use of all alcoholic beverages, would follow in December of that same year.)

On that day in April of 1933, August A. Busch, Jr. and Adolphus Busch III surprised their father, August A. Busch, Sr., with the gift of a six-horse Clydesdale hitch (later increased to the present eight horse hitch) to commemorate the repeal of Prohibition of beer.

Busch Sr. then arranged to have a second six-horse Clydesdale hitch sent to New York on April 7 to mark the event. The Clydesdales drew a crowd of thousands on their way to the Empire State Building. After a small ceremony, a case of Budweiser was presented to former Governor Alfred E. Smith in appreciation of his years of service in the fight against Prohibition. This original team then continued a tour across New England and the mid-Atlantic, ending in a final stop in Washington DC with a reenactment of the delivery of the first post-Prohibition case of beer to President Franklin Roosevelt.

This 2012 Super Bowl ad is a tribute to the end of Prohibition and that first appearance of the beloved Clydesdale Horses. (They took a little liberty with the addition of the Dalmatian, these canine mascots were not added to official teams until March of 1950.)

Now, grab some Bud and make one of these BEER COCKTAILS Cheers!
New Beers Eve is April 6th, National Beer Day is April 7th, National Beer Lovers Day is September 7th, National Drink Beer Day is September 28th, American Beer Day is October 27th and International Beer Day is the first Friday in August.
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PRICKLY PEAR COCKTAILS

 I live in Tucson. Prickly Pears grow all over my property. You had to expect these, right?
And you know there will be more.

PRICKLY PEAR COCKTAILS
LOADED CACTUS (PRICKLY PEAR) SLIDERITAS
PRICKLY PEAR CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
PRICKLY PEAR DAIQUIRI
PRICKLY PEAR MARTINI
PRICKLY PEAR OLD FASHIONED

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FLORAL (FLOWER INFUSED) COCKTAILS

Nothing evokes spring more than the first flowers peeking through at the end of winter. Flowers are the essence of spring, and they can be an intriguing part of your spring cocktails as well.
There are several options for imbuing cocktails with floral elements using floral liqueurs, essences, extracts, cocktail bitters and syrups to employing actual edible flowers as a garnish. Used judiciously, even a drop of floral bitters, rose water, flower essence or just a teaspoon of floral honey syrup can add a floral touch of spring to your cocktails. To achieve a floral note, one or more of these methods has been applied in each of the cocktail recipes below.

FLOWER INFUSED (FLORAL) COCKTAILS 
ALIEN INVASION COCKTAIL ANGOSTURA & OLD LACE APRICOT LAVENDER BOURBON SOUR The AVIATION The BARBIE MIMOSA BEE'S KNEES BLUSHING ROSE BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER - ELDERFLOWER G&T CHOCOLATE & ROSES MARTINI The COCKTAIL PURPLE MY DARLING CLEMENTINI The ELDER FASHIONED ELDERFLOWER SALTY DOG ENCHANTED FAERIE GRANDMA'S "TEA" HIBISCUS HEART FIZZ LADY ROSE COCKTAIL LAVENDER KIWI DAIQUIRI LUCKY CHARM MOROCCAN ROSE NEVERLAND COOLER PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR MARTINI PURGATORY PUNCH The SAGZERAC SPARKLING HIBISCUS MARTINI STORMBORN COCKTAIL WILD HIBISCUS G&T WILD HIBISCUS MARTINI
You might also want to check out my HERB COCKTAILS.
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The BARBIE MIMOSA Cocktail

It might be hard to believe, but the iconic Barbie doll turns 60 today. I grew up playing with Barbie Dolls, in fact, I had the whole 50s/60s pack; Ken, Midge, Toni, a slew of outfits, accessories and the peach and turquoise sports car. But that doll of my youth, the original Barbie, has changed with the times over the last six decades so I think it's time her cocktail did as well.

  The plethora of existing Barbie cocktails consist mostly of a pink drink of juices with a little vodka and or coconut rum mixed in. I think a 60 year old Barbie should be a little more sophisticated in her choice of cocktail. That's why I tossed out the jungle juice mixtures and am introducing today's senior citizen Barbie to a drink more suited to her maturity, an effervescent combination of a Mimosa and a Negroni.
Cheers and Happy Birthday, Barbie!

The

BARBIE MIMOSA
INGREDIENTS 1 Oz. Gordon's Pink Gin 3/4 Oz. Cocchi Rosa 1/2 Oz. Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice 2 Oz. Chilled Pink Champagne 1 Drop Rose Water
Garnish: Edible Candied Rose Petals
DIRECTIONS Fill mixing glass with ice Add all the ingredients except the champagne. Stir until well chilled. Strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top off with the Champagne. Garnish and enjoy.

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Chocolate & Rye Whiskey Manhatten Cocktail Recipe

Thanks to a close friend of mine from Sonoma, I finally got my hands on a bottle of Sonoma Distilling Company's Cherrywood Rye. My friend needed a weekend away from tribulations of a divorce so I invited her out to enjoy the beautiful spring wildflowers of the desert and chill out from all the legal proceedings. She came in towing her luggage and a gift box full of some of my favorite Sonoma county goodies and tucked right in there was a bottle of that lovely wine country rye. I have been wanting to get my hands on a bottle for ages but my zip code never brought up a local source on their website so thank the Booze Gods for best friends.

After she settled in I poured us both a glass over ice to savor the rye as she vented over her departing mate. Taking a cue from that, I immediately decided a chocolate Manhattan was next, mixed two up then handed hers to her saying, "You don't need a man, you need a Manhattan!"
It was the perfect, smokey, chocolate liquid elixir for a woman in the throes of a divorce and worked out beautifully for today's International Women's Day cocktail. I just wish she'd brought two bottles.

You Don't Need A Man, You Need A MANHATTAN! A Chocolate & Rye Whiskey Manhattan Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz Sonoma County Cherrywood Rye Whiskey 1 Oz Godiva Dark Chocolate Liqueur 1/2 Oz Cinzano Rosso Sweet Vermouth 2 Dashes Bitter Truth Chocolate Bitters 1 Dash Angostura Orange Bitters
Garnish: Brandied Cherry, Orange Twist
DIRECTIONS Chill your glasses. Fill a cocktail pitcher with ice. Add the ingredients and stir until chilled. Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish and serve.
Cheers to you, my dear friend, come back soon and bring me that second bottle. (And some Gravenstein cider!)

International Women's Day is March 8th. 
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ARNAUD'S SPECIAL COCKTAIL

Arnaud's Special was the house cocktail of the famous Arnaud's Restaurant of New Orleans in the 1940's and 1950's. It's a Southern take on a Rob Roy where the sweet vermouth and Angostura Bitters are replaced with the Dubonnet and orange bitters. 
If you're looking for a dry cocktail give this a try. It's a great cocktail to sip before dinner. Just make sure you use the new Dubonnet released in the States last year, it's more like the original 1846 formula and the Dubonnet that Europe has always had access to.  Even though Arnaud's most likely used the first American version, this new Dubonnet is much more complex and makes this cocktail way more interesting. (FYI, during the 1940s, when Hitler had control of France, the United States could not import Dubonnet so a different version was created in the U.S. It was, however, milder and less bitter as a result of the reduction of the quinine.)

ARNAUD'S SPECIAL
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz. Johnnie Walker Red Scotch 1 Oz. Dubonnet Rouge 3 Dashes of Orange Bitters
Garnish: Orange Twist
DIRECTIONS Stir in a mixing glass with ice until chilled then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Express the orange twist over the top then drop into the cocktail.

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PEACH BLOSSOM COCKTAIL Recipe

A few days ago it snowed (yes, SNOWED) here in Tucson. Today we are going to hit nearly 80 degrees. Such are the vagaries of the beginnings of Spring in Arizona, one minute you're tossing more mesquite wood on the fire and the next moment you're putting on shorts.

Somebody with a great sense of humor built little snowmen all throughout Saguaro National Park, here's one on top of a saguaro.

For cocktail lovers, the ending of winter means it's time to pull out your Collins and highball glasses and start thinking about tall, refreshing, low ABV* coolers again. You might want to tuck the brown booze off to the side and dust off your clear liquor bottles as well because hot weather and a burgeoning garden are both very friendly with gin, vodka, light rums, unaged whiskies and blanco tequilas.
With that in mind - and since it's National Peach Blossom Day - I thought I'd kick off the approaching spring and summer seasons with a cocktail that's been around for a while but in slightly different versions. I've seen recipes for peach blossom cocktails using a peach liqueur with either vodka or gin and, having tried both, I prefer the vodka. Gins can differ quite a bit in their botanicals and, if you choose the wrong one, it can overpower or conflict with the peach. Vodka doesn't have that problem, it's a much more amenable spirit when it comes to blending with delicate flavors, in fact, you can buy peach vodkas that enhance the peach experience.
Most of the recipes floating about the net are simply a mix of spirit, peach liqueur and either orange juice or ginger ale but I figure if you're going to make a peach cocktail put some real peach in it, I used frozen ones to help keep the cocktail cool. I leave out the orange juice, add some lemon to pop the sweetness of the peach and go with the effervescence of the ginger ale. This puts this cocktail in the Buck** category, making it a perfect drink for sitting outside and watching nature wake up from its winter nap.

The PEACH BLOSSOM Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 1 Oz. Peach Vodka 1 Oz. Peach Schnapps 5 Oz. Ginger Ale
Garnish: Frozen peaches mixed in with the ice cubes, Mint leaves
DIRECTIONS  Pour the vodka and peach schnapps into a Collins glass filled with ice cubes and frozen peach slices. Stir, top with ginger ale, pop the mint between your palms (this gently releases the oils into your cocktail), then place on top of the ice and enjoy.
* Alcohol by Volume
** A Buck is a cocktail or mixed drink that uses ginger ale or ginger beer, citrus juice and any of a number of base liquors.

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The BANANA CREAM PIE COCKTAIL Recipe

Some years ago I was very much into recreating pie recipes as adult beverages and, because banana cream pie is one of my favorites, I created a vodka based Banana Cream Pie Martini. I recently saw that National Banana Cream Pie Day was coming up and thought I'd revisit this experiment but with some interesting rums instead.
I used Appleton Estate aged rum and Cruzan's Banana and Vanilla Rums, added some fresh banana, a bit of cream and a dash of salt. I nearly always add salt to even out the sweetness that is inherent in a dessert inspired drink, it's a nice little chef's trick for balancing out too much tartness and it also serves to open up the palate.
Darned thing was so good I had two and skipped dinner.

The BANANA CREAM PIE COCKTAIL 
INGREDIENTS 1 Oz. Banana Rum 1/2 Oz. Vanilla Rum 1 Oz. Aged Dark Rum 1/2 Oz. Half & Half 1/2 Ripe Banana 1/8 Tsp. Himalayan Pink Sea Salt 1 Cup Crushed Ice
Garnish: Crushed Vanilla Wafers for Rim, Banana Slice
DIRECTIONS Blend the ingredients until smooth, pour into a chilled glass, garnish and enjoy.

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The WHITE RUSSIAN Cocktail

The White Russian is the creamy sister cocktail to the Black Russian. A Black Russian is 5 parts vodka to 2 parts Kahlua (coffee liqueur), the White Russian adds 3 parts cream to that.
A very popular and trendy drink in the 70s (and my GoTo gambling cocktail in those days) the White Russian's popularity then waned until 1998 when The Big Lebowski was released. Onto the screen strides Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), an aging hippie who dubs his White Russians "Caucasians" and sloshes them down while abiding through life in bathrobes, sandals and surfer bum threads. These days the White Russian and The Dude are so intertwined you can't order one without someone shouting "He abides" or simply, "Dude!"  Don't believe me? Go into a bar, order one, I dare you.

It might not be considered by most mixologists as one of the world's greatest drinks but I happen to enjoy drinking a Caucasian occasionally and, like The Dude says, "everything is just, like, your opinion, man”.

The WHITE RUSSIAN Martini Diva Style
INGREDIENTS: 2 Oz. Vodka 1 Oz. Kahlua Coffee Liqueur 1-1/2 Oz. Cream, Whipped lightly (soft peaks) 2 Dashes Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters
Garnish: Espresso Powder Rim, Scrappy's Orange Bitters
Tools: Stir Stick
Glass: Old Fashioned
DIRECTIONS: Dip the rim of the glass in some Kahlua, then into the espresso powder. Fill glass with a few ice cubes. Stir in the Vodka, Kahlua and chocolate bitters. Slowly add the whipped cream to float on top. Do not stir again. Tap a few dashes of the orange bitters on top, add a stir stick and serve.
Just take it easy, man, enjoy ... but watch out for cats ....

Variations: The Black Russian has no cream. The Blind Russian (aka Muddy Water) which substitutes cream with Irish Cream. The Mudslide which uses both cream and Irish Cream. The White Canadian made with goat's milk. The Anna Kournikova made with skimmed milk. The White Cuban made with rum instead of vodka. The Dirty Russian made with chocolate milk instead of cream. The Dirty Black Russian has no cream but uses cola. The Colorado Bulldog adds cola. The California Russian adds a shot of triple sec and a slice of orange. The Irish Russian is served with a head of Guinness. The Brown Russian is served in a highball glass and topped with ginger ale. The Black Magic uses a dash of lemon juice and a lemon twist garnish. Peri's Black Russian is served in a highball glass with vanilla vodka then topped with cola.
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CHERRY PIE COCKTAIL

This is my third cherry pie cocktail. What can I say, I love Cherry Pie and I love cocktails.

The CHERRY PIE COCKTAIL
INGREDIENTS  1-1/4 Oz. Rye Whiskey 1/4 Oz. Cherry Heering 1/4 Oz. Amaretto 1 Oz. Cherry Juice 1 Dash Cinnamon Bitters
Garnish: Crushed Pie Crust & Sugar Rim, Luxardo Cherry
DIRECTIONS Mix a half cup of crushed, baked pie crust with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Rim the glass with some of the cherry herring, dip in the pie crust mixture then chill in the freezer. Shake the ingredients with ice until chilled. Strain into the chilled glass. Garnish with a Luxardo Cherry and serve.
If you love cherry pie and cocktails as much as I do, you might also want to check out these: Bourbon Cherry Pie Smash Cherry Pie Martini
More Cherry Cocktails

National Cherry Pie Day is February 20th.

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CHOCOLATE MINT COCKTAILS

Chocolate and mint is a popular combination so I have combined them quite a few times over the years and come up with a few cocktail recipes.
My favorite?  My Chocolate Mojito but a classic Grasshopper runs a very close second. 

CHOCOLATE MINT COCKTAILS
AFTER EIGHT MINTINI BABY GROOT COCKTAIL CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE MARTINI CHOCOLATE MERRIMINT CHOCOLATE MOJITO CHRISTMAS GRASSHOPPER GRASSHOPPER IRISH KISS MINT MILANO COOKIE MARTINI PEPPERMINT PATTY MARTINI PEPPERMINT PATTY Part Deux SNOWBALL MARTINI
National Chocolate Mint Day is February 19th.
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DRINKING GAMES, Take the Boring Out of Your Cocktail Party!

Cocktail parties are always fun but they're more fun when you stir in some party games. If you have a diverse group of guests who might not know each other well the best way to break the ice is add a game to the mix.
I'm not just talking the ubiquitous beer pong, but some truly laughter inducing card, board and classic games that can help bring your guests together actively. Smaller gatherings can center nicely around a single game while larger groups can benefit from several small tables, each with a different game, where folks can pick and choose and switch it up as well.
Set up a self serve cocktail bar or trays of prepared shots, add a snack bar, arrange your table(s) and let the fun ensue while you enjoy your own party.
Here are some of my favorites:

CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY My all time Top Party Game. They call it a "party game for horrible people" which is what got me to buy it. Two decks of cards, one set with wild questions with blanks that players fill in from cards they were dealt from the other deck which has some equally wild and truly odd fill-in-the-blank solutions that will have everyone in fits of laughter.

DRINKOPOLY You probably won't make it past the first round, and cheating makes it way more fun.

TRIVIAL PURSUITS For the less adventurous and more knowledgeable BUT playing in teams and adding a cheating element of charades hints makes it way more fun.

BAD PEOPLE This one's mean, invite some enemies you can pick on because the voting can get vicious. You'll laugh - hard, but someone's going to get hurt feelings unless you play after you've all had enough drinks so no one will remember anything that went on.

THESE CARDS WILL GET YOU DRUNK They will. If you want to have fun but not get sloshed, don't do shots, do sips. There's some fun challenges and activities in this one, but you've added booze so move the priceless antiques to another room.

TIPSY TOWER Jenga for boozers.

MOVIE QUOTES Great for movie lovers, most of the quotes are pretty well-known, there are a few quotes from older and classic movies.

DRAWING WITHOUT DIGNITY 40 Proof Pictionary. Get a big box of crayonsand get your drunk doodles on.

TWISTER Come on, nothing funnier than a bunch of drunks climbing all over each other and falling down. Want to make your next party funnier? Set up a hidden webcam and record the whole brouhaha.

COCKTAIL FARTY A G rated conversation starter that can tell you things about your friends you might not otherwise have ever found out about.

Let's not forget about that LAWN BEER PONG

Of course there's always poker or some other card game (P.S. I've got some cool poker chip and playing card designs!),  I've also been known to serve my cocktails in squirt guns at pool parties and my own cocktail themed coloring book has been a big hit at my happy hours.

Yes, I get a few pennies if you click on and buy these. How else would I pay for my own booze? And without booze how would I continue to create all my free cocktail recipes for you??

PLEASE DRINK & PLAY RESPONSIBLY